First Day of School: September 6, 2013

I wish that Devon was this excited about going to school the next morning, but he was just buzzed about the Thomas jammies that Grammy sent.

 No, I ask Devon if he wants to go ANYWHERE these days and I get a very predictable response.

"No, I am NOT going to church.  I am FAR TOO BUSY!"
"NO! Tots is not good for a boy!  I don't WANT to go!"
"(crying) I can't go to the beach.  I just can't..."

He's mad.  Or sad.  Or scared.  Or frustrated.  He's been learning about emotions on his LeapPad.  It's good, but I'm not sure just what to do with all these emotions going everywhere.  Or the unspoken expectation of Devon's that if he speaks his emotion others will change their behavior.

To get him to go anywhere, I have to invoke Ms. Pam.

M: Time to get in the car.  We're going to Tots!
D: No!  I'm frustrated at you, Mommy.  I am not going to Tots!
M: All your friends will be there!
D: No!
M: You will do painting there!
D: No!
M: Mommy can have a break so she will have enough energy to take you to the park this afternoon.  When she comes back to pick you up, her eyebrow won't even be twitching!
D: No!
M: (pause)
D: No!
M: Okay.  That's your choice.  I'll go across the street and knock on Ms.  Pam's door and tell her that you're not going to Tots and ask her to come and stay with you.  She has plenty of grandchildren, so I'm sure that she will know just what to do to make a frustrated little boy behave.  You'll probably have to take a nap so Ms. Pam can get her stuff done, but if you don't want to go to Tots it's your only other option. 
D: (pause)
M: (moving towards the front door)
D: But, Mommy, I WANT TO GO TO TOTS!  LET'S GO TO TOTS!
M: Okay, Bud, let's go.
D: Let's go now, Mommy!  I want to see my friends!

Just for the record, Ms. Pam really does live across the street.  She's incredibly nice, she goes to our church, and I've never had to call on her for babysitting (although in an emergency I'd head over there in an instant).  I wonder how she'd feel about being my constant fib/threat for getting Devon out of the house each morning.

Tots is such a godsend for parents of multiples.  You'd think I could just run my house like a preschool, teaching them all their letters and breaking out a new, cute craft at every half-hour mark.  After all, preschool teachers do that all day, don't they?

Yes, teachers do.  They also get a lunch period, bathroom breaks, prep period, and a 4:00 end to the workday.  A janitor cleans their room every night, and a principal is just a phone call away if there is a discipline problem.

This is what happened the last time I attempted craft time.

Yup.  Lots of marker got on the paper, but plenty got in other places.  Goth Boy was still green the next day after a trip to the pool and a long bath, and these are washable markers.

"Mommy, I have marker on my tummy, Mommy," says Carrie.  I'll give you one guess for her favorite word.  She begins and ends every sentence with it.

"Mommy, I love you, Mommy."
"Mommy, I want that sippy, Mommy."
"Mommy, that's just nonsense, Mommy!"
"Mommy, Devon's eating the marker again, Mommy!"

Yup.  Craft time works better somewhere else.  Not that it wasn't fun....

I've been rehearsing dropoff for weeks.  Two on a leash and one orbiting.  After a few rough starts it's going pretty well.  If I'm ever standing there with all three pulling in different directions, I usually gasp and say "Look, guys, is that Daddy?"  All three snap to attention and start purposefully moving in the same direction.  It's like saying "Mush!" to sled dogs.

Yes, that is the second time I'm confessing to fibbing to my kids in the same post.  I'm keeping track.

Look at these grown up girls in their seats! 

At parent orientation I was able to sneak some shots of their play.  So cute!

They made their babies a pizza and set them up to eat it.

The day didn't end there.  We went straight from Tots to fall gymnastics kickoff.  So much fun!

As always, it was quite a workout for Mommy.  It's a big place and my maniacs don't exactly stay together.

Monday found us back on the leashes for the official first day of Tots.

The official first day picture is already in the baby books.  The girls look unsure of what to do...

Devon's an old pro.  He's done this before.  He settled right back in, even finding his old seat.

"Mommy, I'm painting," he exclaims.  I circle, making appropriate interested noises, snap a photo, and then slip out.

Aaaaaaahhhhhhh. Two hours to myself.  I don't listen to music.  I don't read my book.  I don't do anything.

Drive-thru pickup is a new feature of tots this year.  I think I'm a big reason for this.  I am sooooo grateful.  I can't say I was always dressed well and coiffed at pickup last year.  At least this time if I go home and clean house like a crazy person I don't have to drag my sweaty self back inside and drag the kids out to the car looking like that.

All three kids are full of conversation after tots.  The craft.  The snack.  The songs.  We talk all the way home.

We eat lunch on the porch. 

"Look, Mommy, I'm holding your hand!" says Devon.  We play a rocking game.

Mommy and Devon snuggles.
Mommy and Devon hugs.
Mommy and Devon kisses.
Mommy and Devon tickles!!!! 

the game starts again.

Ally kitty finds me after the kids go down for naps.  Still hungover from staggered wake-ups from all three kids, I curl around her and close my eyes.  Ahhh.....