The Making Of Melanie: August 2012

Thursday, August 30, 2012

I'm officially a "grown up"....Have we done this post before?

With one very excited Kindergartener who tells everyone we meet "I'm five and I'm in Kindergarten!" I think I'm concluding I am officially "grown up". That and the fact I have a sticker on my car that says "RCE" (initials for Georgia's school- LAME, yet I love it, but seriously I feel kinda silly)...... also- for the first time ever my car hit empty last evening and instead of driving it until I was terrified of running out of gas or waiting until this morning and having a mad rush, as per usual, to fill up my car on the way to work- guess what? I stopped and filled it up last night. Brilliant. Really- I thanked myself a million times and patted myself on the back for that one this morning as I sailed into work- on a a FULL tank of gas. Who does that? Grown ups. That's right.

Meanwhile- remember how I wanted to have the house decorated for fall when Georgia stated school? I went ahead with my plans even though it was August 14th or something like that. The problem is my Halloween stuff and my Fall stuff kinda all go together in one big decorating theme scheme. So I just went with it because I was being lazy and didn't want to have to pull the boxes out again in 3 weeks or so. We even made pumpkin bread muffins and snicker doodle cookies in the shapes of owls the other night (FYI Snicker doodle cookies actually have NOTHING to do with snickers as the name may trick you into believing they are actually just sugar cookies that you roll around in cinnamon and sugar then bake, still delish but not as exciting as you would think.). I've pulled out the "creamy pumpkin" and "pumpkin spice latte" candles and I'm pretty much in heaven every evening as I breathe in the fall scents. That is until Georgia's friends from next door come over and question me as to "Why do you have a pumpkin doormat out with a jack-o-lantern on it?" Why? Because I want to! Because in 2 more days it will be September!

Whatever- you'll be jealous when we spread out the fake spider webs all over the place- I am at least saving that for the last week in September.

Oh yeah- just 2 more days until it's Pumpkin Spice Latte season- not that I've been counting down or anything.....

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Just drop me off...and stop being crazy!

The third day of school- have you been doing this all of your life? Yesterday (on the second day of school) you wanted me to just drop you off. Ummm...no- I still needed to walk you in, but I told you today we could go through the parent drop off line- they will stop letting Mommies and Daddies walk their children in any day now anyway. So this morning you were excited- I probably asked you a million times if you were SURE you wanted me to drop you off.

"Yes Mommy, I'm sure"
"But Georgia, are you really sure? Like completely positive because I can still walk you in..."
"I can do it Mommy, just drop me off"
"Okay, do you remember how to get to your classroom? Can you get there on your own?"
"Can you give me directions?" (hahaha)
"Yes- you walk in, take a right, then take another right into the Kindergarten building and your class is on the left"
"Got it! Right, Right then Left"
"That's right- and remember you can ask anyone for help if you get lost just tell them who your teacher is and that you are in Kindergarten"
"Got it!"
"And you remember the directions?"
"Yes"
"Are you sure you don't want me to walk you in?"
"No, just drop me off"
"You're sure because I can still walk you in today but pretty soon they won't let me do it at all"
"You can just drop me off"

At this point we are pulling into the circle drive for drop off

"Really, Georgia, you can still change your mind, I'll park and just walk you in"
"No Mommy, just drop me off" (and stop being so neurotic)

I pulled up to the two teacher aides and the 5th graders helpers that assist the kids getting out of the car. I leaned back and unbuckled you and handed you your back pack and lunch kit and you tumbled out of the car. The 5th grader tried to help you but you said "I've got it!" and the teacher aide came up to check your backpack tag (it has your classroom number and teacher on it) she tried to help you put your back pack on but you wanted to do everything yourself. I wish I had video of all of this- the look on your face was SO proud! She asked if you needed help getting to your classroom and you told her you knew and without skipping a beat (or putting your backpack on) you walked off with your arms full of your backpack and lunch kit like you owned the place to your classroom. I don't think I've ever seen you look so proud- or have had a prouder moment of you. The aide turned to the 5th grader and asked him to follow you to make sure you got where you were suppose to be. I had to pull out at this point and it took everything in me to not park my car and run inside to catch a glimpse of you walking into class and making sure you arrived okay.

I'm so glad I am your Mommy- you are the most special girl in the entire world. I hope you always know that.

Love you more,
Mommy

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Only 3 years...

When Georgia first started Mother's Day Out I found the most precious little outfit for her ever at Janie and Jack. Georgia's "thing" was always poodles and they had the most adorable outfit ever for her 1st day of school.

Before I found her real first day of school outfit I was looking around at what might be the perfect thing and found Janie and Jack was re-doing their poodle line from 3 years ago! Could it be anymore perfect?

So here you go~ Georgia on her 1st day of school ever going to Mother's Day out at 2 years old and Today- her 2nd day of Kindergarten at 5 years old!

Love it!
(I think we can also appreciate the camera upgrade since that first picture...weird seeing it side by side, I always thought that was a great camera!)

Monday, August 27, 2012

Dear Georgia....

Dear Georgia,
Today is your first day of Kindergarten. Wow! Seriously- how did this happen? I honestly feel like I just held you in my arms yesterday- almost like the weight of your little body snuggled up in the crook of my arm is still there. You are such a fun, smart, funny, entertaining and caring little girl- I know you will do well in school. In prepping you for this day I asked myself "Have I done enough in the past 5 years to make sure she is ready?" I can assure you the answer is "yes". I have not one little worry about you- you speak your mind yet you are polite. You ask for what you want and you are not afraid to tell someone what you need. You make friends fast and I have a feeling you will be helping the other kids who maybe feel a little lonely today.

I can't help but think of the very first time I dropped you off at Mother's Day out when you were two years old. It ripped my heart out to do it, but I did. I'm so glad I did now. (Even though I broke the rules and picked you up after only 2.5 hours every day you went...and you only went twice a week). When I dropped you off that day we both cried. I actually couldn't even make it to the bathroom of the church or even to my car. I began to sob right there outside of your classroom door.

When I dropped you off for preschool when you were three years old we still had a rough time (and not just on the first day)- this was probably the biggest transition period of both of our lives. For three years it had been you and I together almost constantly and now you were going to "school" and I was going back to work. I missed you so much but you blossomed into a courageous and amazing child. You were very shy back then and would bury your head in my chest when new people came around. There were times when you did not warm up to people at all, but you went to school and you made LOTS of friends and you were surrounded by teachers and staff that loved you so much- just like Mommy. They held you when I couldn't and they helped you when I wasn't there. Just to let you know- part of me still wishes every day that I would have been able to stay with you the past two years.

Little by little you become "Little Miss Social"- you would talk to people in the elevator on the way down to the car in the mornings and greet the Valet as they helped us load up- you didn't hide behind my legs anymore or bury yourself in me. You were (and still are) a charmer.

Then I saw you today- boy do you have some confidence!! You are not scared of going to school at all! You walked right in, said "Hello" to your teacher, found your friend Hallie and gave her a great big hug. It was almost like Mommy wasn't even there! ha! I gave you a quick hug and told you how proud I was of you and you said "I know, I love you Mommy, see you later" I saved face this time until I got to the car to break down. ;)

I guess I just want you to know I love you forever. I'm SO proud of you. Things haven't worked out the way I imagined but life continually proves to me that they are working out better than I could have planned. You having the opportunity to go to preschool these past two years has given you something I don't think you would have received by staying at home with Mom- even though we did some really cool stuff together, I was always around. I really think you being able to be out on your own, making decisions for yourself without me watching helped you right along to be in the place you are now. You are so well adjusted it makes my heart swell.

Today as I cried on my way to work it wasn't fearful tears of "What will happen?", they were happy tears, thinking "We did it!". I know you are going to be better than "okay". You are and always will be nothing short of amazing. I am so very proud of you today as I have been every day of your life.