Five Things I’ve Learned About My Pre-Schooler This Week

Ethen started pre-k this week and after only three days in I’ve learned some interesting facts about my little boy:

1. He will actually lie down and nap during the day. Pre-K must be mucho exhausting for Ethen. Today his teacher informed me that they have to wake him up after rest time. Who would have thought my little Ethen all curled up in the corner on his sleep mat snoring and drooling all over his make-shift pillow? He would never nap for me at home. Never. In. A. Million. Years. I mean why would he? You know, in his nice comfy bed and all?

2. He hangs out with kids named after a variety of dry pasta. According to E, the following kids sit at his table: Ethen (obviously), Evan, Laney, and Macaroni. Yes, Macaroni.

3.  He goes potty with the bathroom door open. Now this one he does do at home, but I figured at school he would at least close the door when he’s doing his business. (Note: The pre-k bathroom is across the hall from their classroom and apparently they are sent there unescorted.) Ella (my first grader) told me she was walking down the hall with her class when she saw Ethen sitting on the toilet with his pants down and the door wide open. Oh Lord! I just hope he washed his hands!

4. He will only eat yogurt at home. We’ve been having some debacles at lunch with the slightly fermented, semi-solid food. Needless to say, this has led to Ethen being deathly afraid of transporting and consuming yogurt anywhere outside the confines of his own home. We don’t even mention the word. We’ve started referring to it as “probiotic.” Even so, I think he might be catching on. Every time we say “probiotic,” I see him flinch a bit.

5. He kinda likes me more than daddy this week. (I’m not positively sure about this, but all signs are pointing in my favor.) Nick and I went together to pick him up from school yesterday and he ran straight into my arms like a bat outta hell. When I told him to give daddy a hug and a kiss, he perplexedly replied, “Daddy who?”

Where Did Everybody Go?

My week has been nutso. This morning I took a deep breath and looked around – Where did everybody go? Oh that’s right, school. Yep, school is back in session and I obviously forgot how to handle it. I must have hit my head pretty hard (without realizing it) because I feel completely crazy, unorganized, forgetful, and tired. My mind and body won’t let me get into the groove of having two little ones off in the world of academia.

My Ella is now a big shot first grader and she is loving every minute of it. Granted it’s only been about 72 hours since she took her first steps into the classroom. I’m sure I will be side-swiped in about a month when the novelty of having her own desk wears thin. Ethen is finally starting pre-school. Yesterday was “meet the teacher day” which only lasted an hour, and I honestly had to take his temperature when we returned home because he was so exhausted and lethargic I thought he had come down with some rare illness (bubonic plague?) during that 60 minute time span. Maybe it was the 5:30am wake-up and the 30 laps around the kitchen and living room earlier that morning screaming, “Today is my first day at pre-k! Today is my first day at pre-k!” that really did him in. He was a perfectly healthy 98.4 degrees. Turns out all he needed to remedy his tuckered out body was a cuddle from mommy, a sip of elderberry, and a scenic-route wagon ride. Works every time.

Needless to say, I haven’t remedied my own pooped-out-poopiness this week. I’m completely off-balance and drained. Anyone up for pulling a grown woman in a wagon this weekend? But seriously, I hope to get my ass on schedule for next week and be here every day writing more about my mommying adventures…and health and life and love…and the sanity craziness of it all. 

Much love mamas!