The Nelson Narrative

So people have been asking me what I've been doing with all my free time now that the girls are in Kindergarten.  I have to say, the 4 hours just flies by, just like I knew it would.  I'll use last week as an example of a typical week. Monday I just cleaned and did laundry pretty much the entire time they were gone.  Tuesday I volunteered at school with health screenings.  Specifically, hearing tests.  Remember in grade school when you'd put on some special headphones and have to raise you hand when you heard a tone?  I got to operate the little machine and mark the students with a pass/fail. Wednesday I did a DVD workout, then went to Trader Joe's, and Thursday I went to the gym.  By the time I got home and showered I had about an hour to just check email/FB, etc. Friday was my "long" day, where they were gone until 2:00 instead of only 12:35 (they only go to school every other Friday - their school has early dismissal every Friday so the AM and...

We made our annual trek to the pumpkin patch last weekend.  We were going up to MV anyway to visit my mom, and a good friend of mine happens to work at a pumpkin farm there every October so we knocked out both of those in one visit, plus we got to see my niece's new house and visit my dad and stepmom before they head south for the winter.  It was a busy and fun day.  Then yesterday the girls had a field trip to another pumpkin patch, so they've definitely had their fill of pumpkins for the season.          

We took the girls to the Washington State Fair yesterday.  We took them 3 years ago when they were just 2 1/2, and figured we'd try it again this year but we should not have gone on a Saturday.  Super crowded and traffic was horrible. We started off with the rides.  The girls wanted to go on one of the kiddie coasters and I thought they'd love it, but apparently their experience on that ride at Silverwood earlier this summer scarred them pretty good, and Olivia got scared and started crying.  Oops.  They rode another ride and enjoyed it, but then they just wanted to play some games, so we played Skee Ball (Paul and I ended up doing it for them) and Paul managed to win a little animal. After the rides we looked at most of the animals and then they were ready to go.

Now that the girls are in kindergarten, we have a whole new routine.  Gone are the days of sleeping in until 8:00, snuggling in bed every morning and hanging out in their pajamas until almost lunchtime or later.  Mornings are very different around here lately, and much to my surprise the transition hasn't been that hard, thanks to making gradual changes in the few weeks leading up to this and a few trial runs. 6:30 - I get up and get ready (usually having showered the night before.  I still wet and blow dry my hair but I don't have to shower). 7:00 - The girls get up, get dressed, comb their hair and brush their teeth.  I really need to work on getting them to make their own beds too but I usually just do it because I don't have the patience.  We're going to work on that. 7:30 - Breakfast 8:00-8:20 - Get shoes on, gather backpacks, etc. before going to the bus stop.  We usually have about 10 or so minutes to spare, but I'm sure that won't alway...

It's finally here.  We found out yesterday afternoon that there would be no strike and school was ON.  We finalized their outfit choices, filled out a little questionnaire I found on Pinterest, I packed their lunches and they were in bed by 8:30.  I set their alarm for 7:00, and mine for 6:30 so I could be all ready before they got up (I showered last night), but they came into my room around 6:40, all excited. I walked them to the bus stop, then I had to jump in my car and race to the school to try and be there when they got off the bus but I didn't quite make it.  Some of their friends' moms were there in time though (they got an earlier start because the girls have one of the last stops) and got some pictures.  I walked them to their classroom (actually, they mostly walked with their friends and I walked behind--they barely knew I was even there), took a few more pictures, and I was out of there.  Then I went to Trader Joe's.  By myself....

This was our LAST week before school!  Or, at least, it's supposed to be if the teachers don't go on strike :(  We'll see. Anyway, Monday was Labor Day and we were still up in MV at Dad's. Tuesday - Paul had the day off and we ended up finishing putting the girls' new dresser together. Wednesday - The girls' kindergarten assessment. Thursday - had a successful "trial run", getting up and ready in time for school, then played with friends ALL DAY LONG, from 8:30 until right before bedtime. Friday - Went to Starbucks, then a play date with another friend that isn't one of the ones they play with all the time.  Came home for lunch, then got haircuts and frozen yogurt and went to a park.  Had family movie night after dinner and watched Mary Poppins. Here's a picture of their new haircuts (not really different, just trimmed up), complete with eyes closed and suckers in mouths.  That's how we roll. Yesterday we just hung out ...

The girls start Kindergarten in 3 days.  I'm mostly very excited and looking forward to all the free time I will have to do projects, errands, or just read and watch The View.  But I'm also really sad because it really is the end of an era, a time in my life that has been the absolute most precious and special time I will ever have.  My girls'--my only children--'s baby/toddler/preschool years.  I have treasured these last 5 and a half years of being their stay-at-home mommy and primary caregiver, and while I will obviously continue to be their mommy and primary caregiver, it will soon be very different. When I look back over the last 5 and half years, I remember all of the fun stuff we did that we never could have done (except for a little bit on weekends and vacations) if I hadn't been able to be home with them.  Playing at all kinds of different parks whenever we felt like it, mom's group play dates, story time at the library, going for walks and bike/...