Last Day of School

Friday was officially the last day of Kindergarten for Riley, and the last day of 2nd grade for Tyler. SOB! They are growing so fast. Their first day of school was July 9th, 2007...

That day, we got up early, made cinnamon rolls for breakfast, picked out exactly the right thing to wear, and buzzed with excitement over Riley's first day of school ever, Tyler's first day of 2nd grade, and everyone's first day at the brand new, just opened, fresh paint and new playground elementary school. I was massively pregnant of course; Caleb was 6 days overdue.

We had to park quite a ways away from the school because there were so many students, and parents, hurrying to find classrooms and take pictures. I rather liked the extra walk, at that point, i hoped that anything would induce labor. i had become - cumbersome...

We took Riley to his class, and we met his new teacher, Mrs. Rogers. Maybe it was because Riley had been my baby for so long, and Caleb wasn't quite here yet, maybe it was because i was eleventy months pregnant, but, i bawled and bawled when i saw my BABY starting kindergarten. (Don't get me wrong, i did the same thing when Tyler started pre-school AND Kindergarten. After all, he is my FIRST baby!) They did not let the parents enter the classroom. All the little Kindergarteners, my little Riley included, waved goodbye from the single file line they stood in, and walked away to go grow up, be independent, and expand the little world we'd so carefully kept them in.

Next we went in search of second grade, and it was hard to locate. After a few trips around and around, we became well acquainted with the layout of the school AND we found Tyler's classroom. We also met his new teacher Miss Devaney. Her classroom was beautifully and meticulously organized, and i fell in love with her at first sight. Right away, we found Tyler's desk, and discovered that he had become "Tyler J." because there was a Tyler E. that sat right across from him. (To this very day, if we run into classmates at Target or the grocery store, we always hear "Hi Tyler J.!")

After we said good bye to Tyler, i had to go immediately to a dr. appointment. I was being monitored twice a week to make sure the baby wasn't overcooked. But this day, Dr. decided it was time to have the baby and reserved a spot for me at the hospital. I nervously packed all the last minute things (except my toothbrush which really ticked me off) excited about the baby, scared about the delivery and all the while anxious to hear how the boys' day at school went. Riley was out of school first. We picked him up and he RAN out to us screaming "THIS WAS THE BEST DAY EVER!" I don't know how to describe how incredibly full of GLEE he was. You could see it dripping off of him. He loved loved school. Little did we know that very soon weekends would be a cause for upset when Riley didn't appreciate not being allowed to go to school.

Finally 3 pm rolled around and it was time to pick up Tyler. (My hospital bag was packed and in the truck, the new baby car seat sat waiting in the backseat. The boys didn't even know yet!) We got Tyler and heard all about him being "Tyler J", the big kids playground, the library, and the cafeteria food. After a snack and a juice, we packed a suitcase for the boys and dropped them off at grandma's house on our way to the hospital. The next day, July 10th, 2007, Tyler and Riley got their first absences on their official records, and their little brother Caleb was born.

Now it is May 2008; Tyler and Riley have finished their school year, and Caleb is 10 and a half months old.

Don't EVER blink your eyes. You have no idea of what you will miss.