First Grade. BAM!

We've spent the last two weeks just hanging out and being lazy and mostly not thinking about school.  There were many days when Dexter did not leave his pajamas.  Erin usually wanted to get dressed right before nap time.  No, no, don't make me take a nap in pajamas, Mama!  We did a private school visit to see Dexter's classroom (102) and meet Dexter's teacher (Mrs. Meute).  And then the following week we went back for the official Sneak a Peek, to see Dexter's classroom all set up, find his desk and cubby, and see who else is in his class.  He's got one friend from Kindergarten, and at least one other friend from Friendship Group who also was at camp with him over the summer.  So that's cool.

And then after a weekend of doing mostly nothing but play with trains, suddenly it was Monday.  The first day of First Grade.  Dexter was dressed and ready to go by 7:35.  The bus comes at 7:58.  We left at 7:45.  Just to be sure.  I think he's a little bit excited...

Happy First Day of First Grade, Dex!  I hope you love it.  We'll see you at 3:45!

It was a bit of a parade out to the bus stop.  Everyone went.  Except Buddy.  He stayed inside and barked.

We've got friends at the bus stop this year, so we can't just wait at the bottom of the driveway any more.  We've got to walk 25 yards up the road.

Erin was upset that I was standing in the road and not in the driveway.  She was afraid I was going to get hit by a car.

Fancy Mr. First Grade

And there's the bus!  Same bus.  Same bus driver.  Who, ironically, is Dexter's teacher's husband.  So he has already told Dexter's teacher all about Dexter.  Dex made a poor little Kindergarten kid shove over so he could sit in his normal spot.  Right behind Mr. Ray.  That poor Kindergarten kid is going to learn A LOT about space this year...

Wonderland

In June, when Dexter went to Grandma's house for a week, I took Erin to Dutch Wonderland.  Just her and me.  And I let it be a day all about Erin.  Want to ride on the carousel for 45 minutes straight?  Go ahead, girl.  Mama's butt is falling off, but let's do this.  Hot dog for dinner?  We're there.  Ice cream for snack?  Right on.  Stay til 8PM and finally get dragged, literally kicking and screaming, out to the car to go home?  OK.  I'm sorry, little one, but Mama has her limits.  And 8PM at Dutch Wonderland is my limit.

When Aunt Maria came down to visit last week so I could go to the beach with my girlfriends, I thought it would be cool to take Dexter to DW for a day so he could have a totally Dexter day there.  Just him and me.  Don't want to ride on those space ship simulators because they involve watching a movie?  OK.  Want to ride the plasma cars for 20 minutes?  Great.  Two hot dogs for lunch?  Awesome, because for the first time ever Mama didn't pack a lunch so we're eating in the park.  Want to ride on the swings?  And you won't do it unless I come with you?  Sigh.  Fine.  You're lucky I like you, kid.  (For the record, both of us have vowed never to ride the swings, ever again)

It was a completely different experience with each kid.  Dexter rode each ride exactly one time, with a few exceptions (dear lord, why did the cable car thingy high high above the park have to be one of those exceptions?).  Erin stayed on the carousel, seriously, for 45 minutes.  We switched horses.  But we never got off the ride.  Dexter did an admirable job steering both his turnpike car and the bumper car we drove (except when he ran in to the wall).  Erin is the very worst steer-er in the universe.  Erin sat, enraptured, through two musical shows with a princess and prince and a funny looking dragon.  Dex didn't have time for such silliness.  I dragged Erin out of the park at 8.  Dexter told me at 4PM that he was ready to go home.  I had to guilt him in to staying longer, to go over to the water park to do the big water slide with me.  Because Erin was too scared to do it.  Dexter and I stopped at Stride-Rite to get him some new school shoes after DW, and then did dinner at Applebees, and we STILL got home before Erin and I did.

On a different note, Google Photos is doing some cool and crazy stuff with my pictures.  I am highly entertained.  It's not always 100% accurate, and I don't know how to edit what has been created.  But I'll take it.  So, here's a Google Photos look at a Wonderland adventure with each kid:

I can't figure out how to insert the video right on to the page, so here's a link to Dexter's video.  You can't hear him, on the swings, yelling back to me to stop the ride!  I want to get off now!

And here's a link to Erin's video.  The waterfalls were not at DW.  Apparently Dex went to see waterfalls the same day we went to DW.

Silly faces on the boat ride

Erin throughout the day

I had to TWIST his arm, HARD, to get him to change his clothes and go to the water park.  It was the highlight of his day.

Short stuff was happy to go and had a wonderful time there.

Erin's not big enough for this one yet.  She might be the next time we go.  But I think she's going to need support from her big brother to go on it.  She's a little scared.

Dutch Wonderful, indeed.  In totally different ways, I had a fantastic time with both children.  So glad I was able to spend a day with them, just doing what they wanted to do.  No rules at DW.  Just the way it should be.