Changing Bedrooms

The influx of papers from Tyler's Kindergarten career has taken over our house. This was the basic catalyst behind our decision to redo the kids' bedrooms. Tyler and Maggie had been sharing a bedroom and the extra room was our guest room. (Ok Maggie actually was sleeping with Mommy and Daddy, but her stuff was upstairs). After Ty started school he decided he wanted a desk and I was only too happy to give him someplace to draw and store all the papers he refuses to part with.

So we found a desk on Craig's List and began a weekend of rearranging. Tyler kept his bedroom but got a new bed. He now is sleeping in the Queen size bed that was in the guest room. Not too shabby for a 5 year old to have such a big bed! His room looks very nice. We do need to indulge his affection for the color red somehow by adding some border to his room. The kid wants me to paint his room red and purple, but that just is not going to happen.

Maggie's new room was a little more difficult. The closet in that room had been our storage closet since we moved so we had alot of things to clear out and go through. Then we moved her toddler bed and Tyler's old twin bed into her new room. She has been sleeping in the toddler bed for the time being. I still have alot of things to do in her room. We need to: paint, get quilts for the beds, get her a dresser, and finish organizing the last 3 boxes remaining in her room. But she does have her own room and has been going to sleep there with only a small amount of complaining (well, the first night it was ALOT of complaining).

That is what we have been up to. In a few days we are all off to California for an exciting vacation. Jeff and I will also be celebrating our 7 year Anniversary on Sunday.
Love,
Donita

Maggie's First Day

Maggie's first day of preschool went very well. I am only sending her one day a week. She goes on Tuesday. We have been talking to her about it all summer and she has been anxious to start. Her school started about a week after Tyler's so she was begging to go to school every day he went.

She went right into her classroom the first day. She is such a big girl now and wants to do everything herself. So she carried her own lunch bag and put it in her cubby. She is very excited about her snack. She said bye to Mommy and was on her way. She had a really good day and was excited to see me when I picked her up. She got to paint, so that was very fun for her. Since then she is excited to report that she also gets to play with playdough and play on the playground.

This week we had Parent's Night at her school. We got to visit her classroom and see what she does during the day. The teachers had hung up everyone's artwork. That was very cute to see. It is hard to believe she is old enough to paint and glue. We have been so busy the past year with Jeff's new job, selling the house, moving, and Tyler starting school that it seems Maggie has grown up overnight. It is very hard to imagine the little girl who screamed every time I tried to leave her at the YMCA childcare so happily marching off to school. Now if her independence will just expand to bedtime then we will really have accomplished something!
Love, Donita

School Started

Well school started a month ago, but I am finally finding time to write about it. Tyler's first day went really well. Jeff, Maggie and I all drove him to school and walked him into the building. He quickly said goodbye and ran off to be with his friends, while Mommy and Daddy weren't quite ready to let go that fast. He has 2 kids in his class that he knew from preschool. The first week he complained about not knowing anyone and not liking school. I think he was just overly tired from our busy Labor Day weekend in West Liberty. Since that he has been pretty happy.

Tyler has been riding the bus home and sometimes riding to school in the morning. He really loves riding the bus. He has a friend named Lindsie who lives down the street. She is his bus buddy and in the same class at school. Tyler is infatuated with Lindsie right now. He thinks she is the coolest person he knows. It is very cute that he has made a good friend. It is not a crush, but just him having a friend at school.

Tyler has also suddenly turned the corner in is learning. He is now eager to say the alphabet, write, color, and learn the spellings of words. I think it is finally starting to click for him.

So that is Tyler's school so far. He goes all day every day. I was really worried about the long days for him, but he has adjusted very well. Maggie and I need to go get him at the busstop now, so I will sign off for today. Next time I will post about Maggie and her first day of Preschool.
Love Donita

I love my wife more than the world itself.