My First Kindergarten Baby

How can it be his first day of Kindergarten?

 Lets be honest...I've been counting down the days! And so has he. We've gone school shopping. We've gone to Kindergarten Roundup. We've met his teacher, Ms Chapman. We've lost a tooth. We've learned how to ride a bike. We've exhausted all efforts of mom teaching Peyson the alphabet...Peyson learning the alphabet from mom...and failing together. We've made each other completely crazy. 

We. Are. Ready. 

We all woke up with great anticipation and excitement, got ourselves ready, took 700 first day of school photos, and off to school we went, little sister tagging along. The kid was not scared. He put his things away for the day and never looked back. Big boy. I only cried a little as I walked back home. I didn't think I would today. And it wasn't because I didn't want to leave him all day. Because I definitely did! But my first baby is growing up. He is on to bigger and better things. He is excited. And I am already becoming the mom a little less needed. 

Little Ainslee girl missed her brother all day long. When is Peyson coming home? I want to play with Peyson. She was not so excited about this day.

Finally we found him again. He played hard. He learned hard. And he was tired. So tired, he needed the stroller to get home more than the little lady :)  She was happy to help.

I am excited for him and his new adventures. I'm excited to see him learn and be excited about it. I'm excited to see him make new friends and interact with others. I'm excited for him to grow. And I'm excited to be his biggest cheer leader! Happy First Day of Kindergarten!

Already?

The Tooth Fairy is now a frequent flier at our house.  Peyson lost his first tooth.  

 

 

It was to the point where he could breath and it would wiggle!  ;)  He went into the bathroom to look at just how wiggly it really was and when he came out it was in his hand.  And he has seen enough TV to know that losing teeth means $$$.  So we sat down at the kitchen table to write the Tooth Fairy a note.  It says-

 

Dear Tooth Fairy,

I lost my first tooth.  Please come get it and bring a surprise.

Peyson

 

He put his tooth in a baggy and tucked it and the letter under his pillow.  It was good and tucked BTW.  The Tooth Fairy really had to work at getting it without waking him.  But she managed.  And he woke up to find a little note covered in pink writing and glitter, with a $1 bill rolled in dental floss.  He really thought that was silly.

 

 

Riding a Bike

 

Peyson is sort of really REALLY scared to try new things.  And. . .he's kinda sorta a lot like me in the fact that if he doesn't achieve success the FIRST time he does try something new. . .he kinda sorta has a melt down.

 

Just getting him to try to ride a bike WITH training wheels was quite the task.  It even frustrated Derek, Mr. I-Don't-Get-Frustrated. . .Ever.  But eventually he got comfortable with that. 

 

With school coming up I decided I should work with him on losing the training wheels so he could be a big boy and maybe ride his bike to school.  Or feel big.  Or proud.  Or something. 

 

So with this bright idea, I, being HEAVY with child, in the Amarillo heat, worked with Mr. Peyson every day for nearly a month.  A mom from church told me about those glider bikes that have no pedals.  And that her 3 year old learned in like a day or something.  And since I didn't want to buy one because we already had a real bike, I used the concept and made the real bike work the same way.  We took off the training wheels, lowered the seat as far as it would go, and we worked on gliding.  Up and down the block, time after time after time.  Maybe 20 minutes every day, or until we were all dying a horrible, sweaty death.  When he felt like he could glide without falling over, we practiced one sided pedaling.  With one foot he pedaled from the top of the range of motion to the bottom, while his other foot stayed down to the side to keep him upright.  When his pedal hit bottom, he would stop and switch feet.  Time after time after time.  Then he just did it faster, putting the same motion to play, with less time stopping in between. 

 

I kept encouraging him and telling him he needed to show Daddy what he could do.  And then one day, literally ONE DAY, Daddy came out and did the whole "I'll hold your seat while you pedal" thing and that was the end of it.  He was riding his bike down the walk.  I was screaming.  Ainslee was cheering.  And he was yelling- 

This is Awesome!

I did it!  I did it!

I rided my bike all by myself!

 

And the best of all. . .

Now I can go to kindergarten!

:)      

 

Swimming Lessons

Peyson started swimming lessons this summer.  I guess I can't remember what swimming lessons were like when I had them, but I didn't realize they don't actually teach you how to swim in the 1st or even 2nd session of lessons.  But he got very comfortable in the water and that makes me happy and confident in his ability to learn when he gets there.  The lessons were 45 minutes each, and of that 45 minutes at EVERY lesson, I'm sure Peyson spent at least 10 climbing out, running walking to the restroom, then running walking back to his class, and getting back in. 

You've seen the signs.

This kid follows the rules!  :)

 

After two sessions of lessons he felt like he didn't need water wings anymore.  Ha!  Sweet boy. . .you didn't actually learn how to swim :)  His side-of-the-pool dives were pretty amazing belly flops.  They made me giggle and cringe all at once.

 

He really loved doing his own thing without me there helping I think.  And even in the hot Amarillo summers, he still came out of the pool in full on body shivers, with teeth chatters big enough to knock some out.  But after two sessions he was a boy with no fear.  And I was fine with that. . .so long as his water wing accessories were along for the ride.

 

T-Ball

Peyson is a pretty athletic little guy.  And he has A LOT of wild energy.  So we signed him up for T-ball.  Let me tell you. . .it. is. PAINFUL!!! 

So there are about 12-16 little 4, 5 and 6 year olds who know NOTHING about the game, the rules.  Nothing.  They had 3 practices before the games began and it was just enough to bridle them in. . .get them organized just enough to pay enough attention to hit, run, chase the ball and throw it where ever they felt like it.  But they are REALLY good at playing in the dirt, taking potty brakes instead of playing pitcher ;) and the snacks after the game are the BEST part.

I think because I've known the rules since forever and because I get a little teensy weensy competitive, it is so stressful to watch these cute little distracted kiddos have no idea what they are doing.  But I keep cheering and trying to help Peyson learn and improve.  And I just have to giggle when nothing anybody is saying is being heard.

Daddy had time last weekend to work with him on how to line up his feet, and how far away to stand from the tee, and where on the bat he needs to hit the ball.  It helped.  And then he forgot :) 

It is hot.  It takes forever.  They don't know what to do with the ball after they get it.  They don't know they need to run to the next base as soon as their team mate hits the ball.  They want to climb the fence.  They want to swing the bat around even if heads are close.  They see the playground near by.  They see airplanes and helicopters in the sky.  They see puppies running around.  They see new friends they want to play with.  They see EVERYTHING except the purpose of their being there.

Although on occasion, something they have heard or learned will click.  They will get an out.  They will hit it to the outfield.  They will make it home.  And it is AWESOME!  And we get to cheer really LOUD.  And they flash their beautiful smiles and you can see the pride swell inside them.  And it is no longer painful, but beautiful.

Go Sharks!