The Announcement(s)!

Well the "announcement" that you're all anticipating, (well like 5 of you!) and the one that I seem to be having a hard time admitting to myself! I am currently living in two different worlds. The teenage world.....and the toddler world. Sometimes they just co-habitate, and sometimes the universe aligns both worlds and I have two ginormous events happening simultaneously. This is one of those times.

I'll start with the "toddler" world. I've had a whole week to think about this and get this post put together, and I just don't seem to be able to put into words exactly how I feel about it! Everyone knows and accepts that their kids grow up.....eventually. After all, I have 2 older kids that have "grown up", so I should be able to grasp this concept. But I have been in total denial with my little "baby"growing up!

I had made the appropriate arrangements to get her into preschool, and got her on a waiting list. (Just at one school. After all I'm in denial right?) When I never heard back from the teacher, I just assumed that I wouldn't have to deal with it until next year. But then 3 weeks after school began, she called and told me that a space had opened up. Of course I was interested! But was I "ready" to send this little stubborn, and very outspoken little 3 year old off to "school"??? I decided to try it, with the understanding that if she isn't ready, then I'll be able to pull her out. She has now been to "school" 3 times and yesterday was better than the last time, and that was better than the first time. So I definitely have some hope that she will someday be able to go to school without me. The bad news is that I haven't left her there. Just haven't been brave enough. She always comes looking for me, and I fear not being there, and she has a melt-down.

The other reason I have neglected this post (and this is a stupid, but valid reason!) is that she was so uncooperative on the first (and second, and third) day of preschool, that I didn't get one good picture. She wouldn't stand still, wouldn't look at me, wouldn't do anything but run away. So these are the best of the first morning. After all, even though the pictures are lousy, they completely explain her right here, right now! Hopefully it will get better, but for now, I just have blurry pictures to show for her "first day of school" experience! And someday when she's looking at the pictures, I will be able to explain to her how STUBBORN she was on the first day of school, (Payback....yup!) and have the proof of it!!

(Should I tell her now or later that the binky has to stay in the backpack?)


Here she is showing Andrew the project that they worked on in school. She was pretty proud of the pictures that she picked out.


I did get some cute pictures the day we went to the store and picked out her backpack. And she also picked out an umbrella, and I could just envision all the cute pictures to be taken (assuming she will cooperate!) so of course I had to get it! Isn't it adorable?


She had already decided that Tinkerbell needed to sleep in the pocket of the new backpack!





Look at the cute little "attitude" in these two shots!! Just makes me smile!

My second world is the oldest. He took his road test for his license tonight!

Waiting (patiently :) for the tester to come out!

Andrew was the one that had the privilege of taking him for his test, and I made him come all the way to get the little camera, and wouldn't you know it, he didn't get a shot of him holding his new (temporary) license. But he did remember when they got to the school to pick up Nikelle from volleyball practice. Not the same, but I guess it will do. He did manage to get a picture with the road tester gal, cause she used to work up in the building he works in now. Thanks hon, but I don't think I NEED a picture of the tester! But nice try!

And here's the official document to show he is "legal"! It was really weird not having to take him to work tonight. He got quite the lecture about the rules, and hopefully won't screw it up in the first 24 hours!

I'm gonna miss hauling him around everywhere. Over the past couple of years, he and I have spent more time in the car than I think I ever was with my parents. And I actually have come to enjoy our conversations. And even his ROCK music! (I've even downloaded some of our favorites on my iPod!) It will seem weird to not have to pick him up from school (but a HUGE blessing) and have that time to talk to them about school and homework and other things. Just doesn't seem that this day is really finally here. I've known it's been coming for awhile now, but I'm in denial that I can actually have a "teenage driver"!

So the universe can return to normal. I guess the next biggest universal clash won't happen for me until 2010. That's when he'll graduate from high school and Carissa will start Kindergarten that fall. Seems like a joke when you think of it like that!