Week 35

I have noticed that my posts have become massive in the recent past. It's as though I want to document everything and I think I've been taking it too far. I am going to try to cut back for the rest of this year, but I make no promises. Next year I plan to return to my one-pic-a-day so that I can really savor the pics and the little pieces of my life. Looking at my posts for 2010 I realize that I started by trying to take better pics, but slacked off at some point along the way and just started posting whatever pics I might have snapped that week.

With all of that said, on to the pics.

This week I sadly yet excitingly sent one of my children to school for the first time. I always figured it was going to be Meli that went first and that Riley and I would have that time to bond. It has worked out the opposite way. Unable to get Meli into Pre-K, she is staying at home with me for one more year. Riley, due to his speech delay, was accepted into a program called SmallTALK at a local elementary school. It's Tuesday/Thursday from 12-2. His class consists of 3-4 year olds and I think he is the youngest and smallest. He is a very quiet guy around people he doesn't know and can be a little bit of a pushover (even in spite of becoming much more assertive as his speech has improved) so I have been concerned about how he will do in this new setting without me or Meli. The first day he was curious and just a little anxious. The second day he simply didn't want to go, squeezing my hand and crying as I tried to pry myself away and leave. I didn't want him to be upset but I understood that the longer I hung around the worse it would be for him. I let him take his "The King" car which worked out well. When I picked him up he was excited to tell me that he had shared it with the other boys in the class. He was grinning from ear-to-ear and so proud of himself!

First day of school, in front of the building:


Having fun with Meli before heading into the unknown:


Riley with his teacher, Ms. Michelle, which he seems to be growing more fond of (he loved telling me about the rhyme she taught them "Criss-cross, applesauce!"):


He's not very noticeable here, but it's the best pic I managed to compare Riley's size to that of his classmates. I think he's at least an inch or two shorter than the rest.


Since Riley is going to school, I have grand plans of all of the things Meli and I can do together...crafts, learning to tie shoes, playing games, visiting more places, etc.


Aside from school, Riley still has plenty of time to construct bumpy roads for his cars and find other fun ways to play with his toys.


Change of subject, but this pic made me wonder if this is what their earliest memories will consist of, being side-by-side constantly.