Everybody be cool

We have three bipeds!

 

First, let's back up a few days.

 

As you know, school started. When we all survived and even emerged unscathed, we went out to celebrate--

 

And so far, so good! Elliott's only complaint is that real homework has yet to begin. Patrick's one gripe is that I give him too much food for lunch and snack time.

 

(Anyone else hear the voice over from A Christmas Story saying, "Every family has a kid who won't eat."?)

 

Anyway. Two big boys in school all the live-long day gives James and me plenty o' play time.

 

One game he loves is Fakeout. It can be with food or toys, but it goes like this: With sincerity, he extends his arm..., and then rips the offering right back. Or shovels into his mouth, if there's any chance it might be edible. That's it! It always looks so sweet to start, though...

 

But the child can't play Indian giver ALL day, so he's been working on... (drumroll, please): STANDING!

 

Ohhhhhhhhh yeah.

 

He'll be 15 months in a couple of days, and that's been the magical walking age for our boys... so hang right on the edge of your seat...! Maybe, just maybe, a big skill announcement will be coming soon!

Exploring first-day emotions

In case you hadn't heard, a little thing called SCHOOL has started!

 

Emotions this morning were, uhhh, mixed.

 

First up, Elliott:

I feel funny talking about it, so there's a good chance you don't know his big news: He's a grade skipper. Yes. By peer comparison, he was young before and now..., he's younger. But dangit if this kid wasn't clamoring to start fourth grade the day after second grade ended! His world domination plans include working very hard in fourth grade and then seeing if he can skip fifth.

 

(Please pray for me.)

 

Next up, Patrick:

I call this morning's portrait, "Ready but Reticent."

 

I could SWEAR I bought clothes that were appropriately sized, but here he is, the poor little peanut, swimming in back-to-school gear.

 

Really, I know he's going to be great in first grade! He reads slowly, but like a patient little champ, and his fine motor and math skills are really coming along. He also scored big when his close buddy, his fiance-to-be and his beloved Kindergarten teacher jumped to first grade with him. (Line forms here to love Paddy, people!)

 

So, here they are, our big boys with their very different personalities, on School Day No. 1!  

 

James, as you might guess, is thrilled to have mom all to himself and, just on the other side of the glass/prison bars of Hell, he was more than happy to grant a little extra photo time this a.m. "Mamaaaa! You said it was just the two of us all day, and you've been out there 14 seconds already!!"

 

 

See that? He recovered!

 

(These two photos are actually from the other day, but I didn't want to end on that tortured soul above.)

 

Mr. Jamie James is far from school-age, but his girth might fool the average preschool teacher. He's a hefty 28 pounds, crawls like his diaper's on fire and only takes a step when he thinks you're still holding his hands. (He promptly drops to the floor once he gets wise to the trick.) He'll be 15 months at the end of August, when we'll head on over to that doc's office to see if we can't break her scale.

 

P.S. Pete--who's not pictured, even though HE just had HIS first day of school!--can probably relate to every one of the emotions listed here.

 

Here's to a GREAT 2013-14, everybody!