Making Friends

My biggest fear in sending my oldest to Kindergarten actually had nothing to do with school itself. It had to to with making friends.

We didn't know a single person attending her school. S wants friends so much, but she is kind of shy when she doesn't know anyone. Once she gets to know you, she does great. So, the idea of sending her to a school where she knows no one terrified me!

What do you do when you know you are sending your child into a situation that could be hard for them? You talk to them about it, and you pray!

Before school started we talked to S about how to introduce herself to other kids. We took her to the playground before school even started so she wouldn't be afraid to climb up or play on the slides with the other kids. And we did a lot of praying that she would find a friend.

Well, yesterday she came home from school pretty dejected. Every day of school had ended this way. She has been sad. No one wants to play with her.

Monday: "I asked some kids to play and they just ran away from me. They ran to fast and I couldn't catch up. It was just too hot, so I walked around by myself."

Tuesday: "I asked A to play with me, but she wanted to play on the swings and the swings pinched my fingers. So I asked other kids to play and they said no, and I asked another and they said no, and I asked another and they said no. So I played on the slide by myself and a kid stepped really hard on my pinkie finger and I cried for my Mama."

These are the kind of reports I have been getting. She is near tears, and I am near tears.

Why wouldn't they want to play with my sweet girl?!? Don't these kids realize what they are missing out on!?!

But we just talk about what else she can do. I try to spin everything in as positively as possible.

"No one sat by me on the bus today."

"You mean you got a whole seat to yourself!?! Lucky!!! I always wanted my own seat on the bus!"

Things like that.

But when it comes to kids just turning you down flat at recess, that is hard to spin.

So we talked about finding friends at lunch and breakfast (her school serves breakfast to all of the students).

We talked about sitting by a girl from her class on the bus.

We talked about praying for help, even if she is at recess, and how Heavenly Father can hear her thoughts.

It has only been a couple of days. Everyone else is still new too. Don't give up yet!

Wake up this morning.

She complains about everything!

It is too hot!

She doesn't want to have to go to recess.

Etc....

I have a special surprise lunch and a fun new hair-do for you!!!

That cheers her up enough to get in gear and get ready for school.

We walk to the bus stop.

Today is going to be a great day, I can feel it!

She is hopeful, but still a little leery.

Then she climbs the steps of the bus, finds the girl we talked about in her own seat right in front, plops down with a grin, and the bus pulls off.

That was all the confirmation I needed. Today was going to be a good day.

And I am happy to report, it was!

When she got home she said, "I think the kids saw me and thought, 'That's a cute girl, I think I will play with her.'"

She had friends at recess today and didn't just wander around by herself! I'm so proud of her for not giving up.

I'm thinking tomorrow morning won't be as hard for either of us. I say that is a huge win!!!

Our FIRST First Day of School

I'm sure we are not the only family that experienced the first day of school last week. For us, it was our very first, first day of school S is in Kindergarten!!! She did preschool a couple days a week for a few months before we moved, but it has just been the kids and me every day together since January. So having her gone all day, every day will be an adjustment. But, I'm sure I'll get used to it.

It's funny to me how many people told me, "It's okay to cry."

I'm not really a cryer, plus I still have three little ones at home with me all day. So crying wasn't really on my "To-Do" list. Though, in retrospect, it would have been nice if she wasn't so ready to see me leave her.

I think I will miss her help at home most. S is probably my most helpful child. She's a girl (I know it's a stereotype, but it is for a reason! She is way more help then the boys), and she is my oldest. They get to the finally being able to help with things other than putting away a couple of toys and throwing the diapers in the garbage stage, then you send them away all day. Now I have to train the next one. I'm sure he'll figure it out in about two years (just in time for Kindergarten).

Oh well! I'm very excited for S to be in school. These are a few things I look forward to experiencing the upcoming months:

• Watching boy shows without a fight breaking out in the middle of the day.
• S getting good enough to read a book without me being there to help (she is so excited to be able to read to her brothers).
• S overcoming some fears (that automatic toilet might be a tough one, but I think she will get there...she's already over her fears of the slides on the playground!!!).
• Walking to the bus stop twice a day and getting to know a few neighbors.
• Actually having a reason to get dressed (though I do think that yoga pants may have to count as "dressed" some mornings).
• Actually having a reason to dress my kids (though, again, they may be at the bus stop in pajamas some mornings).
• Having a reason to dance in the rain (it rains a lot here, so walks to the bus are going to be fun! And I mean that with all sincerity)!
• Getting on a schedule (I have a hard time with this if I'm just sitting around the house all day).
• Watching S teach her brothers what she has learned at school!

S is so excited to learn, which makes me excited as well. I'm sure all you moms out there can relate! It's hard to send them to a place full of strangers, but it is fun to meet new people and do new things. So here's to a year full of learning, for our whole family!

In Case You Were Wondering...

In case you were wondering, crayons indeed CAN write on skin. Just thought I'd let you all know.

Hurt Feelings

We've had a lot of sickness and fevers in our family the last month or so. Because of that my kids have become familiar with Tylenol and Ibuprofen. And since medicine for kids tastes so delicious now days, my kids love it! I haven't had them try to take it without me being around, since I usually have it out of reach plus they have child proof lids, but they do ask to for medicine.

The other day Z started complaining about his feelings being hurt. I just dealt with it and moved on. Over the next day or two he kept complaining about hurt feelings.

Then, the other night, he walks into my room holding they Tylenol I had just given W in his arms. He looked at me and said, "My feelings are hurting."

That is the moment I realized, he has no idea what "hurt feelings" are.

"Z, do you know what it means to have hurt feelings?"

"Huh?"

"Hurt feelings means that you are sad. Medicine isn't for hurt feelings."

"Oh," is his dejected reply.

Interestingly, he has not complained of hurt feelings since!

Bug Bites and Washcloths

If you have read my blog much at all, you have a bit of an understanding of S's fear. Well, along with her fears she has a very low tolerance for pain. This pain can come from bumping her head, stepping on a toy, or a bug bite.

Mosquitoes are awful! I think we can all agree on that. They bite. We itch. It is annoying.

Well, for S it is more than annoying, it is just about the worst thing that can happen (or so she thinks).

Every time S gets a bug bite (and she has had dozens of them this summer), she is inevitably in tears for a the majority of at least one day.

This first time this happened I got on Pinterest (my go-to web site for "home remedy" ideas) to see what I could do for her. I tried everything I could find that I had on hand: oils, slap it, ignore it, creams, etc... None of it alleviated the itch for more than a couple of seconds. After a lot of crying, screaming, and late night tantrums, we tried a cold, wet washcloth. Amazingly, it worked!

Now, at least one day a week S can be seen with a wet cloth, usually wrapped around her leg. It seems a little strange, and looks a little funny, but it keeps the tears away and it doesn't cost me a cent! Free remedies are my favorite!

So next time you visit me, if you see a washcloth or two laying around my house, feel free to use it for any bug bites that are bothering you! Apparently it help! Just ask S.

On a side note, the reason I thought of writing this post is because my sister-in-law asked for a picture of my kids yesterday morning and I sent this one. She asked if S's leg was in a cast. Nope! It's just in a wet washcloth.

Family Pictures

It has been a year and a half since we last took family pictures. The picture on my wall is with three kids, and W is a newborn. So while we were in Idaho, we had new pictures taken.

I was so excited! I scoured Pinterest for fun picture ideas. I toiled over the outfits we would all wear in order to "co-ordinate" not match. I had everything planned. But apparently the rest of my family failed to get the memo.

I get every one dressed at the last possible minute (we don't need the boys to stain their outfits before pictures are taken). Here we go.

Luckily we are using my parent's place for all the backgrounds. So no sitting in crumby car seats that may have a stray fruit snack that will stick to a back pocket. Avoiding such things. It is all in the plan!

Walk out the back door.

So far, so good.

Kids run to swings, slide, etc...

No problem. Let them play while we get everything else ready.

Gather kids.

Decided where and how to stand for first picture.

Then it starts...the crying.

Z cries for no apparent reason. He doesn't want to stand still. I guess that is a reason.

W doesn't know how to stand still.

B doesn't know how to stand.

Great start!

I try bribery.

I try reasoning.

I try yelling.

I give up.

Z and I go in the house to "talk."

Grandma to the rescue.

I go back outside to witness my little diva, S, finishing up her photo shoot! The camera loves her and she loves the camera!

Grandma and Z come out with a small bowl of marshmallows.

Good idea Grandma!!!


I decided a "nice" family picture isn't going to happen and try for a fun idea I remember from my Pinterest hunt. Hang Z upside down! That will get him to smile. Put W on my shoulders so he can't wander off. And of course hold Baby B. We can do this!

Main picture done! If we don't get any others, I can live with that. At least I'll have an updated picture for my wall.

Time to take Z's picture. After he gets a few marshmallows, of course.

How to get him to "pose?" Give him a truck! If there is one thing my boys loves, its anything with wheels and a motor.

Eat a marshmallow.

Put him by an old truck!

Eat a marshmallow.

He's in Heaven!!! Why didn't we do this before?!?

Eat a marshmallow.

Put W next to him and take a picture fast!

W wanders off. Time to lure him back with...a marshmallow.

Repeat.

Boys are in a good mood, so let's try a few more family pictures. We head to the field. One step in and S is in tears!!! She stepped on a "hard grass" in her flip flops. Apparently it hurt enough to make her fall apart.

Reasoning.

Bribing.

Eventually, she gets carried.

We pose.

S cries.

We give up.

Marshmallows all around.

Move to a bench in the yard.

Kids don't want to sit on the grass. I don't blame them, I think we found a hidden ant village. Oops! Sorry kids!

Hand out the marshmallows.

W pictures.

He can't hold still, so we try a ball. That helps him move even more, but if I roll it to where I want him, he follows. We can a few cute pictures.

He remembers the bowl of marshmallows. There is no going back to the ball after that.

Baby B's turn.

She can't walk or crawl! And she has no idea what a marshmallow is (thank goodness, since her brother just finished them off). She just needs some peek-a-boo and kissy noises to make her happy. Cute baby!!! So many great shots.

Time for lunch. Couple pictures with Michael and I after we eat. I think we can handle it, even with out marshmallows.

 Skip a few hours.

Couple pictures. That means just Mom and Dad! Finally the kids want to come stand by us. Of course. They eventually play and we get pictures done.

So what did we learn from this experience? Family pictures and marshmallows go hand in hand. Next time I will be prepared!


***Pictures were done by Kathryn Stone Photography. Find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathrynstonephotography