And the Winners Are...

Clone trooper for Ollie, Dorothy from Oz for Tori and Puppy Dog for Eli. These are the costumes they have picked out for Halloween/. They are having a 45-minute fall party on 10/29 and coming to my work at 2:30 to do a little trick-or-treating. I am helping out at the school party, or Huts is--the sitter has something to do so Eli is with me for the day and Huts is coming home early. Should be lots of fun and loads of candy for the kids.

Playground Cryer

Tori has enjoyed everything about school. Her teacher, classmates, hot and cold lunches and Before/After Care. The only thing she doesn't seem to like so far is the amount of time she gets to spend at After Care. She doesn't get enough time to swing before we get there, so we always end up with a crying girl when we pick her up from after care. She's so upset because SHE WANTED TO SWING! We tell her everyday that if she wants to swing that she needs to do that first when they go outside. These words are not heeded as we always end up with a crying Tori. Even when she does get to swing, she wants to swing more! There is never enough time for swinging.

Usually she stops crying once we get out of the parking lot. Tori has been going outside and using our swings to get her after school fix. Luckily she's big enough that she can play outside by herself. Before kindergarten started, she also taught herself how to swing, so we don't have to be involved. However, she still requests that we push her on the swing sometimes. I guess she still wants her parents to help her swing.

Oh Please

We took the kids to Target on Sunday and rewarded them for being so good all weekend long with the yard sale, festival, etc/ Tori took an instant liking to this wedding Barbie ensemble, complete with Kent he groom and two bridesmaids. She just had to have it, and we relented. She disliked the wedding dress--too fluffy, so that came off and jeans and shirt went on. Then she played with the four for a long time. When I went in this morning to get her up, I found Ken in the window sill and the girls on the floor under her bed. I guess she had some fun with them before she fell asleep!

Anyway, she got a very nice toy, which meant her brother got a very nice toy, which he played with all day. The best toy, however, was the cheapest--Eli's singamabob. I caught all three playing with that doll.

Better Today

Yesterday morning was not a good one for Tori. We put her to bed at 8:30, which means she stayed up to 9 or so and that ended up costing us. Tori was a total crab and broke down at before care. I pulled her into my lap and reassured her everything would be OK. She did not want to go to school,, so last night she went to bed at 8 and woke up her sunny self. She ate some pancakes and went into school without a fuss! That girl needs her sleep! Of course, we won't be home by 8 to put her in bed tonight. Maybe Uncle Dale can manage it.

Ready To Go

As previously mentioned, Tori has been excitedly waiting for school to begin. The first 2 days she got to sleep in until 8 am due to their being no before/after care. She was happy and ready to go both days. she enjoyed her first couple of days and made some new friends (even though she doesn't know their names yet, but knows they like her shoes!). We were expecting her to be the first one who would get in trouble for talking too much, but apparently it was another boy who got that privilege. It sounds like she's been a pretty good student so far.

Today she starts before/after care and the first full day of school. She got up in a better mood than most days she went to the sitter's. She wasn't quite sure what to do once she got to before care, but I bet the full day will tire her out tonight. she's been excited to wear a new uniform every day and likes picking out her clothes the night before. So far no homework, but I'm sure it'll pick up next week. Tonight she also gets her haircut and we are going to the mall to hopefully find her a few more uniform dresses.

We thought this would be a bigger transition for her and that we'd be having an unhappy child with lots of battles about school, clothes and getting up in the morning, but so far, she's been pretty good about everything. I think her brother leading the way and her outgoing personality helped ease her fears and allowed her to enjoy the beginning of school. Hopefully it continues.

Getting To Know Everyone

Tori doesn't know much about her classmates yet, but she is trying. She knows that one of them is named Jayden and one of the boys wears glasses, which hurt his nose. Some girl told her that she liked her shoes, which pleased Tori to no end. We're just waiting for her to get the names down pat and then she will be bursting with stories as she does with Kylie from the babysitters. We know all about Kylie''s likes and dislikes, daily rituals, etc. compliments of Miss Tori.

Sneak Peek

Tori got to check out her classroom yesterday. She seemed thrilled to be there. She checked out her classroom and another room where she will doing some things and met her teacher. She also got early that day, so I know she's excited! Get ready, Mrs. Badorek, here she comes!

Almost Time

School registration is tomorrow night. Huts and I will fill out some paperwork and then check out the lists to see who the kids' teachers are. Tori is looking forward to it. Christian would love to skip it, I think, and end his education now. We had a big discussion this morning about shoes. Sandals are not allowed, so I bought the two new tennis shoes. Tori remembers and has been begging to wear hers ever since. Christian doesn't and tried to tell me I had bought him new sandals. Ugh! When that boy is fixed on something, he won't let go of it!

Anyway, we are getting everything labeled and put in the backpacks this weekend. Wish us luck! Tori will want to go to school right then and there! That girl just cannot wait!

Polly Obsession

Tori did such a great job of keeping Eli entertained while I mowed the lawn that she got a toy too. She started off the trip by telling me she was done with Polly Pockets, which of course she wasn't. She looked at everything and settled on Polly Pocket and friends party pack. This puts her up to 22 dolls and zillions of clothes and accessories, enough to fill her plastic jack-o-lantern bucket for Halloween. That girl. She is going to turn into a Polly Pocket.

Big Girls Go To Kindergarten

Tori's Kindergarten physical went well, though she wouldn't concentrate during the eye test. She is a growing girl like her brother and grew 3 inches this past year as well. She's about 3' 5" and 40 lbs. and in the 50% in height and weight. She passed all her other tests with flying colors as well. She was a bit upset at her brother for all the butterflies and magnets following him instead of her from the projector. She didn't quite understand how it worked. She was happy to be distracted by the fish tank and all the strange fish in it. She also showed off her counting, hopping ability and knowledge of her address to the doctor. She's definitely ready for school.

There were a few open houses in our neighborhood this weekend, so we went to them just to look. Tori went with us to the first house and she and her Mom went to 2 more. When they came back I went to the 2 they saw and Tori went with me. She was the tour guide in each house. She showed me where the girls room was and the boys room and pointed out where the deck and back yard were. She did a better job than the realtor at showing the house. If we ever move she'll be going to all the house showings with us I suspect. She enjoyed it so much, she may be a realtor someday.

Picture Time

The kids got their pictures taken this weekend, and amazingly, the three of them behaved the pros. There was no fuss on the bathtub or with the new clothes. Tori let me fix her hair and never said a word about it not being "right." We got there early and walked around. Then the fun began, and they smiled and did everything the photographer said, without fuss! Look for pictures in your mailboxes at the end of the month!

New Shoes, Big Tears

I had to throw out Tori's old silver glittery shoes--too small for her and in bad shape, so I bought her a new pair of pink glittery shoes. She has been dying to wear them to camp, but she can't. No fancy shoes allowed, just tennis shoes. Lots of tears have been shed over the shoes, as well as her limited selection of clothing--no dresses. She can't wait to go to Sharon's and show off her new shoes and clothes. She is not going to like school uniforms!

Happy Camper

Although a bit scared, Tori plunged into camp and had a great time. She cried a bit, but she made it through and today hopefully went better. She wasn't too thrilled about having to wear her tennis shoes, but she did get up early enough to eat pancakes. We'll see what her thoughts are this afternoon.

Update: She lost her lunch in between the time they handed it to her from the cooler to the time she sat down. Doesn't know where it went or how it got lost. Later in the night, she said she remembered the cookies she had for lunch. Which story is true...you decide.

Clothes Horse

Tori is all girl. She loves everything girlie and changes clothes three or four times a day/ Her grandma got her a ton of clothes, old and new, and she has had a ball ever since wearing this and that. Store bought or yard sale, clothes are her thing, as are shoes. She is in heaven!