One Big Week for Two Big Boys!

What a huge week for both boys! Harry having full days at Elementary and Thomas missing his afternoon naps to attend preschool....

I think this pic sums up how the boys feel after their first week at school. We were still in the car park at preschool when I took this. Thomas was so tired he fell asleep while I buckled him in.

Harry's New Desk!
We bought a banged up, pre-loved, old wooden desk from the local thrift store...

I really wanted Harry to have a space where he could work and not be distracted. So Dave and I decided to buy him a big boy desk for his bedroom.

He can work, in peace and quiet. He can close the door and have his own space away from toys, tv and one distracting little brother....fingers crossed my optimism for homework being done pays off!

We sanded the top down and painted the bottom part and draws, BLUE...Harry's choice! It is going to look great in his room. Harry is taking so much pride in his stuff especially when he helps make/fix it! I will upload more pics of it in his room when its dry.

Harry and Daddy working together!

One Happy School Boy!

School Memories....

Had to share this class photo from Pennant Hills High. So different to school here in the states, we had to wear uniforms to public school! I missed that on Harry's first day and kind of wish he had a uniform to send him off in!

I am down the front, 5th from the left...we look like a bunch of sailors!

There is a room just for lunch!
Harry's stories from the first day of school...

Not only was he excited about the room (cafeteria) just for lunch, but he came home beaming with so many wonderful stories from the day.

I picked Harry up from the bus stop up the street, he literally jumped off the bus and into my arms from the top step, so excited to tell me of his first day!
He wore a beautiful shell necklace he made that day that he placed around my neck and a note pinned to his shirt from the teacher.

His excitement from the day was overwhelming, in a good way. I had not even had time to ask him how his day was "Mommy...the school has a room just for lunch!" Was the first thing to come out of his mouth. So fast and so full of excitement. I asked him what else he did today.....

"Mommy, there was a room for music too! I need to go back to school so I can learn some more things." Oh music to a mommies ears! "I made friends and sat with my legs crossed. The bus was loud and fast and went past Kat the Coffee lady" He barely took a breath.

That night he did not want to get undressed "If I get undressed I will not be ready for school and I don't want to wear my pj's to school, I need to wear big boy school clothes!" Together we organized his clothes for the remainder of the week so he would see that he wears a new outfit everyday. All stacked neatly in a hanging organizer.

I know I have used this word repeatedly but if I had to sum it all up into one word it would be....EXCITED!

The excitement of a Kindergartner!

Tears of joy were running tonight! It was not only an exciting night for Harry but this mommy was so proud to see her big boy loving his new school. Tonight Harry had his open house at his new school, Bryn Mawr Elementary.... running eagerly through the big blue doors, huge grin on his face, looking for familiar faces, excited beyond belief! "Mommy is this really my school?"

We walked to his classroom and met his teacher for the first time, Mrs Wilson. She is just wonderful, enthusiastic, sweet and outgoing and we are lucky to have her as a teacher. We spoke briefly and a great impression was left on both Dave and me, not to mention Harry who has not stopped talking about her.

His class room is bright and colorful, with a huge playground just outside the windows. The kids each have a locker with their name's already marked on it, its so organized and ready, big school is about to happen!

I am sure this will be the first of many wonderful stories to come from school and we look forward to blogging all about his school experiences.

Here are some photos of Harry enjoying his first moments in his classroom....

Learning to let go!
Thomas is off to Preschool in a few days....

Today was the Hillcrest Preschool open house for all students attending this year! I am not sure though if Thomas realised it was for him? He is so used to visiting the Preschool because of Harry. Thomas will be in the same classroom with the same teacher. Which is wonderful, we love Teacher Becky. I just hope Thomas understands that he will be starting here in a few days!

Its very exciting, although a little sad. Its a time of very mixed feelings and crazy emotions! For a mom its scary, not being there to protect your little ones 24/7 trusting that they can do it on their own, or with the help of a teacher anyway. Hoping that they make friends and will not get picked on or bullied. Why do I want to be so over protective all of a sudden? If anything I should be letting go and encouraging their independence....help! Maybe I'm the one with the separation anxiety this time?

Today we are buying a big boy desk!

It feels so official, Harry really is a big boy now! We are off to hunt for a big boy "work" desk today. He is so excited to have a place he can work and not be constantly annoyed by his little brother. Harry has his heart set on a bed/desk, one where the bed is up on a platform like a loft bed and the desk is under it. We will see though. He has a queen size bed so I am not to sure if they make ones that size? Any how, we are heading out and I will update when we get back to what we find...
Harry is so excited I just had to blog this moment! I wish I could share the excitment with you all through the computer. Its like he's one the golden ticket....hehehe!

Big Boy School is just around the corner! Somethings we are doing to help Harry prepare for Elementary...

Harry wearing his new school bag and being silly at the store

Its so exciting and scary to think of Harry going off into the world of Elementary school. All I want to do is protect him and keep him happy and safe! How can I do that when he is away from me so much of the day...gosh do I sound over protective or what?

In preparation for what is just around the corner I took Harry shopping for his school supplies last night.

Pack of Crayons
Pack of Colored pencils
Kids safety scissors
Glue sticks
A ream of computer paper
Cardboard folders with pockets
Lunch box
School bag
Box of tissues

We had a lot of fun choosing what he wanted, anything Spider man and he was happy, such a boy!

I decided to buy him a second set of everything so we could have it at home for his new desk/homework space....he's growing up and becoming so independent.
All I want to do is cry and snuggle with him like I did when he was my little baby. He is totally ready for school but I'm not there yet! I think this mom needs to prepare herself for big boy school still and learn to let go....OK, so typing that I totally starting tearing up! I hope school is kind to my kind, sweet little guy.

Check out the school he will be going too, I've attached a link to it in the side column.

Lets get on the Bus.....

Harry had such a love/hate thing going on with catching the school bus. You couldn't get him on it and then you wouldn't see a happier kid once he got on. High fiving the bus driver and his friends the twins from down the rd. It helps that the bus drivers are the sweetest, always happy to see him and would stop right out the front of our house. Ok so it was the short bus, but he sat up the back (that makes it cool, right?) The short bus comes with seat belts which I thought was great for a school bus for preschoolers.

His afternoon bus driver was hilarious, the friendliest grandma like figure, always had time to stop and chat for a bit. On the last day Harry gave her a big hug, he really liked Gayle. She would show him how all the lights and buttons worked on the bus, even let him beep the horn once, made his day!

Bus stop traditions:

While waiting for the bus before school, Harry would always hide behind me, I think trying to trick the bus driver into not stopping or something?

He would always sit up the back in the same seat on the right, so he could wave good bye!

When getting off the bus he would launch himself from the top step and fly into my arms.

As the bus would pull away Harry would have to watch it go the length of the street until it was out of sight.

On the last day, Gayle beeped the horn all the way up the street and flashed the lights to say goodbye, she knows he always watched it leave, to sweetWe will miss our bus drivers but fingers crossed we will see them again for Thomas.

Good Bye Preschool..... Big School here I come!


Harry had a wonderful 2yrs at Hillcrest Early Childhood Center, he is so sad to be leaving it. He is taking with him so many special memories and good friends, 4 of his friends will be in his class next year...whoo hoo!
Hillcrest put on a small graduation day for the end of school. The parents were invited to come and see their children perform. Harry's class was up first, they danced as little stars to a tape of piano music, very sweet! Am I allowed to say funny? Kids running everywhere and some just doing nothing at all, it had me laughing. Harry had a huge smile on his face the entire time, you could tell he was having fun and enjoying every moment of it!
We were then invited back to his classroom for afternoon tea and a slide presentation. Harry had photo's taken with his teachers and handed out his gifts. The teachers presented the leaving kids with a scrapbook of their time at school. The last 2yrs documented in a book, just beautiful! Lots of hugs and lots of tears!


Some of Harry's preschool memories.....

"My favorite is Teacher Becky, I love her! Teacher Becky gives me Star Wars stickers if I catch the bus and is funny when she sings slippery fish." Becky was his main teacher for the whole 2yrs.

"Owen, Liani, Mahea, Micheal is my friend, but Chase is naughty I don't like him."

"Teacher Claire played games with me and gave me super powers!" Claire is the Speech/language therapist who had a special place in Harry's heart.

"Teacher Nikki made me stand on one foot and I always fell over. But I really liked throwing the ball in the hoop with her." Nikki is the OT specialist, who he also called Emily?

All these teachers and friends played such an amazing part in his preschool experience. Harry was very lucky to have such a wonderful team working with him every week, we will be forever grateful! They made such an impact in his life not to mention his learning.