Banana and Squish started Grade Five this year. Where has the time gone? My babies are tweens. They're 10 years old and in GRADE FIVE?! How did THAT happen?
So what has the past few months been like for us?
As mentioned in July, I had a minor procedure done and the pathology from that all came back nice and clean. No cancer. YAY!! However, there is still the issue of the pre-cancerous cells on my cervix, which I am taking a Progesterone supplement for. I go back to my doctor in November to see how that is progressing - by which we are hoping it is NOT progressing.
The girls spent July in a Jewish day camp called Ashreinu. They had a good month in day camp, and were excited to go to the Ashreinu overnight camp for 17 days. It was definitely strange not having the girls home at night for those just-over two weeks. But 10 days after they left for camp, we had visitor's day and 7 days after that, we picked them up (two days early from the actual end of camp) for my sister's wedding. So as weird as it was, it was a fast 17 days.
The highlight of our summer, of course, was my baby sister's wedding. It was an absolutely beautiful affair. My sister looked gorgeous, my parents were radiant, the groom - my new brother-in-law - was handsome (as ever - he's a real cutie!) and the girls were adorable in their matching flower-girl dresses.
My sister's new niece also marched and was absolutely adorable, too. I am really happy for my parents, because not only have they gotten an intelligent and wonderful new son-in-law, but they have a wonderful relationship with his mother. It's so nice to see, since their relationship with my own in-laws is essentially non-existent.
So, after the wedding it was 2 weeks of relaxation, and getting ready for Grade Five. Squish needed a new backpack and I got both girls new lunchboxes.
The first day of school was a completely insane mess. I don't understand why it has to be so difficult. The first year, there was a desk in the playyard, you lined up and found your children's teachers by the person with the list. Then you took your child to the line up for that teacher.
Last year it rained on the first day and that made it chaotic - parents were not allowed past the front entrance and children were to go to the gym to find out their teachers. An email had gone out accidentally telling us who our children's teachers were. I was very happy and they got (and kept) the teachers we accidentally found out they had.
This year was almost like last year - except it was sunny and the chaos was in the entire schoolyard. You couldn't get near anyone with a list, you couldn't find the pylons on the ground with the grade listed on it. It was just stupid, crazy and insane. But, finally, we got the girls squirrled away with their respective teachers and all seemed right with the world. Both girls love their new teachers, and they have a new French teacher this year, so they are happy with that, too.
Funny thing is, two days after the beginning of the school year, it was Rosh Hashanah and Banana and Squish were off school for 4 days (2 days and the weekend).
We have figured out some new routines to make mornings easier, and to transition when we get home. We also have a much busier year this year with after-school activities.
Here's our schedule:
Monday - Squish has piano at 7:30
Tuesday - Squish has math tutoring and singing lessons from 6-8. Banana starts Karate on Oct 1.
Wednesday - Hebrew lessons
Thursday - Art lessons
Friday - thank goodness - a day off.
Saturday - Swimming lessons at 10:30 am starting in Oct.
Sunday - a day to ourselves.
Crazy, huh? Add to that my last course (which I'm taking online), a new job (more on that another time), and just life in general.
But, we'll make it work. We always do.
How has your September been?
