About this time 5 years ago, when Jacob was about 9 months old, I walked into work and told my boss I was going to give him 6 weeks to find a replacement for me. I was going to quit working and stay home and raise my baby boy. Hands down one of the best decisions I ever made. It wasn't an easy decision, though. We had to make many sacrifices and I even nannied a couple of days a week for the extra money. But to this day I have not once regretted that decision. It has been the most rewarding experience of my life.
I knew that sometime in the very distant future, my baby boy would be starting kindergarten and I wouldn't get to spend all day, every day with him. Well, that day came a little faster than I thought it would. I am so sad dropping him off at school every day, wearing a backpack that makes him look like he should be falling backward, and walking to the door all by himself while he looks back and waves to me. But at the same time I am happy to see the wonderful "big boy" he has grown up to be. We have a joke in our house: I give him a tight hug and say
Hey Jacob, will you do me a favor? He says
Yes! I say
Will you stop growing and be my baby forever? And he says
No!!!! Then I always tell him that I'm glad because I love to watch him grow. I would give anything to hold him as a baby again, but I really do love to watch him grow and am so excited to see what he has in store for us in the future! I guess I can't keep him to myself forever. I'll share him with the rest of the world now, I know he makes it a better place!
So far, Kindergarten has exceeded my expectations. I feel so clueless, but everyone has been very helpful. For instance: when they pass out the students' car rider numbers at registration (you put a piece of paper on your windshield so they know what child you are there to pick up), who knew that the kid was actually supposed to memorize that number?! Not me! When it was my line's turn to pick up, everyone was getting their kid but me! I had to completely hold up traffic while I pulled up to holler out my window that my kid never came out. The principal said, "I'll go get him! Sometimes it takes them a while to remember their number." Oops. Was I supposed to teach him that? I didn't think that was even feasible, but he had it memorized by dinner that night and we haven't had a problem since. I am always opposed to the way that society is making our kids grow faster than they need to, but I do have to say that I am impressed by how well everything just happens at school. And I just have to mention how much I absolutely adore his teacher. She has been wonderful to him....and me! I could go on, and on, and on, but I would be typing all night. I feel so blessed to have her for my first experience with school.
Jason took the day off to be my moral support. But the day still drug on for.e.ver. (Channeling Squints Palledorous). Reece walked up to Jason that afternoon and said, "Dad, will you paint my toenails?" Random. But that gave me the opportunity for a lovely distraction! I asked if she would be interested in getting a "pedicure" and she said yes! So we went and had pedicures together.
Haha! This next picture cracks me up!
Another first for the week: Lane started waving. I have to say, we may have a baby genius on our hands. Most babies do the open-and-close-their-hand-and-wave-at-their-own-face deal when they start waving. But not Lane. He gets his whole arm into it. And he does it on demand, without seeing you wave first. Just say "hi" to him and he starts waving. Also, if you say "yay" or "clap clap" to him he claps. He also gives high fives. And he knows all of the presidents in inaugural order. Ok, not really. Sometimes he misses James K. Polk and Martin Van Buren. We're working on it.
Here he is in all of his cuteness (please forgive the terrible lighting).
I think it is (beyond) safe to say that colic is over. It lasted about five months. Five months of absolute madness. But you can't tell by looking at him now! His smiles and laughter can light up a room. He has been through such a transformation. Every now and then we ask him
Lane, what did you do with our baby? Whatever you did with him, we don't want him back! We'll keep you!
