The Appiahs: First Day Update!

Ohene also wants to wear HIS daycare back pack now that he sees Brother with his on. So cute!!!

Waiting for the bus!

Here it comes!

He was so ready that he dashed off before hugging me. I had to call him back for a hug!!

Lining up to be escorted over to the fenced in playground for attendance.

Looking a little unsure in this picture, LOL.

I have no idea who this kid is! Just someone lined up behind Kwabena, but for some reason, he thought he was supposed to be in this picture. The look that Kwabena gave him before I snapped the shot was pretty funny, like, "Um, WHO are you??"

Waiting with his classmates for attendance to be taken:

Having his attendance taken by his new teacher, Mrs. Garner.

He actually had a really great day! He said his favorite part of the day was lunch. He said he made 3 friends, 2 of which he knows their names, but the other one, he can't remember. He told me the teacher turns the lights down when she's trying to get everyone's attention (hahah, I remember when my teachers used to do that).

He told me that the teacher says, "Criss cross applesauce, hands on your lap" when she wants them to sit cross-legged (the politically correct way, I just found out, to sit "Indian style"). They also do something called "Book and Belly Time" where they read a book on their bellies.

Hmmmm...let's see....what else.....He LOVES taking the bus and kept telling me he's on the "orange" bus, which is the color of the line he rides, so he remembers which one to get on at the end of the day. The thing that was great was when we got home from Kwasi's mom's house, he gave me very little trouble with doing his homework, which was to read a book, which he did, with me sitting beside him. He later did some cutting out exercises that we part of his summer packet that he never completed, but will complete tonight so that he can turn it in tomorrow. Those kids that turn their summer packet in this week will get special recognition at an assembly on Friday.

Oh, and last but not least, Kwabena said he likes school more than Miss Marilyn's. LOL He said he likes it because he gets to ride a bus....and because there are a lot more kids. :)

The evening of the first day last night....can I just say that I felt like a frazzled single parent last night?? So Kwasi picked Kwabena up from the bus stop, and a little later when to pick Ohene up from Miss Marilyn's, then they all went to Kwasi's mom's house. I met them there close to 6 p.m., after having to stop at the grocery store. By the time we got home, about 6:15 p.m. it was like a mad dash to --

Check his back pack and read papers.......

See what homework he had to do (homework was to read a book, pointing to each word)......

Put away groceries...........

Try to stick SOME semblance of a dinner in the over (veggie burgers and fries).........

All the while, Ohene is crying and wanting attention, grabbing my hand to try to pull me away from the dining room table.

AARRGGHHH!

I had to call upstairs to Kwasi 2 or 3 times, "Can you come help??" He had been away from his computer for a couple hours, so he had to make sure there were no important work emails and stuff, which is what he normally does, so I understand. But what I don't understand is the videos that he was watching last night when he could have and should have been helping me. Grrrrr.......

Finally he came down stairs and took Ohene up to our bedroom so I could focus on helping Kwabena get done. However, Ohene has become quite the mama's boy since I was the only parent for a whole month while they were in Ghana, so he wants Mommy, Mommy, Mommy. So he cries when he's not near me. Kwasi used to put Ohene to sleep, lie down with him, but now Ohene will cry until I come and lie down with him after putting Kwabena to bed.

Kwasi is offended by this, I'm sure, but I can't help it. He says I am "ruining" the kids, spoiling them, but seriously, I'm just being me. And boys love their mamas, so what can I say??

I'm sure once we get back to some semblance of "normal," things will smooth out. And then once November comes, it will be a whole NEW routine we'll need to get accustomed, too, since we'll have 3 kids, one of which will be a VERY needy infant!

HAHAHAHA Oh well.....so is life, right? :)

I do have to give Kwabena some props, though, because last night he did really well with coming home and getting his schoolwork done. The homework, as I mentioned, was to read a book together, with the child pointing out the title of the book, and then pointing to each word as they read it. Kwabena first chose a Transformers book, but we changed it to a Berenstein Bears good (Visit Farmer Ben), which is more appropriate for his level. He didn't give me hardly any trouble with sitting there and reading it, despite the distractions of Ohene. I also gave him a cutting out exercise to do that was part of his summer packet of work that he hadn't finished up yet. He will finish it tonight (pasting and coloring it) and turn it in tomorrow so that he can get a special recognition at the assembly on Friday.

So we're adjusting.....I'm sure we will continuously need to do so! As well as being organized (more so for ME!). We're getting back to some semblance of normal! :)