Kindergarten

Tyler has now been a kindergartner for two weeks now! He really likes it and is getting used to the long hours. Last year, he was in preschool and it was only Tuesday and Thursday from 9am-1pm. Now he is in school Monday through Friday. I take him around 7:45-8:00am and pick him up at 2:45pm. He really wants to ride the bus, but our house is so close to the school it is just so easy for me to take him and pick him up. Plus, I'm not that ready yet for him to ride the bus. I know kids do it everyday and it is totally fine, but I love taking him and picking him up. So I'm trying to convince him to wait to ride the bus in first grade, but I might have to cave in and let him start after Christmas if he is persistant.
At the end of every week the teacher sends home a progress report to let you know how your child is doing in school. On Friday of Tyler's second week he had an "x" next to "Listens well and follows directions". So I asked Tyler what it was for and he said he didn't come in from the playground when he was supposed to and had to lose one of his coins. I could tell he was sad about it, so I didn't punish him anymore....I feel like the teacher taking his coin was enough. The following Monday was parent/teacher night so we went and after it was over Tyler's teacher came over to us and told us what happened. She said Tyler and another little boy were playing on the rock wall in the playground and in their own world. She blew the whistle three times and eventually sent the teacher's aide out to get them. Tyler said he didn't even hear the whistle and he was really sad and about to cry. He kept saying, "But I'm sorry". After he had to move his coin, he went up to the teacher and said, "My mom forgot to change my batteries, I couldn't hear very good". He has used this one on me before, but this was new to the teacher. Anyway, she thought it was so funny and wanted to let us know. I really like his teacher and the teaching assistant. There is also only 17 kids in the class, which is nice. I signed up to help every week for the "cooking craft". I am really excited about it and I told Tyler. He said, "Every week? You don't have to come every week, mom. Just let the real teachers handle it." I will have to make sure to not call him "baby" and "sugar", then he really won't want me coming.

Stressful Morning

This is an old picture but I love it, she was 5 months old in this photo.

Yesterday morning (Sunday), I woke up with a migraine headache. I opened my eyes from sleep and the sunlight peeking around the shutters was too much light for me. So I managed to get the kids dressed with my eyes barely open and Drew and Tyler went to church. The plan was for Loralai to stay home with me and watch TV while I laid on the couch. On this particular morning, Loralai was not interested in the TV. So after Drew and Tyler left for church, I put on several different shows including the Wiggles, Boobah, Teletubbies, Curious George, and Super Why!, all of which she will watch on occasion except for the morning I have a migraine. I don't get migraines often...in fact I can count on one hand the amount of migraines I have had in my entire life. They are awful! I was nauseous too from the pain. Okay, so I laid down and she played around me for a little while, but she was pulling on my hair, my arms, my legs trying to get me up. So I felt like I could probably drive to the mall and let her play in the little play area that she loves and I could just sit and watch from the bench in the play area.

So I get in the car and realize that we have just a little gas left in the tank. So I drive to the gas station and try to roll the windows down. I accidentally pushed the lock button instead and then shut the door and I realized that Loralai was locked in the van! No windows open and it is hot, but thankfully the sun was hidden behind clouds. I started to panic, I was so upset and I felt bad and Loralai knew something was wrong and she started crying "Mommy, mommy!! Out! Out!" So there was this teenage boy at the next pump over and I borrow his phone to call Drew first, but of course he doesn't answer because he is probably in the middle of a sermon at that point. So I give the kid his phone back and run into the gas station. I am full blown panic mode now. I run in and just yell, "I just locked my baby girl in the car! Somebody tell me what to do!" Immediately a man hands me his phone, tells me to call 911 and I do. So I was told by the operator they would send a fire truck out. Loralai has now been in the car for almost 5 minutes with no air from the air conditioner or outside. I run back to the car and she is looking at me saying, "Hot! hot!!" and crying and reaching for me. So I have not managed to stay calm yet, but I decide now would be a good time. So I say, "Hey Loralai, lets sing some songs you like!" So I start with "If your happy and you know it clap your hands" Then I move on to "Jesus Loves Me". She starts saying ,"Queen, Queen!" So I start singing "Dancing Queen" and she is claping and moving. Then another guy pulls up next to me and he can tell I'm crying and singing Dancing Queen and knows something isn't right. I am crying and I asked him if he had a hammer so I could break in the window and get Loralai out. He told me no, but at that moment the firetruck pulls up, opens the window in about 15 seconds, and I get Loralai out. She was only in the car about 15 minutes, but it felt like forever! Loralai was of course fine, and when I got her cooled off and gave her some water, it was like nothing happened. I just freaked out and lost my mind, I kept thinking the worst!

I am so thankful to all the helpful people who were at the gas station. I had so many people offer help. I had a much different experience when I lost Tyler at the Barnes and Nobles in Indianapolis. I screamed for help and NO ONE helped. The firemen that opened my door were wonderful and did a great job reassuring me and keeping me calm. After writing this down, it is amazing how I freaked out over something so minor, I'm sure the firemen must have thought I was a little dramatic. I'm sure the migraine had something to do with it!

Loralai at the hotel on our vacation. In the middle of changing her doll's diaper she wanted to sample her baby's toy bottle.