We enjoyed our sandwiches with some Ninja moves!!
Thanks Aunty Claire for the pressie xo.
Category: Benjamin
My First ‘Mummy’ Homework!!!
I can’t believe how excited I am….. I got my first ‘Mummy’ homework from Ben’s Pre-Prep!!! It was a two page spread about ‘Our Family’ for Ben to share with his classmates and then go in his folio. Ohhhh it was so much fun!!!! {Don’t worry I know how ridiculous I sound – I just can’t help it!!}. I adapted the ‘About Us’ that we use for the blog and added it to the first page and the second page is family photos – Ben’s favorites. I included Ben, Andrew, myself, all the cousins, both sets of grandparents, pets and scarecrow. Sorry Aunty’s and Uncle’s I didn’t have photos of you all….. beware at our next get together!!! The homework also said that all family special events/holidays/memories can be added during the year. So we can add a page about our new cousin when she arrives….YAY and other family from Melbourne or overseas we might see! Oh and yes I just had to add bunting…. as I can’t get enough of it lately and it always makes me smile!
So here it is……. I think it captures our family.
My publishing skills are a little rusty….. I haven’t done anything really since Ben was born. I used Publisher in the Virtual Box…… which is just crazy as I am sure Mac has something fabulous I could have used. I also used ‘Picnik‘ a cute online photo editing program to put the curves on the photos {Shauna from ‘The Reed Life‘ suggested it… THANKS}. But there has to be an easier way to do that as well. I also need to acquire a few more skills…. like being able to select just the bunting and not the background. I am interested in all suggestions for editing programs for the Mac….please.
With my first ‘Mummy’ homework finished. I will share with you another of my Pre-Prep Parent delights……I LOVE RECEIVING SCHOOL NEWLETTERS…….I really do!!!!
I am going to link up with ‘Life Made Lovely Monday’…. ENJOY!!
What Did Monday Bring?
Q – What did Monday bring? A – A great first day at Pre-Prep!!
I was a little nervous about Ben’s first day at Pre-Prep. Yes, there was tears…. from Ben and Mum. And Ben even screamed out when I was leaving ‘Don’t go Mum!!’. I saved my tears for the drive home when I was away from Ben. But before I even got home the Pre-Prep Teacher called me to say Ben was settled playing blocks on the carpet with a new little friend. What a relief! As an Early Childhood Teacher tears in the first weeks of school is something that I have delt with many many times. But always as a teacher and not as a parent. So when the shoe is on the other foot…. it really pulls at those heart strings.
When I picked Ben up and asked him about his day, he didn’t really give away many details. But he was smiling and happy. His wonderful teacher makes a poster every day with photos and a summary of what the children have done. I just love this!! Over the last few weeks Ben hasn’t really had much to say when you question him about Pre-Prep. He does however spontaneously talk about a story he read or even sing a song he had learnt which is a good sign. His first few weeks have seen him bring home paintings, gluing, and decorated boxes. He gave some of these to his Gamma which she has proudly displayed on her fridge.
So would I go as far as say that Ben loves to go to Pre-Prep…. well maybe. He doesn’t give away much. He isn’t one to take a leap, he stands back and watches before he makes a judgment. But if his spontaneous conversations about Pre-prep are anything to go by….I think it is growing on him!
Patience
You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance.
Nothing really prepares you for having children. Nobody gives you a handbook with fool proof steps for parenting….. if only!!
Today was a tricky day. Ben was tired. I am not 100% well and my patience was put to the test. I could have done better. I am not coping well with the whinging, the nagging and the constant boundary testing. My beautiful boy certainly knows how to push my buttons. But I am working on how to be more patient.
I am not going to say that it is my new years resolution to be more patient…… because that would mean I was destine to fail. I don’t think I have ever kept a new years resolution. I think I will call it my word for the year ‘Patience’. How does one become more patient….. I am not really sure. I might begin with taking a breath, smiling and counting all my wonderful blessings.
What Will Monday Bring?
I know it happens to every mum. I know I’ll survive. But my little boy heads to Pre-Prep (Kindergarten) on Monday!! He will be three years and eight months old. He is my little boy but insists of telling me he is a BIG boy now!! I am excited, nervous, sad, but also happy. I pray that we have made the right choice of school, that he will make friends, that he likes his teachers, that he will find the toilet, that he will pack up, that he will use a nice voice, that he will share/take turns…….. BUT really I hope he loves it and has fun!! We have met his teachers. We have played in his classroom. We have practiced eating out of the lunch box. I have made the Kindy sheets (which are very cute). We have our uniform. And will do a last minute drive by on Sunday to refresh Ben’s memory. He doesn’t really say much but seems to be excited. Here he is practicing how to eat using a lunch box.
On Monday I will wear my sunglasses and hide my tears. Better still I will try not to cry until I reach the car. I am not even sure what the tears are all about…. but I am a little emotional just writing this. I think the tears are all about …… I love my not so little boy Ben xo.
Super Hero Surprises
Much to Ben’s excitement a parcel arrived in the mail for him last week. It was full of Super Hero goodies from his cousins Tom and Maggie. There was also an ‘I love NZ’ shirt in there…… thanks Aunty Tina!! Ben could not rip open the Batman figurine fast enough. It has been everywhere with us. Maggie had drawn and labeled the most gorgeous picture of Ben as a Super Hero. It is spectacular. Thanks so much Uncle Cam, Aunty Tina, Tom and Maggie. We love surprises xoxoxo
