No Tears....Just a Big Boy

Well, today was the day. My baby boy became a big boy and went to cool (school). I can't believe it. He started the 3 year old preschool with our city today and will go every morning from 9-11:30. Yesterday we had a quick orientation day for about an hour so the kids could meet, see their classroom and teachers, and just play. The moms and dads filled out a couple papers and chatted with the teachers. But today was the big day.

I drove Colby to school after taking the mandatory few photos. We walked in and he said hi to everyone in the small building. We hung up his backpach and he was off. I had to ask him for my hug and kiss! He asked where I was going and looked a little sad but I just told him I was going home to do some cleaning and would be back soon. I got a "See ya Mom" a hug and kiss and that was it. "Bye Mom!". Boy was he ready for this. Me.....I brought books back to the library, went for my allergy shots, and finished laundry. The time went quick and then I was off to pick him up and we went to see Grandma Donna and Uncle Louie for our Tuesday lunch date.

I am thrilled Colby was so happy to be going to school, and I wouldn't want him to cry and cause a scene. But did he even miss me? When I picked him up the class was on the playground and I got, "Oh, you're here Mom?". No big hug and kiss. No missed you Mom. Nothing. Just "Let's go, see Grandma". Talk about a bummer. But, I guess I have a well adjusted little guy who loves being with people. He did well with school and his first sleepover at Grandma's last Friday. My baby is definitely growing up. Our next discussion: "I want the school bus Mom, not you." Yikes! Maybe next week........

Preschool

Any suggestions for something to do to keep this Mommy's time occupied while her little man leaves her to go to school?

Yup, that's right! Colby is headed off to preschool in just a week. He'll be gone every morning from 9-11:30. Not much time but enough for me to already be missing him. It will be the first time he's away from me during the day since we came home in Feb 2009. That is, except for the occasional Grandmas and Grandpas days out or when I'd have an interview and Grandma watched him. Now I am sending him off to school! YIKES! Already? He can't be old enough yet!!! But alas, he is, and he is MORE than ready. It is all I have heard about for about 2 months. He is definitely becoming a big boy. But yet, I miss my little baby.

Beardsley Zoo

Colby and I went to the Beardsley Zoo on Thursday. It was Colby's first visit to a zoo. The zoo had a couple kids programs that day. One which showed different wild animals: lizard, owl, falcon, and a snake (YUCK!) and the other program was geared toward really little kids. The college aged kid read a zoo story about bats going to the beach at night, showed the kids a hedgehog, and then they colored a bat paperbag puppet (It was nocturnal animals day).The zoo is nearby but small so it made for a nice day trip. I wasn't sure how Colby might react to big zoo animals. Beardsley Zoo is quite small with only a few really big animals. It has a nice barn area so we saw pigs, sheep, cows, and pond animals. There was even a black swan. Peacocks and peahens roam free throughout the zoo. There is a rainforest area with a few little monkeys and colorful birds. Colby's favorite was the wolves. There was a red wolf and a typical grey wolf (like a Husky). The zoo does have a bear, a lynx (who was hiding inside), a tiger, and a couple bison. The kids also like the prairie dogs where you can go under the tunnel and pop up right next to them. We had a great day so I can't wait to bring Colby to a big zoo to see even more animals. He was dissapointed there weren't any elephants. Anyone have a great zoo to visit? I was thinking the Bronx Zoo but any other suggestions? Here's some of our fun.

Just a Cutie

Walking today at Scoville Pond, an unusually cooperative Colby let Aunt Jo and I take a few pics. Here are my favorites that I took. Not bad I think.

Party Animal

This weekend we had 2 parties to go to. First we went to my cousin Cassie's graduation. She graduated with her Master's degree and passed her CPA exam. Wow! And I remember babysitting for her and other embarassing things! Then we had a first birthday party for our niece Lizzy. Both were on Saturday so by Sunday we had a very tired and crabby little boy. But we definitely had fun.

Cassie's party was really fun. We didn't get to stay long but Colby and I did get to swim. It was interesting sitting at the party because we celebrated Cassie's mom's birthday this time last year at the same home. It was at that party that Colby saw a swimming pool for the first time. It was there that Colby scared me by jumping right in the water. Amazing to think back to that party and watch Colby as he swims "all by mineself". After just a few lessons he thinks he can swim by hinself, and he can with a noodle under his arms. Otherwise Mommy helps. This year, Colby even went down the slide. Wow! Maybe next year we can try the diving board. See the link for that post below. http://adoptingcolby.blogspot.com/2009/07/new-faces-and-new-things-to-try-part-ii.html

We also had fun at Lizzy's first birthday party. There were a lot of little kids there for Colby to play with. And now Lizzy is big enough that she and Colby were playing together. They had fun playing in her big playhouse. And Colby enjoyed rolling down the hill with another friend, Jair and his sister Brin.

On Tuesday we went with Colby's cousins Eva and Jack to Mt. Tom for a quick swim. The kids loved playing by the rocks, although Colby and Jack both fell off the rocks and Colby scratched his little nose. They found some old fishing line and tied it to a stick and took turns "fishing" and of course they threw rocks.

So another busy weekend. Except for a meeting for me ( I volunteer at the Pilot Pen Tennis Tournament in New Haven. It starts on the 20th. Lots of great tennis.) on Saturday, no plans this weekend. Eva and Jack are back in Utah. But I think Daddy and Colby might just go fishing.

First Amusement Park Adventure

Last weekend was very busy. My sister Karin and her boys were up from New York and Mike's cousins Jack and Eva were in from Utah. We had a picnic with Mike's family on Saturday as well as a play to go to Saturday night. My nephew Teddy was in a children's production of Guys and Dolls Jr. On Sunday we went with my sisters to Quassy Amusement Park to enjoy a few rides. Teddy and my sister Kristin were also there for a Drum Chorps competition. What a busy but fun time we had.

Colby loved seeing Jack and Eva again. They spent a lot of time with eachother last summer so it was nice to see them again. And his other cousins Julia, Jake, and Logan were at the picnic too. Logan is the same age as Colby and they get along really well. They enjoyed jumping in the little pool.

Teddy's play was amazing. He played the part of Nicely-nicely Johnson and sang the song "Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat". I was a little worried about Colby sitting through the play especially after the picnic all day and the play not starting until 7:30 but he did great. He was mesmerized by watching Teddy dance and sing on stage. He yelled out to Teddy a couple times and even asked "Why those kids hiding back there?". The kids were off stage in the wings waiting to come on. It was really fun.

Quassy with Karin and her boys Max and Alex was fun too. Colby had not been to an amusement park before so we weren't sure how he would do. He always wants to try everything he sees though. He loved a few of the little kid rides and then the boys went on the Pirate ship that swings back adn forth. Mike went with them. Colby was a little shocked and didn't like it much. Nor did he like the little kid rollercoaster. It bounces a lot though and I think he hit his lip at one point so he was crying. The guy running the ride stopped it after one time around and took him off. He was supposed to go around twice. So although my little man loves seeing everything and says he wants to try everything, we were reminded that he still really is a little one and not quite ready for all those big boy rides. Perhaps next year! Although rollercoasters will be Mommy's thing, not Daddy's!

This weekend, we have a graduation party for my cousin Cassie who just graduated with her Master's and passed her CPA exam. We also have a party for our niece Lizzy who turns 1. Another busy summer weekend. Thankfully the weather should be less humid and beautiful.