Yes, I am READY!

After weeks and weeks of everyone asking Jentry if she is ready for Kindergarten, it finally arrived. Yesterday was Jentry's first day of official, all day school.  And yes, she was ready!

Monday was Jentry's last day at daycare and I let her stay home with me on Tuesday.  We began our last day of summer celebration with doughnuts and juice at the bakery downtown.  Jentry thought it was quite fun and to be honest so did I.  It brought me right back to when my mom would take my sister and me to the little doughnut shop in Orleans on Saturday mornings.  I remember how much of a treat that was.  I would always get one glazed doughnut, one cake doughnut with sprinkles and a chocolate milk.  Oh those were the days!

Next we loaded Jentry's very large pile of school supplies and paperwork into the car and headed to the school.  We visited with the secretary and then headed down the halls to find Mrs. Ramer's classroom.  She had the door and room decorated in a camping theme.  Jentry found the desk with her name on it and we unloaded her supplies.  Jentry was so excited to check out all the new things in the room.  The bright colors, pictures, alphabet, white boards, smells, etc.....it was just too much for mom.  It was like a glimpse of my childhood, which seemed so very long ago.  How could life be moving so rapidly?  How could my tiny 5 lb baby be going to Kindergarten? I started to tear up a bit.  Jentry asked, why are you sad?  I told her I was excited for her and was sad that I couldn't come to Kindergarten too.  She laughed a little at my silly desire, took my hand and walked me out of the school. I couldn't even drop off her supplies without crying, how was I ever going to give her a hug and say goodbye for the day?

We had cereal and fruit for lunch and then headed to the pool for one last dip.  Saying goodbye to the pool after so many days spent there was definitely bittersweet.  I love our time there but like anything else, the fun begins to fade a bit with time and we start to long for the next season.

That night I read her the special book I had purchased, "The Night Before Kindergarten."  She loved it and asked me to read it to her several more times.  Next we got to open the special envelope from her teacher that we were not supposed to read until the night before school.  It was a card with a poem and magic confetti to sprinkle under her pillow.

"The confetti will help you sleep through the night 

And wake up in the morning fresh and bright."

Jentry looked at me with big, bright eyes and asked, "Are we really going to do that?"

Yes, we did and it worked like a charm.  She was up early and eager to get to school.  Her dad, Erica and brother Pace came to join the drop off fun.  She got to show them her classroom and give us all a goodbye hug before joining her friends on the playground.  It really went much better than I was anticipating.  She was excited, confident and ready.  I am not sure what I would have done if she would have been clinging to my hip saying, "I don't want you to leave." Pretty sure I would have taken her home for another year.

At 11:00 I went to help out with lunch.  It may seem like a simple part of the day but the children are required to get their silverware, straw, napkin, milk, tray, and then serve their own food onto the tray.  Most of the Kindergartners couldn't even see over the food bar!  And if that was not enough, the kids have to remember their four digit lunch number. Yikes!  It was quite an experience, however everyone got some food to eat, placed their trash in the cans and trays in the window.  I think only one set of silverware ended up in the trash, which I think is was pretty darn good for the first day.

At 3:20 I was at the school excited to hear all about her first day.  When she spotted me I was expecting a huge smile, run and hug kind of greeting.  Instead she said, "What are you doing here?"  Apparently her teacher had told her that she was riding the bus home.  I did want her to eventually ride the bus home but thought I would be nice and pick her up the first few days.  Nope, she wanted to ride the bus, so I got her on the right bus and said, "See ya at home."  All the while hoping she would know where to get off.  Several minutes later she hopped off the big yellow bus and came running up the street.  I was very proud of her for being so courageous. 

Once home, she told me that her favorite thing was the chocolate pudding at lunch and that some guy said to bring tennis shoes.  Thankfully, her teacher sent home a very lovely note with some things to ask them about, or I would have gotten nowhere.

A snack and a few minutes on the coach was all it took to create this: 

Ah, how I am going to love school!

School Shopping in Lincoln

Jentry and I celebrated the last weekend before school by taking a little shopping trip to Lincoln.

My plan was to get to town in time to see some of my dear friends at the bank.  Jentry had a blast playing with "Silly Judy."  She just can't get enough of her!

Next we went to my friend Abby's house where Jentry was treated with a birthday present.  Obviously it had been much too long since our last visit.

After chatting it up with Abby, we headed to Kohls to find Jentry some new clothes and an outfit to wear for her picture shoot the next morning.  Jentry has become so picky about her attire that I now refuse to buy anything that she has not selected herself.  Any item I have brought home to her is not what she likes, of course.  Quite the diva I tell you!

We finally stopped for a late supper at Runza and then headed to the condo to crash for the night.  Jentry was excited about our sleep over because she actually got to sleep with me which rarely happens.

The next morning we shared a lovely breakfast at The Egg & I and then headed to the our appointment with the photographer.  When I told her about the plans to have her pictures taken she began negotiating.  "I will take pictures for you IF you take me to the Children's Museum."   And it begins.

While waiting for the pictures to print, we hit up a few more stores and grabbed some quick lunch.  Jentry's restaurant selections and mine are not exactly the same.  It almost killed me to drive by all the other fabulous eating establishments to get to McDonald's!

One more stop at the Gateway mall and then it was finally time to head to the museum.  By this time Jentry was exhausted and wanted me to carry her.  I asked her if she still wanted to go beings she couldn't even walk.  She sighed, "Yes, I just...I just need a nap."  We walked through the colorful doors she ran straight to the ambulance and forgot all about being tired.  She also spent lots of time in the water zone playing plumber.  I snapped this picture to show her plumber father, which I am sure was very proud.

On the way back to Sutton, Jentry crashed immediately.  The 24 hours were packed with all kinds of fun.  She is finally getting to the age where a shopping trip to Lincoln can be most enjoyable.  I have many very fond memories of school shopping with my mom and sister in Kearney.  It was a very big deal back then. We got lots of new clothes, ate Chinese and drank pop!

The pictures turned out great too!

She Makes Me Laugh

Since her surprising, early entrance into this world, Jentry has been the light of my life and brings laughter to my soul.  The following are just a few examples of the many marvelous moments that have made me smile.

While picking up Jentry at daycare one of the other children said, "Look, Dozer (the dog) is trying to get the (sidewalk) chalk!"  I said, "See you kids tomorrow and don't let Dozer eat the chalk." Jentry quickly replied, "We can't mom.  We don't speak dog."

Jentry was upset that I had forgotten to leave her hat and gloves when I dropped her off at daycare.  I apologized but reminded her that she can also be responsible for her own things.  "Sometimes I just don't think of things.  If you want your hat and gloves, you could help by reminding me."  To which Jentry became very angry and replied, "I can't remember everything, mom, besides you have more thoughts than me."

While I was dusting behind the TV, I accidentally knocked over a tall bunch of decorative grass.  It went crashing off the bench onto the floor.  Nathan's asked Jentry, "What is your mother doing?"  And Jentry quickly replied, "I don't know but I still love her."

"Do I look like Santa, mom?"  Christmas in July?  

The puppet show that was entirely her vision.  She is so much more creative than her mother!

Just out for an evening stroll in her finest attire.  Oh my!

The ensemble she selected for Katie's cowgirl birthday party.

Jentry's invention of a hair dryer for her Barbie.  Why yes, the air vent, why didn't I think of that?

After trying to explain to Jentry how a clock works and that the second hand goes around every minute she responds, "If I were a clock I would be disappointed...BORING!"

While visiting my parents, Jentry asked Papa if he would take her to see his bull. Of course, my niece and nephew didn't want to miss out so Papa agreed to take all three kids.  Grandma asked if he needed any help and Jentry quickly interrupted, "Well, it just depends on how bully the bull is!"

I had just picked up Jentry from her first weekend at her dad's with her new baby brother.  I thought she would have lots of stories and would be excited to tell me all about it.  After my third or fourth question she asked me while holding my iPhone, "Do you have any more questions before I start my game?"   Really?

Jentry and I were watching Despicable Me and we got to the scene in the movie where Mr. Gru is trying to save the girls from Vector and the Minions catch them from falling out of the aircraft.  Jentry looks at me and very seriously says, "It's a good thing he (Gru) has those Indians to help save them."  To which I reply with a chuckle, "Do you mean Minions?"  

After praising Jentry for looking both ways before crossing the street with her scooter she replies, "Well yeah, I don't want to really ruin my life!"

Oh Jentry, how much we love you and are so thankful for all the joy you have brought to our lives!  How boring our lives would be without your creative commentary.