I Was So Tired I Almost Fell Asleep in School Today!

This is not what you want to hear your kid say, first thing off the bus. Yet, it is a direct quote from my son. Today, 3:02pm. Sheesh. Apparently, his near-brush with school-time slumber came at the end of the day, waiting in his classroom for the "bus kids" to have their turn leaving class. So it is not like he was falling asleep during "morning work" or anything, while practicing his Ss today (ironically, they learned to write Ss today....as in, S is for sleep!).

Anyway, before I had a chance to say that Hey buddy, looks like we will definitely go to be bed earlier tonight, he assured me that now, he was no longer tired (Um, yeah. Right.) and that he didn't need to get to bed earlier (Wow - am I that predictable?! They get good at this so fast!).

Tomorrow night is Meet the Teacher night, and so at this point, I'm crossing my fingers that we don't get pulled aside and given a little what's what about proper sleep habits. I'm hoping to keep my parental green card (and not the dreaded yellow or *gasp* red card the kids get for objectinable behavior).

Oh, and last week I asked Quinn to name the best three things about his day. (I'm trying to follow all those how-to-get-your-kids-to-talk tips and not ask yes/no questions.) Here is what he had to say: 1. We had recess; 2. We had corndogs for lunch; and 3. I got to ride the bus.

So there you have it. Kindergarten highlights from the trenches. And nary a mention of reading, writing, or 'rithmetic.

And while I don't have pix of the sleeping prince in action, I thought I'd post a photo of Q and K doing their best Michael P and Natalie C impersonations (a little Olympics withdrawal going on here).

Oh, and lastly, before I forget (hold the age jokes): thanks to all for the various b-day greetings I got today. You all rock. I will reply personally to each heartfelt message (including the helpful tips on aging from my sorta fav BIL) soon. I would've replied to you all earlier today, but, well, I've been going on and on in my blog instead....and before this whole blogging deal I was (are you ready for this?) playing with the awesome new Wii FIT (yes, let me shout that: WII FIT!!!!!!) that I got from my super-awesome super-resourceful hubby! Ladies, hear this: dropping major hints beginning 3 months before your bday is a good thing. Said often enough, it all sinks in.

A Gold Medal Week

The big story around the world this week seems to be the Olympics. We've been getting our fill here...staying up late (the grown-ups anyway) to see the swimming, gymnastics, volleyball, and glimpses of beautiful China.

Our Chinese-American gold medal toddler models her Olympic finery to the left. She was decked out and ready to go for the Opening Ceremonies. I picked out the t-shirt, she picked out her hat. The outfit pretty much sums her up, eh? (Of course, as far as the shirt goes, what was I thinking when I bought that thing back on our adoption trip? I totally overestimated her growth....she'll likely be able to wear that shirt again for the 2012 Games!)

Of course, around here, the Olympics aren't the biggest story around. The big news in our corner of the world is Super-Q's entry into formal education. So far, he gives a double-thumbs up to Days 1 and 2 of Kindergarten. He has safely navigated the bus to and from school, bought his lunch in the cafeteria (even choosing a vegetable as part of today's lunch!), and given me all necessary parent paperwork (intact, no less). On the right, you see the handsome guy decked out for his first day. He picked the shirt and I started to pick out khaki shorts to go with. "Mo-om, I don't need to look like a church man, do I?" No, no, I guess not. Jean-shorts will be just fine.

And notice little sis in her PJs. Not looking very happy. This, however, was nothing compared to her reaction when Q actually got on the bus. And the big door closed. And the loud yellow monster pulled away, taking her brother with it.
She. went. nuts. Crying, screaming, wailing. Gege, come back. Back, gege! Waaaaaah! It was sweet and heart-breaking at the same time.

I explained that the bus was taking him to school, yada yada yada, and home again after her naptime. That seemed to do the trick. Plus a walk around the neighborhood and another 2 bowls of Frosted Flakes. Tony the Tiger makes everything grrrrrreat!

Kindergarten-palooza!

Well, the last few days have been filled with all things kindergarten. Kindergarten "orientation" on Thursday (meet the teacher, see classroom, visit school library and cafeteria, sit on bus....that should've been ride on bus, but it stalled...but that's another story). School ice cream social on Sunday (get bus assignment, buy school T-shirt, desposit money in school lunch account, avoid PTO recruitment). And now, one final day of lounging around and enjoying summer...all the while, me trying not to say stuff like "Hey, this is your last lunch at home before school starts" or "Hey, tomorrow at this time you'll almost be done with your first day of school" and other assorted phrases which apparently annoy my 5-year old.

Here are various tidbits about Q's cool school: he has twice the number of kindergarteners in his school than I had in mine....and his school is one of about 11 in the district (not the only one, like mine was). His teacher started kindergarten in the exact same year that I started. Started college, I mean. His class is not filled with kids named Jennifer, Michelle, Michael, and Mark, but rather Meade and Callahan and Sofia and Isabelle. He gets to choose one of 3 entrees each day - not Shepherd's Pie, take it or leave it.

He will, however, learn to make his letters the same way and still, 2+2 = 4. So, some things I can help him with.

Now, off to figure out how I can snap a photo of him on the bus tomorrow w/o being noticed....I'd hate to be a totally-embarassing mom. Not on the first day, anyway.

Quit Being Such a Salsa Hog!

I'll take Overheard at Q&K's House for $200, Alex.

Answer: The family member who uttered the title quote.

You, playing along at home: Who is.....the man of the house?

Alex: Correct.

You: I'll take Overheard for $400, Alex.

Alex: The family member to whom the quote was directed.

You: Who is....Quinn?

Alex: Sorry, that's incorrect.

Another player rings in: Who is....the lady of the house?

Alex: Sorry, that is also incorrect. The correct answer is KEIRA.

How can that be, you say? Keira - the salsa hog? You've always been told Keira eats nothing but Goldfish, yogurt, and mac-n-cheese. Nary a fruit or vegetable to pass her lips. How could she be the one who is inhaling mass quantities of salsa, nothing but loads and loads of veggies and spices?

Well, let me set the record straight. She does eat some veggies - if you count zucchini bread, spinach and artichoke dip, and breaded eggplant as vegetables. And yes, she does like salsa. But until tonight, I didn't know just how much.

We had been getting Garden Fresh Salsa by the tub-full at Costco. She liked it alright, enjoying the crispy chips just as much. But tonight, we tried Trader Joe's Fresh Mild Salsa. And she not only liked it, she hogged the container. She kept standing up in her chair to reach across the table for more. She rationed her chips, biting off just the part with salsa and then standing to dip again. (The $600 answer would've been: The family member at the end of the "Hey - you're double-dipping!" accusation.) And, to top it off, by the end of the meal (yes, we were having chips and salsa as part of a Friday night hodge-podge) she was, well, you check it out....

As they say, Good to the last drop!