Another new stage

Ellie had her first week of school. She LOVED school last year, but I think she's having a little trouble easing back into the routine, especially going two days in a row (she goes T, Th, F). Hannah's in her class again, which is good. She can tell me all these details about who cried because she wanted to play dress up when it was clean up time, how the Motor teacher got a new classroom, what toys are on the "big kid" playground, what songs they sang, etc. She really is a big girl.

She's going through a weird clingy phase. She just does NOT want to cooperate with Peter these days, and bedtime has become a battlefield again. That is, when it's with him. As Ellie told Daddy, "I ALWAYS cooperate... with Mommy." She said she didn't want to go to school this morning because she didn't want me to leave. Then she had a major tantrum when we were leaving house church. What happened to my mature, easygoing, confident little girl?! Hopefully this is all due to tiredness. We'll see how next week goes.

In the meantime, Matthew has discovered usage of the apostrophe s. He'll go around identifying everything that belongs to Peter in the house. Pager - Daddy's. Palm Pilot - Daddy's. Flip flops in the foyer - Daddy's. Mug used for coffee - Daddy's. Glasses (even if they're mine) - Daddy's. Since Ellie's been gone at school for the past couple of days, he's doing it with her stuff too - Ahyee's.

That's actually cute - he misses Ellie like CRAZY. Either that, or he's completely baffled by her absence in our home. He wakes up from nap asking about her, he keeps patting her carseat, asking where she is. At least a hundred times a day I told him, "Ellie's at SCHOOL." So when he asked for the gajillionth time about her today, I asked him where she was. He responded, "Koo."

And he's THRILLED to see her when we pick her up. He actually ran to the garage today when I said we were going to go get her. Ellie - not that excited. She's more excited to see her friends in other classes, namely Christen and Kayce. It's so sad. He does this opening and closing of his fist when he wants something, and he does it towards her while chanting her name. Oblivous to his longing, Ellie completely ignores him and picks flowers in the grass (which he does not like and won't walk in).

I tried taking Matthew to Little Gym today. I don't know if we're going to stick with it. Firstly, it's right at his naptime. Secondly, I feel like I'm paying money for him to play with balls and get stamps on his hands, as that's all he really cares to do. We'll see. I feel like I should do SOMETHING with him while Ellie's at school.

I, personally, am loving school. I'm loving getting time to myself in the mornings AND afternoons (long days often bring simultaneous afternoon naps!). Unfortunately, I'm not really using my time that productively. I sort of feel like I need to relish ANY time to myself these days, so that's what I've been doing while Ellie's gone. TLC, the Ellen show, eating unhealthy snacks, napping... it's been so nice.

I'm also starting to not fit into regular clothes. I had my first pair of pants not button this week. Granted I'm wearing only low-rise and elasticized waist clothing, but I feel like I'm smaller this time around than I was with Matthew. Actually, I feel like I've popped out more these past couple of weeks, and I no longer can blame gas (although that's still omnipresent in my life).

And it's hot. Not like that's new news, but it really is hot. Will the 90-something degree weather never cease?! Yick.