That Went Fast

Jack fearlessly running off... taking his first step onto the school bus. 

"That went fast," said Adam innocently enough.

 THAT went fast. That WENT fast.  That went FAST.

It was like a bad song stuck in my head.  A deafening roar of the same phrase being repeated over and over again in my head. It was as if every person who had ever told me "enjoy it, it goes fast" was suddenly right here with me screaming it at me.
And it went fast.  Jack took his first step onto that school bus and was off.  Adam, myself, Nona and Matthew sat in the golf cart in silence. Staring off into the empty highway where the bus had just been sitting.  A feeling of emptiness crept over me, a sense of shock- as if we weren't expecting what had just happened.  He was really off on a school bus, by himself.  I didn't feel like I had permission to cry though, it was a happy day for our Jack.  We put on a smile and headed back up to the house, just the 4 of us.

The weekend before school- headed to a casting call
(which he ended up landing the role!)

But then I did cry.  I felt like a cartoon character where the water fills up in your eyes like a swimming pool, and then the tears manage to sneak out and roll down your cheeks.  ...  I was going to miss him, and not just right now in this moment.  I mean I am going to MISS having my baby Jack. My toddler Jack. My preschooler Jack. I'm not sure I am ready for school age Jack, and all the responsibilities that come with being a school Mom!

Checking out Jack's classroom

Swinging at Meagan's house

But I turned my attention to my work day, and turned my sadness into anxiousness- anticipation of hearing about his day when I get off work.  I watched the clock and wondered what he was doing.
After school Jack did not disappoint. He happily answered every nosey question I had with gusto.  Then I turned to NonaJane and said "did you MISS your brother?!"  and in true NonaJane fashion, knowing how to get a laugh and lighten the mood- she replied with a mischievous smirk and a devious look to her eye "NoooopE!!!"  "I had the i-pad ALL to MYSELF!"   Sure enough, I asked Adam how NonaJane's day went without Jack, he reported he hardly heard a peep out of her. She spent the day in the playroom busily playing with her toys and the iPad- totally un-interrupted.
 
Matthew also did not want to be out-shined this week.  He decided he would start crawling at 6 months and 3 days old.  Officially our youngest crawler! He also got his first tooth this week!




















We went to the grocery store and he sat in the cart like a big kid... he seemed a bit worried- perhaps it was my cart driving? No, probably his sister who was hugging his head thru the whole store.

Shopping while Jack is at school just wouldn't feel right.  Wouldn't want anything to be too easy around here!

Matthew is thinking "what are you doing with my toy?"

already pulling himself up to climb into things

Well a week or two of school have gone by now, and somehow this blog never got posted... I'm still missing my Jack, but am thankful for his school and teacher.  Jack comes home with a spark in his eye every afternoon. His days are full of adventure and novelty, and he is loving every bit of it.  While I continue to mourn the change in our worlds, exciting things are happening at home for Nona and Matthew.  Matthew is discovering the world around him, underfoot and into everything.  He is already pulling up to his knees to reach, and tearing into his siblings stuff. (yesterday he ate a bed bath and beyond coupon that had been sitting at the edge of the coffee table... oops) Him eating things leads into the topic of his size! We discovered at his 6 month appointment that he is nearly as tall and heavy as Jack was at his 1st birthday!! What??! Granted Jack was a bit of a runt, or pip-squeak... but Matthew is ranking in in the 95%.

starting early with the academics

Little Miss looking exceptionally cute

Nona has become exceptionally close with Matthew.  We find her encouraging him to follow her, giving him toys, including him in her play schemes.  He thinks she is hysterical... but that eventually gives into annoyance once she has completely overwhelmed him ;)  Nona is also sitting down with me on my days off for our 'school'.  We are working thru some pre-k work books, spending extra time coloring, cutting, drawing, doing puzzles, reading etc.  Nona seems thrilled with the one on one time, and I appreciate feeling needed (seeing as Jack already informed me the other day that "Mom, you  don't know what you're talking about".... lovely)  It seems that Nona and Jack have flipped roles lately.  Nona being extra sweet and incredibly rule abiding... meanwhile Jack comes home from school in a state of physical and emotional fatigue- in turn he is acting a bit like a 13 year old girl.  Quite moody- a bit over reactive- we just have to hold on tight and hope that this wave too shall pass!