Carter T's Big Day

Warning- this blog may be super corny, but that is just how this tired pregnant lady is feeling right now.





Monday, August 15th 2011, was Carters first day of public school. I homeschooled him last year because kindergarten was all day here and neither one of us was ready for that :). You see, we all kind of like each other and I really enjoyed being Carters teacher. Teaching him to read was very validating and I am so grateful that we will always have that accomplishment together. Of course, he is a really easy kid to teach because he likes to learn and picks things up quickly so it made my job easy.

Anyway, back to the first day of 1st grade. I dropped Carter off at school so that he could sleep in an extra half hour, and when my little man got out of the car and walked into the elementary school many tears were shed, all by me. Here comes the corny stuff. Have you ever heard the quote about how when you have children you have your heart walking around outside your chest? Well, it seriously felt like my heart was walking into that school in the form of Carter. Ellie and I tried to keep our day busy so we would not be too sad, not sure how successful that was. Cried at my OBGYN appointment, cried 3 times at Costco (too many people I know where there :), cried a few times on the phone and for no apparent reason at home. Remember I'm pregnant. And not sleeping. As soon as 2:50 rolled around Ellie and I were rushing to the school bus, where I cried when I saw Carter get off the bus. He had such a good day! And I was so grateful that he wanted to talk all about it, that is just what this mom needed! His favorite parts were buying lunch (with his own special debit card), riding the bus and playing with the one person he knows at recess. He loves his teacher and had nothing bad to say about the whole day. Which is just what every mother wants to hear.




Tuesday he took the bus to, as well as home from, school. That was really hard for me, I missed our extra half hour together. Joe took him down to the bus stop and I watched and cried from a distance. I did much better yesterday though, limiting tears to only 4 times. And when he came home he talked my ear off again :). Thank you Carter. He left this morning so excited and with some sweet goals (to play ball with the kids at the bus stop). Joe said he did it! So glad they let him play and that he was brave enough to ask. I have goals too, aside from writing this blog I am not allowed to cry today. Wish me luck.

Summer Days...part 2...

It's 11:30 am and we are all still in our pajamas (except Ellie who is wearing her new princess dress that I stayed up until midnight finishing, SO glad she likes it). What have we done today? The kids played with my pins while I made 2 pair of PJ shorts, we watched videos on youtube of space shuttles launching (literally makes me cry, I am so pregnant), Carter and I are doing school worksheets (this is fun for Carter, he is so my kid) and Ellie is surrounded by toys on the playroom floor- happy as a clam. I love summer. I feel like we are getting into the swing of summer, just as we are nearing the end. Oh well, we still have a good month left in us- and it is going to be awesome.

Summer days...

It is a sweltering Saturday (okay, it's only 90 degrees, but add the lovely humidity and it feels like 170) and here is how the Bensons are spending their summer afternoon:



Carter & Ellie- I'll be sad when a plastic kiddie pool doesn't equal hours of entertainment, hopefully we aren't even close to those days. Between the pool and the trampoline the kiddos have been happily playing for over 3 1/2 hours. I know 2 somebodies who are going to sleep very well tonight.



Joe- I am realizing, after almost 8 years of marriage, that my hubby loves to have a project to tinker on. I am always pushing for them to be FINISHED, but Joe finds joy in the journey. This fire pit is his current "hobby" and though he looks miserable to me he is actually loving every minute of learning a new skill. You go Joe :).

Dawnelle- I happily volunteered for the job of drink maker, popscicle supplier, snack bringer, picture taker and baby grower. So I am enjoying the air conditioning and getting my primary stuff organized for tomorrow (so I don't stay up until midnight doing it). Probably I should sweep. But I might make orange julius' instead...

Life Ever Changing

I am loving this age with my children. Carter is 6 and Ellie is 3. They love each other and they play reasonably well together. They will jump on the trampoline or play in the sand happily (okay, with regular mediation by me :) for hours. We don't have to take a stroller everywhere and I don't lug a heavy diaper bag with me everywhere I go. Carter is a good swimmer and Ellie kicks all around the pool with her life jacket on- happy and confident. Also they sleep, for 12 hours straight every night. I guess what I am trying to say is- I am 5 months pregnant with another little girl and struggling with starting over again. Aren't we allowed to be excited and worried all at the same time? The kiddos are MAJORLY excited about their new sister (though Carter kind of wishes it were a brother) for which I am very grateful. Ellie even shared her blankie with my tummy this morning- cute. I'm sure it will all be fine. Once this unborn child starts sleeping through the night- so basically we're talking next March/April...

The Flu and Thanksgiving

As we are now finishing our 3rd week with at least one person in the Benson family at a time suffering from the bubonic plague (or it might just be the flu, not sure which)- we are going to focus on attention on brighter times. Namely, Thanksgiving 2010.

What made Thanksgiving so great? Couple of things really: Grandma & Grandpa Benson were here, I didn't have to cook alone (yeah!), we had a southern smoked turkey (amazing, new family tradition), and let me repeat- Grandma and Grandpa were here :)! We thoroughly enjoyed weeks of food, football, long conversations and easy crossword puzzles. We always go into withdrawals when they leave, until we know exactly when we get to see our Grandparents again (it's April 14th btw).

Hidden Consequence of Daily Workouts

One Word: LAUNDRY. And not just any laundry, but the stinky kind. This better be worth it... :)

Carter T

Carter T is loving school this year. He goes to a 5 year old kindergarten class of sorts for 3 hours a day and I work with him on his reading, handwriting and science at home. He is proving to be a good student (thankfully, because as his teacher I was slightly nervous of my abilities). He is also a fantastic rule follower (for the most part).

He is my earlier riser and claims it is so boring until Ellie wakes up. Then the fun begins. He has been known to get her in trouble on many occasions because he will send her to do the things he knows he shouldn’t do (so is he really that much of a rule follower, hmmm…). I’m just glad they play well together now. Minus the princess stuff, he thinks that is “dumb”. That word has since been banned from the Benson home.

Carter is my fellow “puzzler”- he loves puzzles and will hum to himself as he tries to figure out where each piece goes. If I try to talk to him he will shush me, he needs to focus J. Carter is much like his Dad in that he is good at most things he tries. He is a great swimmer, has a fantastic batting arm, good bowler and a great reader. When he talks he uses his hands a lot- I see so much of me in him too. He loves paper airplanes right now and talks Dad into making a new one almost daily. And if you haven’t discovered Wild Kratts on PBS kids, he highly recommends that you do!