Milestones - 4th Grade, 2nd Grade, Preschool, and 11 Months

This was the 1st year in the Baum's history that these children weren't the new kids on the 1st day of school.  Wahoo!  Jace and I felt like real parents.  I dropped Noah off near the playground and yelled a farewell "Good Luck!" out the window.  Surely someone will show him where to find Mrs. Baldwin's classroom?  I love that kid.

But at the Intermediate school, when I started climbing out of the car, Macy gently let me know that I didn't need to walk her in this year.

"Are you sure?"

"Ya."

"Ok then.  Have a good day."

"I will."

"Be brave.  Smile.  You have everything?  See you after school.  Watch for cars.  Don't cry.  Look for other little girls that need a friend.  Mrs. Ward will be so nice, just watch and see.  Have fun."

I don't think she heard half of it.  Tears streamed down my face as I watched her walk into a new chapter of her life.  Why are girls so different?  I'm going to be a basket case if that girl ever decides to marry off.

And somehow I got suckered into participating in a Joy School group for this little guy this year.  I hope I'm still able to sing "Oh, boy I got joy!" after the first week of them at my house.  Why can't I be a good Mormon mom and speak softly to my children and set up craft time in the afternoon and teach them piano?  At times my weaknesses are made so clear to me (i.e. Joy School Mother's meeting).  But Ezra is having a ball.  I truly miss him and his clamming presence when he is gone.  I asked him awhile ago what me and his father did to deserve such a sweet boy?  He said, "nothing."  And he is exactly right.

11 Months

I'm so not ready for her to be a year old.

How did that happen so fast?

We still have so much to work on.  She still is not sleeping thru the night.  My jeans should fit better after a year.   She should love to eat regular food.  She should not be nursing 9 times a day and night still.  Her 3-6 month old clothes should long ago been put away.

I inserted myself into her milestone pictures this month.  It only seemed appropriate.  Me and Mikael.  We are thick as thieves.  When I'm on the computer - she is laying on the keyboard.  When I'm sweeping   - she is doing snow angels in the dirt pile.  When I vacuum, she is following while chewing on the cord. When I am showering - she is climbing the bathtub walls.  You get the picture.

I love this chic.  I know it sounds like I might feel sorry for myself a lot when I talk about this baby that exhausts a lot of my time and energy but don't pity me.  She is a ray of sunshine in our lives.  I married her father because of his enthusiasm for life, his curiosity, his desire to learn and be better and his love for me.  Mikael is her father's child.  She does not know how to sit still or sleep for long periods at a time.  There is so much to see!  And do!  I'm jealous and in awe of her spunk and her ability to steal the show at any given minute and make the room fall in love with her.  And I'm completely flattered at her love for me.  I'm a lucky girl.

I had chocolate cake for lunch. Followed by 3 Advil.

If there was ever a day chocolate cake and Advil should be on the lunch menu--today was that day. For a couple reasons.

1. I turned 28 on Saturday. 28 feels an awful lot like 27. We were traveling home from this vacation HERE. Therefore, no one made me any birthday cake. Except for the chef at Chili's in Payson but that doesn't really count because he didn't know me. It was still a really good day. He said I could pick out any piano I wanted on craigslist. He is the best husband. The kids and I made official birthday cake after church yesterday. The large leftover piece has been calling my name since I woke this morning.

28 years old.

2. Noah started kindergarten this morning. I have had empty pit in my stomach for weeks about it. When we pulled into the parking lot this morning, he sat in the car. I told him to get out. He told me he wasn't old enough to go to Macy's school. I think he thought all this back to school talk meant he was to return to Mrs. Lisa's preschool. He did eventually get out of the car and walked, hand in mine, to meet his new teacher and class.

My mom said on a scale of 1 to 10, the Batman and High School Musical backpacks aren't really important. I shouldn't fight it--just buy them.

3. Macy became a 2nd grader this morning. I know she will keep an eye on Noah for me this year. She nervously waved across the room at another little girl, when I was introducing ourselves to her new teacher. I presume the little girl across the room was a familiar face from her 1st grade class and a face Macy was relieved and thrilled to see this morning
Macy and Mrs. Proulx--rhymes with blue. Doesn't that sound like a really nice 2nd grade teacher?

4. Ezra and I entered the new and lonely land of "just the 2 of us-- all day." He is a sweet kid. He does not expect me to entertain him but all entertaining done by himself is done on my lap or in the near vicinity. I look forward to our alone time this year. We also started the potty training chapter today. He has already called 2 times this morning, checking on our progress. He loves nothing more than a potty trained kid.

Ezra thought he too was going to school. He was proud as punch walking the halls this morning with his new Mario backpack.

Can you see why I deserve the chocolate cake today?


When Ezra and I were making our lonely exit from the elementary school to the parking lot I managed to pull a muscle, pinch a nerve, or probably both. I was stepping one foot in front of the other, like always, and BAM. I was then hobbling through the parking lot. I need a chiropractor. I'm walking like a full term pregnant lady that just had her right leg amputated. Summer is officially over. I'm old enough to have 2 children in school all day and old enough to have 3 children that know how to use the toilet. And I think my body realized it today.


And that is where the 3 Advil made their way to my lunch table.

Watch out 1st grade...Here come's Macy Baum!

I preface my "first day of school" story with this:



Jace bought me tickets to see "Wicked" in L.A. for Mother's day this year. We flew to California last Friday with Mike and Carrie Mosley, saw the show (LOVED IT! I missed my calling in life), stayed in a hotel, and flew home Saturday. It was the longest we have ever been away from our kids. I know my mother-in-law is completely capable of caring for them but I was HOMESICK - if one mentioned my one children's name or if Jace thought about looking at me crossed eyed - I was in tears. Not a great way to start the week.


Our "first day of first grade" then went something like this:



When my eyes opened on Monday morning, I had to take in my surroundings. My stomach was in knots. The hour on the clock read an unfathomly early hour. My brain was buzzing.....No, I was no longer 6 years old and No, that wasn't Jessica sharing a bed with me and No, that wasn't Mauriah's blow dryer and stereo already singing away.



This was MACY'S first day of school. I am the mother of a 6 year old and that is Jace snoring next to me and that is Ezra singing the house awake in his crib.



Macy was up, dressed, and in the process of making her own pb & j sandwich, when I joined her in the kitchen. We talked all morning of the "what if's."

"What if I miss kindergarten and Mrs. Mitchell?"

"What if Ms. Ellsworth is a bigger lady?"

"What if no one wants to sit by me at lunch?"

"What if I can't open my water bottle by myself?"

"What if I can't find my classroom?"



I did my best to answer and calm her nerves that were making her lose her appetite.

"You will love 1st grade and you'll get to see and wave to Mrs. Mitchell in the halls. "

"Those are the best kind."

"I bet Kyson will sit by you and lots of other kids will be wishing for a friend to sit by too. Look out for them, ok?"

"You can always ask any adult at school for help."

"I will personally walk you to your classroom today and for the next 12 years if you wish."



As we walked the sidewalk to the classroom, I could not rid myself of that lump in my throat. Then, there at the end of the sidewalk was a welcome sight. Jessica, Kyson, Brookie, and Teag. Macy ran to meet her cousin, now turned classmate.



As I introduced us to Ms. Ellsworth, she placed an arm around Macy and said "I feel like I already know Macy Baum. Your great grandmother Maire Brewer was one of my very best friends."
My brave face disolved into tears, "Maire Brewer was one of my very favorite people too."
She then tells me with tears in her eyes as well, that she had Jace's oldest brother Chad in her 1st grade class.
"Oh, did you?" was all I could get out, before I quickly hung up Macy's bag, showed her to her desk, and got out of there.



My homesickness, nervousness, anxiety, and now tears for all my deceased relatives poured out in the parking lot, while Jessica patted my shoulder. I'm so glad she lives in Taylor now. And I'm HAPPY to report Macy got to sit by Kyson at lunch and play with him on the play ground.



Macy was a HAPPY, bouncing, and OFFICIAL 1st grader when I picked her up at 2:20 pm. I know Ms. Ellsworth and I's first conversation that morning will translate into "Macy is a wonderful, smart girl that can do no wrong in 1st grade this year," thanks to Jace and his relatives no longer living but watching over us still the same.



P.S. My brand new digital camera has taken it's first trip to the Sony repair shop. Please stay tuned for the pictures coordinating with the above documented experiences.