What a whirlwind week! I'm not sure who was more excited, anxious and exhausted -- me or Alex. At 4 1/2, he officially entered pre-k at a "real school" (private Catholic, pre-k through 8th). He's there from 8:30 a.m. to 3:05 p.m. -- by far the longest stretch of time he's been away from home (and me) during his preschool years. The week's highlights:
MONDAY: He was so excited about his first day of school he couldn't eat breakfast. "Mommy, I just want to get dressed (in a uniform, no less) and go to school now!"
TUESDAY: Alex's teacher suggests I put beef jerky in his lunch box as a source of protein. (My former excellent eater is going through a "refusing to eat just about everything" stage, a topic for another post.) I question her: "Doesn't beef jerky contain nitrates along with a bunch of other crap?"
WEDNESDAY: Alex is anxious to share his "all about me" bag (his first class project) with his classmates. The small paper bag is stuffed with planes, trains and automobiles along with a Spider-Man puzzle piece, a couple Legos, a dinosaur and family pictures, including one of him blowing out the candle on his Lightning McQueen cake when he turned 4.
Though Alex gets nap time at school, he's been really tired when he gets home from these long days. Today's he's especially tired and cranky and wants nothing to do with anyone other than mom. Me and my shadow.
THURSDAY: "Mom, I don't want to go to school today and wear a stupid uniform!" I bribe him to get dressed ("and tuck in your shirt!") with a monster truck his dad brought home from a business trip.
And for the fourth morning in a row, I run around like a maniac trying to get a 4 and 2 year old out the door with their entourage of juice, lunch box and other school supplies, a morning snack to hold Daniella over until we get home along with her baby doll, blanky, etc., etc. Did I mention we got a tardy slip on Tuesday?
I finally buy the beef jerky from
Trader Joe's (my family's favorite grocery store!) as the teacher recommended. Not only is it nitrate free, it's free of all the bad stuff, it's very low in fat and packed with protein. It also happens to be delicious! Take it from someone who swore off beef jerky long before tanning beds.
I gave some to Alex to try that night after the dinner he refused to eat, and he practically ate the entire bag (with my help).
FRIDAY: We're all a little tired and looking forward to a half-day today. Alex now understands the meaning of TGIF. Beef jerky's in the lunch box, and life is good.
