chalkboard via three potato four shop We're flush with milestones around here. Audrey lost that wiggly tooth on Monday (we finally got to use the cool tooth fairy kit), and in a mere week and a half, she starts her first day of kindergarten.
I have to say, she's pretty excited about the whole enterprise of embarking on "big girl school", and since she's been at a full-day pre-school for the past few years, this isn't really a drastic. That said, there will be lots of changes. It's a new school and only a few of her pre-school classmates will go there with her, so lots of new faces, new teachers, new routines. But she's rearing to go, and we're doing all the requisite get ready for school activities.
First there's been the giant clothing purge... My mother-in-law generously offered to buy some school clothes for both girlies, so I wanted to be sure we knew what we really needed and didn't just buy a bunch of things haphazardly. Plus Audrey has become rather persnickety about clothing and won't wear any number of things due to this pesky thing she calls "comfort". (I'm not sure what she's thinking here, doesn't she realize girl's clothes aren't about comfort -- jeeze kid get with the program...)
She eschews puffy sleeves, little belts, zippers and buttons, and as such, we can expect a clothing related melt-down most mornings. (The one down side of Kindergarten -- especially for me -- is that it starts a full 45 minutes earlier than her old school, so I'm determined to get this clothing thing down to a science.) I started by pulling every. single. item. of clothing she owned out and making her try it on, creating Audrey approved (i.e. über comfortable) outfits, that she promises to put on before school with no fuss. We sussed out a grand total of five outfits, which for a messy five-year old is about half of what I was aiming for.
Now Millie on the other hand (and this is the most comical/sad revelation of the great clothing purge), as a result of Audrey's hand-me-downs and doting grandparents, has, wait for it...59 shirts (and that was after giving a slew away to friends, Goodwill, etc). That's just the shirts, there's an equal abundance of pants, skirts and dresses. It's kinda sick. So we've asked for no more clothes for Millie (quite possibly ever, as there are equally bulging bins stored away for age 3 clothes, age 4 clothes, etc...etc...) and we're working on finding things Audrey will actually wear.
finnish chalk and notebooks via kiosk
While the school clothes issue has been a major whip, procuring school supplies is a whole different story. Ooooh school supplies, how I love thee. I'm flush with new #2 pencils, fresh crayons, big nubby, pink erasers, snowy lined notebooks. It's all so lovely. Between the school supplies and all our John Hughes reminiscing, I want to go back to school myself...sort of ;-)
19 comments:
oh...you got me laughing out loud here!! the "comfort" thing and the 59 shirts...
there's nothing like a good laugh!so thank you and thank you Audrey.
and Millie,well vintage rocks as much as new!xxx
I'm glad I'm not the only one with a child with clothing issues. We fight almost daily about what she will wear. And I'm extremely lenient - it doesn't have to match! What I found to help for us was to pick out clothes the night before, as part of the bedtime routine. We stopped doing this for the summer, because really, we don't have anywhere we have to be most mornings. But as soon as preschool starts up (week and a half, but who is counting? ;) we will be doing it again. It completely eliminated the morning fights.
And I can totally relate to the younger sibling having too.many.clothes. My mom always asks what our little one needs and I always say 'nothing' and feel bad for her almost but she has so, so much!!
Best of luck with your transition!
haha on a related note, while packing for our recent move, i found out my boyfriend had 100 shirts! so i made him get rid as many as possible...down to 75 now... sending good luck vibes for her first day of school!
It could have been me writing this...exactly! My oldest hates puffy sleeves (what's up with that?). And I was just saying that it is ridiculous the amount of clothes the girls have. I don't even think it's possible to wear all the clothes they own. I decided to give away the majority this year.
sometimes i go to target this time of year and just roam the school supply aisles picking out what i'd get if i were actually going back to school. markers and crayons and glue and scissors... so fun!
(please don't tell my hubby -- he thinks I'm crazy enough!)
I was the older sister and thus, was always in need of clothes. My sister, on the other hand, was always - and still is - flush with clothes. Lucky.
when i was five i refused to wear socks... for the entire year. something about the toes feeling "itchy" luckily, i had very patient parents.
good luck to your girls! there are few things i love more than school supplies.
thank heavens for school uniform...even in public school...we live in a low socio/econ area and to 'even" the "playing field" so to speak there is a policy of colored navy or white shirts and navy, black or khaki bottoms/dresses. Makes my mornings much easier...although comfort is an issue...my daughter hates "girly" things!
I love school supplies - way more than I ever did as a kid! Have you tried Rhodia notebooks? They're awesome. You're a good mom too - thinking about Audrey's clothes like that. Funny how finicky they can be - I ran into that while shopping with my nieces a few weeks ago - they were all over the Ed Hardy sneakers and wanted nothing to do with the Salt Water sandals - Converse was a good compromise!
Nicole -- i am completely jealous. i dream of a school uniform. sigh.
i heart kiwi -- you are audrey's soul sister...did i mention she hates socks? hates the seams, they make her toes itchy ;-)
I have a bonus situation of hand-me-downs from Gaia's older cousin. Love it! Especially when I begin receiving the great clothes we gave her before Gaia was born.
And yes, I agree with Nicole, uniforms should be mandatory!
Two words... TRAPPER KEEPER! Remember those??? :D
lassenbaby...loved my trapper + my pee chee folders!
My little one is starting Kindergarten, too... How did it happen so fast, is what I want to know?? And I have to say, he doesn't have any siblings, but he is the oldest cousin... I don't think that after he became mobile I was able to give away any of his clothes - he simply destroys them. His clothes are all torn knees and grass and dirt stains... Sigh.
-maria
back to school shopping .. so fun! and so nice of your MIL. and school supplies? oh how i love.
my fran is going to K as well. it is big! my other daughter has the melt downs over her outfits. she refuses to wear shorts because they aren't "pretty". she loves her bathing suit, pink skirt and black cowboy boots....it makes for interesting mornings!! good luck to your little ones!!
did they feature you in an NPR piece on vacationing from home this morning? if so i definitely tuned in and it was lovely!
i'm inspired to seek out new things to do in phoenix!
My daughter starts kindergarten this year too, and she is also picky about her outfits. My plan is to pick out 5 outfits together on Sunday night that both she and I approve of, then she can pick which day she wears which outfit. But no changing--she has to pick from those 5 outfits each morning. Hopefully it will eliminate battles and save time. I'll let you know how it goes!
Post a Comment