Back to School

School is back in session, which means back to work for David and back to class for me. But someone else is going to school this year too... Cooper! He started preschool a couple weeks ago and he is loving it so far. He goes twice a week for almost 3 hours and is learning a lot.

To get Cooper ready and excited for preschool, I took him shopping for a backpack. Of course he picked out a Lightning McQueen one. He is so cute with it on!  

Here is Cooper on his first day at preschool. He is in the back left corner in the white shirt. 

"Come on Mom! Not another picture, please! I just want to go play with the other kids now." 

I hadn't planned on putting Cooper in preschool this year, especially not 6 months ago when everyone was signing up for classes. We had put him in soccer last winter, and it just didn't go well. He had fun and it was cute and all, but he was just not ready for an organized sport. He was the one that didn't want to do what the other kids were doing and wouldn't listen to anyone. He had one thing on his mind, and that was running around the gym as fast as he could. This was pretty much right before Carter was born. I remember being totally stressed about Cooper's crazy hyperactivity and super difficult behavior in public. I was barely able to handle him on my own in a grocery store, and sometimes even left my cart full of groceries because he was just too much for me and my big ol' belly to physically handle. I worried that there was no way I would be able to go anywhere with him when the new baby arrived, because if I couldn't even handle Cooper, how the heck was I going to handle two kids?!  But shortly after Carter was born, something changed. I'm not saying that he's a perfect angel and is never hard to handle, because every kid has their moments, but he sure is a lot better. I don't worry about how he's going to be in public whenever we go anywhere. In fact, it's the opposite... I know he's going to be really good so I like to take him places. He is polite, helpful, talkative, funny, and just a pleasure to be around most of the time. We don't have to plan around a nap as he rarely takes one anymore. We had avoided restaurants all-together for the past couple years because it was just less stressful to eat at home than to try to deal with him, but we went to Red Robin last week and he was great! People say "terrible 2's" and I always thought that the 2's were fun and that it's the 3's that were tough. He get's a little easier everyday. I am excited to see what the 4's will bring.

I guess it is probably pretty boring hanging out with his Mommy and baby brother all day, so I understand why Cooper wanted to go to school so bad. He started a week late because I had a hard time finding a place that had an opening for him. I hadn't planned on putting him in this year or else I would have been looking way sooner than the first week of school. A friend recommended an in-home preschool in my neighborhood. I didn't quite know what to think about that, but I went and checked it out and it is really cool! And it is really nice being able to walk there (at least while it is still warm outside).

The first day of preschool, I was really nervous about being away from him and about how he would do for 3 hours with complete strangers. It was hard leaving him. I've never left him with a stranger before. I definitely got a little bummed (no tears or anything though), and I couldn't wait to pick him up when his class was over. He came out of the door and lined up with the other kids just like he was supposed to and I was one proud Mama! He was following directions and listening to his teacher! Yah! He loved class and had a great time. I think this will be really good for him. He gets to learn and play with other kids and it'll give Carter and I some alone time together. It will also give me an opportunity to get some errands done, and if Carter naps, I will be able to do homework and/or house chores. 

This is what Carter did a good majority of the time that Cooper was at preschool. I was hoping that he'd keep me entertained and busy so that I wouldn't be sad about Cooper being at preschool... No such luck! Of course the one day that I want him to be awake is the day he sleeps a lot. 

After Cooper was done with his first day at preschool, I took him out for a Mother-Son date at My Fro Yo. We had a lot of fun and it was super nice to get some time with just the two of us. I plan on doing that more often.