Almost school time

School is nearly here. Less than a week ago. It really is an exciting time.

My sister and I went to registration last week. How cool that we can do that together. And the cousins were put in the same class, just as we (well OK, we made Steve write the request letter) asked.

So we met the school nurse and a lunch lady (and I was impressed at the school lunches) and the new principal. Everyone was very nice. I saw my neighbor there and realize another neighbor we see at the community pool will have a kindergartner in Ella’s class. I think on top of everything it will be nice getting to know all these people that live around us.

And I’ve talked to the bus driver on the phone – very nice – and Ella will be picked up shortly before school and will ride with her cousins. All very reassuring.

And I paid for school lunches online – how convenient is that?

So, it’s all going very well, but wow,  Ella’s not going to be home anymore.

Lately as summer nights get later and the girls more tired and for whatever other reasons, they fight a lot. They purposely irritate each other and then scream about it. It goes on all day. Oy. And I think there is such a thing as too much time with someone, so maybe it will be good for Ella and Eva not to be together every waking moment.

I also thought maybe it’s because I’ve been too lenient all summer … on bedtime, on chores, on everything. Besides taking their plate to the kitchen, they haven’t really been helping much. So, I started brainstorming a “chore chart” plan when it then occurred to me that Ella won’t even be home for a lot of the day.

And I took a Friday off for a wedding, but realized, duh, Ella has school and we will need to wait for her.

And all those mornings of not even using an alarm clock to get up … they are almost over.

Next week when I work my two days in the office, I will only have one child in the car with me.

Eva may get mad at Ella but now she’ll go to being with her everyday to not seeing her from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. And I won’t either. Not to mention her daddy too, who she routinely bugs visits in his home office.

Whew, this is big, people. How are we here already? About to send our child off on a school bus into the world?

So I’ve got mixed feeling about the whole thing, but mostly excited. I think we’re all going to love school. But it’s a big change. If I’m overwhelmed that day, someone please just remind me to snap that first day of school picture in front of the house.