Back to School! (Yes, I Know that was Last Month!)

So I finally got around to getting my boys back-to-school haircuts the other night (and by "getting haircuts" I mean I just took the clippers and shaved everything off) and remembered I never posted the first day of school pictures. This is because I am still not quite organized enough or ready for school to start. I realize the kids have been back for weeks now, but I am finally realizing I probably won't ever feel totally organized or ready for anything again, or at least not while I have five kids at home, a full time job, and this collection of other things I volunteer to do. So, now I'm just working on keeping a majority of my kids and myself mostly sane while we move through the world in this disorganized, haphazard way, trails of markers and notebooks, sports equipment, and mismatched shoes behind us. 

But, we're back to school, all of us now, and so far so good.

This year my kids were all excited to go back. This is the first time ever. I'm hoping the excitement (or at least the acceptance) sticks around a few months. It was so nice not to have them dreading going back.

Israel isn't a freshman anymore. I'd imagine that's a good thing if you're a high school guy, though he had a pretty good year last year (well socially at least, academically we've got some room to improve) so maybe it's not such a big deal. He's been obsessed with James Dean the last month or so, he's been preparing this brooding look and pompadour hair for the first day back.

And actually the brooding look is really just total annoyance with me. Since I made him take pictures before school, he was late. And by late I mean he was only 45 minutes early rather than a full hour. I don't understand this need to be at school so early. He explained to me again that he liked hanging out with his friends and socializing and starting his day in that pleasant way rather than going right into the unpleasantness of classes.  I suppose it does make sense knowing Israel. Having to socialize for an hour would be more work and more unpleasant for me than just sitting in class. It would definitely be less pleasant than another hour of sleep. Of course Israel is approximately 117 times more social than me.

Azia started middle school. I thought she would be nervous (and I'm sure she was a little bit) but mostly she's just been really excited for all the new things that come with the new school, among them: a locker, the volleyball team, and picking out an instrument so she can start band. She has a great group of friends, and they're all pretty excited too. Of course it's a gang of increasingly hormonal, nearly-teenage girls, so I'm sure there is a bit of drama and a few tears in our future too, but I'm hoping it will be drowned out by their constant, upbeat chattering, the loud cheering for each other at volleyball games, and even the awkward, nonrhythmic-6th-grade band performances. (And while I'm sure trombones and drums and saxophones are all great, I've already been thankful a few times she chose the flute and Jenna the clarinet. . .  their practice sessions have been completely bearable so far.)

Zoran told me multiple times he was excited about school this year. (This has never happened.) He was a little sad none of his really good friends were in his class, but not too sad because he knows and really likes his teacher AND they get real desks this year. I didn't realize what a big deal this was, but he brought up the desk thing more than a few times.  I can see Zoran liking the idea of having his own space to arrange and keep track of things.

After the first few days he came home even more excited about everything going on in class, and rather than missing his handful of favorite friends to hang out with, he was really excited about two new boys– one who was actually an old friend but who had moved back this year and another new kid that he was having fun getting to know.

Lex has been really excited about school all summer. This seems strange to most people because he seems like such a wild man, but I think that is just because he is so determined to do things exactly his way. (And he enjoys things that are a bit more wild than some other kids his age.) He actually loved the academic parts of preschool last year, and is very particular about rules and getting things right. He is more interested in the learning and completing assignments end of school than any of my other kids have ever been. I'm hoping at least a little of that survives kindergarten.

So, they're all off, and this would have been the first time in a decade and a half I didn't have preschool kids to work with around my work schedule. But, what fun would that be?  Now Zayda and I get to sort out our schedules together for the next five years or so. 

She gets to join the back to school photos even if she isn't going anywhere.

The first day is always a little hectic since, like all other mornings, we have a half dozen people all headed in different directions at different times. But, at least for the first day we try to overlap schedules a little bit so I can see everyone (or at least see them all off) and stop by the school with the younger ones. That works somewhat, but I'm pretty glad the days after the first one are a bit less crazy.

Notice Zoran's close watch on his brother. This baby holding by Lex was not approved by big brother.

Israel had enough of the pictures and drove away. This driving to school was not approved by his mother.

After he saw Israel leave Lex had enough pictures and asked, "Can't we just go to school like normal people?"

He clearly didn't see facebook that morning where nearly everyone we know had first day pictures. This first-day-picture taking thing in clearly what normal people around here do.

I did feel a little bad about not getting some new shoes or backpacks or outfits that clearly indicated it was the first day for our pictures. But even if new shoes and backpacks and school supplies would have made for better photo ops, I think the kids will survive without them.

Olivia and Azia off to middle school

Azia is excited about band this year. She's decided to play the flute and we found a pretty cheap green one that her teacher said would work fine for beginning band. Since we didn't buy new bags I updated the kids' backpacks with patches. It's not quite like a new backpack but it made them a little more excited.

Zoran really wanted to take  his little sister with him. I think she is going to be lonely without all her siblings.

And we did buy these sorts of school supplies--We had 6-7 bags full of communal classroom school supplies. Enough Kleenex for many classrooms of sniffling children and enough glue sticks to stick all sorts of things together.

It was Lex's first day and a new school and his first day of the school year. He's pretty ready for kindergarten. He wanted me to check out his classroom with him first thing in the morning, but he was fine with me leaving once they got class started.

Finding his name and hook to hang his backpack.

Buddies having a first day breakfast together. Their first day in the lunchroom: Lex, James, Gunnar

A story to start the day. I felt bad for Lex's teacher. She had a few kids who were having a hard time with the school thing. A couple were crying as parents were leaving. One of the was crying again (still?) when I picked him up after school. Lex was just annoyed a little girl was clearly sitting on his name on the carpet. :)

Once I dropped the kids off I went home and realized it was quiet. Quiet and still for probably the first time since .  . .  maybe sometime in May?

I  put Zayda on the floor beside me and got out my laptop to work. She pretty quickly drifted off to sleep.

She's still so small but each day a little less so. I know it won't be long till she's off to school, too.

The day before the kids headed back this year we took Azia to get her physical. I overheard Zoran telling her he didn't need one for any of his sports and wouldn't need one for a long time. Azia explained, "You just wait, Zoran.  You'll be suprised how fast the time goes by."

I don't remember realizing that when I was that young, but I'm sure aware of it now. It all goes so very fast.