I have one tradition I like to keep on the first day of school: A great big breakfast that includes bacon, eggs and pancakes. I noticed that the kids didn't eat as much as they normally do.
Taking the absolutely essential portrait outside the front door was challenging. Waverly refused to smile and Oscar refused to be in the picture all together. :( But aren't they handsome, folks? Henry decided at the last minute to wear a sweater. 1) It wasn't entirely clean. Boo. 2) It is about 100 degrees here! Can you say "security blanket"?
I snapped one of Oscar in the car because I deem it to be my duty and responsibility as a mom to document the first day of school!
We attended a back-to-school night for the boys last week and they met their teachers and saw their classrooms. I am glad for that. All of the classrooms have lockers for each student instead of cubbies. The boys thought this was pretty awesome. School starts at 7:45! I am not a crack-of-dawn kind of person, and this may prove to be a challenge. Eventually the boys will ride their bikes to school. It is 1/4 mile through our neighborhood and they don't even have to cross a street. Good news.
Here is something different: The middle school doesn't start until 8:55! (That is my kind of schedule!) I'm not sure yet whether it is good or bad that the schedules are staggered. So far it is working out alright. It means Waverly can stay home with the littles while I take the boys. There was a bit of a snaffoo (that's a word, right?) getting Waverly registered for school. She was missing 2 immunizations required for her to start classes.
The paperwork to enroll in a Texas school from out of state is endless and eternal torment.
Poor Alice and Joe had to sit and wait A LOT. I gave Alice my camera to keep her entertained.
Waverly was really disappointed that she couldn't start school. I made an appointment with a random pediatrician (How do you know which one to pick??) and we got in at 2:00 PM.
This is new and important: Waverly has informed me that she doesn't want me to blog about her anymore.
~~~****Maternal devastation!!!****~~~
Dear Future Waverly,
I am sorry that there isn't much from here on out about your teenage years on my blog. My memory is bad and I may not be able to remember them clearly when you ask what I remember about them in 10 or 20 years. I am respecting your wishes. Even if it makes me sad to do so.
Love,
Mom
She did not specifically forbid me from posting pictures, so until she does, I will continue.
There is much I could say about our visit to the doctor. But, as I just stated, I have agreed to keep my trap shut. This is going to be hard. There is a lot to say. A lot. She is my favorite topic. She is the most creative and entertaining thing in my life. This blog may get a lot shorter in the future without reference to my favorite almost-13-year-old. New stuff. I don't like it. This really is causing me some angst. I have been blogging about her since she was 5. I am feeling a real sense of loss here, folks.
When the boys came home from their first day of school it was a big ol' mess of emotions. There were tears. Lots of tears. The harshness of the reality of their life being different now was very much "in their face". And in mine. How did I do this when I was young? I moved just before 2nd grade. Just like Oscar. I moved just before 7th grade. Waverly's age. I moved just before my senior year of high school. You would think I would know what to do for them. How can I make this better? Why do they push me away when I try to offer comfort? How did my mom do this so often? Witnessing the great emotional discomfort of my children and not being able to do anything about it is heart-wrenching. There is nothing I can say or do to make it all better. Or even a little better, it seems.
Time. Time is the only thing that will make it better. Sometimes having a bad memory is a blessing.
8 comments:
I'm sorry it is being a hard road to walk down. I have no advice since I didn't move at all while growing up. I think you are doing the best thing you can; being there. You are the constant. They will realize that eventually.
Although I don't know about not blogging about one of your kids. I'm not sure if I would let mine dictate that to me. Then again, I am pretty far away from having an almost 13-year-old.
Waverly,
We love to hear about you. The way your mom writes only makes us love you more. I don't even know you personally, but I would let you babysit my children in a heartbeat because I think you are awesome, and I might end up with something made out of duct tape when it was all over. Maybe rethink your decision some time.
Sincerely,
A Waverly Fan since 2010
Moving to somewhere new is SO hard! I too moved around a lot (5th grade, Soph year) and reading this post reminded me of all those nervous/scared/excited emotions. It does take time, but I hope your kids will look back and love their new home in Texas.
Waverly is GORGEOUS!! Look at that girl! So pretty and grown up.
Good luck!!
I am sorry the first day was rough and I know it will get better. As they start to recognize faces they will become more comfortable and Texas will feel like home. I love seeing your kitchen table in your new house. I also love the point that YOU are the constant. I am sad to hear that Waverly doesn't want to be blogged about- especially since I will be missing these last growing up years for her.
Waverly, please change your mind! We all love you and want to hear and see how you are doing!
We love all of you!! Here's hoping Day 2 went better.
Sorry school was a bummer, hopefully it will get better, and before long everyone will LOVE the being there.
Waverly has a point and I'm glad you respect her for it. As a mom I have a suggestion that may be o.k. with both of you... Make a "you only" blog. A blog that only you have access to. You can have a pseudonym for each of your real names and post any time you have something to chronicle (thus keeping up with the journal), it just won't be available for public consumption. When she is older you can both look back on it, having not skipped a beat. Could be kind of cool to have your own special private blog, no?
S'mee, that is a great idea. Maleen, it has gotten to the point that when I try to take a picture of Waverly she hides or won't smile and she says "Are you going to blog about this??" I'd hate to miss out on being able to take her photo just because she is nervous I'll share it with the world. I understand her need for a little more privacy now that she is getting older. Maybe a private blog for her is the way to go. But a lot more work for mama, so it may not get done as often as I'd like. I'd love it if she would post more regularly on her own blog!
People tell me it takes a year to feel at home in a new place. Knowing that can kind of brace you. Christmas will seem different, birthdays, everything - until you do it there for the second time. I'm sure continuing traditions like a big breakfast, etc is helping even if it doesn't seem like it. We'll pray everyone gets a close friend soon and that the homesickness won't actually last a year.
This is a tough time. Don't we know it? It takes time. Don't worry if they push you away a little. It's partially the age and partially the need to process things on their own. And I think Waverly is just going through a phase, but you will build up some trust with her by respecting her wishes right now. Something that I remember enjoying when we moved around was extra outings out as a family. Nothing pushy or "let's bond"! Just an extra dinner out, an extra movie, or oatmeal festival. I feel like moving bonded the siblings together a little especially at first, so do some exploring together. Set aside one night a week to try a different food truck downtown (that's what I would do!). It must be hard for you as the mom to not be able to magically fix this pain for your kids, but it will get better. Didn't it for us?
Moving stinks. It just does. Change is hard, new faces are hard, and struggling to find your place in it all. But every day gets a teeny, tiny bit better until one day you wake up and realize that you have put down roots and have things you love and people you can't believe you ever lived without. I'm with Carrie...lots of little surprises to keep them happy...pick them up and take them for frozen yogurt, little notes on their pillow with a chocolate, cookies and milk when they get home from school...I really do think it helped all of us stay bonded when we had to rely on each other for a bit!
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