Successful First Day of Kindergarten....sort of....

I don't think that I slept a wink last night. AT.ALL. I could not get over the fact that my baby is starting elementary school. I mean, wasn't it yesterday that I took him home from the hospital?

We arrived at school and there was literally a mass of humanity there. We were swimming through children, parents, and teachers just to get to the kids' classrooms.

My daughter waved us off, and headed right into her classroom. Okay, we knew she'd be fine.

We walked into the son's classroom, and every single child in that room looked frightened. No one talked to each other, and they all sat at their little desks with a blank sheet of paper and crayons. Not one child would even draw. I asked my son to write his name and he obliged. He then turned around and whispered "Mommy...I'm scared. Can you stay with me?" My husband knew that I was going to lose it and said to him "Mommy can't stay, but she'll be here to pick you up at the end of the day."

We walked out of the classroom, and I lost my SHIT! Literally just bawled. I think that I scared the crap out of my husband. He ushered me to a corner and tried to calm me down. When I looked up...I started a chain reaction, because several other moms were just bawling along with me. The poor husbands looked so stunned and confused.

My husband asked me if he should take the rest of the day off, but I told him I'd be fine. I had a doctor's appointment and planned to meet my friend L for lunch. Both of these events were a much needed distractions.

At dismissal, I was wondering which child would come out first. The kindergarteners get dismissed separately from the rest of the school, but I saw that both walked out hand in hand. I asked the eldest how they managed to get dismissed at the same time...she responded "I told Ms. S that I needed to get my little brother." Gold stars for the eldest.

I thought all was well until one of the other moms cornered me and said that my son started crying at lunchtime. Apparently, I packed him too much food, and he had a stomach ache. So, they sent him to the health room for recess.

It was more nerves than anything else, but it kills me that the first day of school resulted in some tears for Lumpy.

I saw his teacher and asked if he was fine otherwise...she said he was fine for the rest of the day.

I would volunteer at lunch and recess, but I think that the son needs some time away from me before I start volunteering. I don't want him to think that I will always be at school.

Let's hope tomorrow brings less tears....

First day of Kindergarten is here!

You'd think that since I've been through this (the eldest just finished kindergarten this past school year) before, that I'd be prepared for the youngest to start kindergarten. You'd be wrong....

I struggled with the decision to send him to kindergarten this year. I prefer to wait for another year, while my husband believes that he's ready. I do think he's ready, but he's just not quite as mature as I'd like him to be for school. I also view him as "the baby" and maybe it's more of an emotional feeling for me.

We went to open house today, and by sheer luck...both my kids have exactly the same two teachers (the kids are in a Chinese Immersion program...half the day is taught in English, the other half in Chinese).

My son seems excited, but nervous. He talked about bullies, and asked me if I will stay at school with him. It almost broke my heart to hear him talk about bullies already. It's as if he's gearing himself for the worse case scenario. At the same time, he knows at least six kids in his class already, and I can only hope that eases his anxiety a bit.

We plan to take the kids to school together, and I will be an empty nester for the first time. I will probably keep my eye on the clock until 3:30.

I'm not that nervous for my daughter. She seemed so excited to see her friends, and has already told me that she'll look after her little brother. I had to swallow a huge lump in my throat when she held his hand and pointed to the different rooms in school, and leaned over to him and said "Don't be scared. I'll be here." I have to say, I felt really proud at that moment.

I know that school is going to be a positive experience for both my children, but letting go is so hard. I have a feeling that I won't be sleeping well tonight.

I SURVIVED TEXAS....LAND OF THE DIAL UP!!!!!

Details to come.....

Chincoteague (or where the Mosquitoes vacation)

Our friend, M, graciously invited me (along with the little Hu's) and another friend (also with two kids) to stay at her family's camper for a few days in Chincoteague. Now, I've lived in Maryland all my life, and have never been to Chincoteague. I've been to Ocean City, Rehoboth, Dewey, Bethany, and Assateague, but never Chincoteague. So, I was intrigued....

It would be 2.5 days with the kids sans husband. I smelled trouble a brewing, but I figured that there will be a few other moms there, so no "permanent" damage can befall on my kids.

We planned to carpool with my friend, C, up to (or down to or across to...I don't know my geography) the beach. I told my friend that I will try my best to get to her place around 8:30am, but I also knew that the husband is so not a morning person....we didn't get to their place until 9am. What did I tell you C? I managed to get up early, go grocery shopping, feed and dress the kids, but the husband could not manage to get up before 8:15am....UGH!!!!!

3.5 hours later, we are in Chincoteague. We crossed a bridge littered with dead birds. C asked "why are there so many dead birds?" I said...."all I know is....we are so not eating the fish in this town!"

We arrived at the camp site, and met up with M....who is so dark from being there for the last two weeks. Is it possible to be a redhead and tan? I envy thee!

The beach is really nice, and miraculously no one got sunburned. The kids were all well behaved and had fun collecting sand crabs, and cocinas (the little clam thingies that are the size of a rice kernel)?

The little Hu's and friends on the beach.

We took the kids to play miniature golf, and probably annoyed the crap out of the people behind us...because there were nine of us...and we were slow....

Miniature golf

The moment we stepped out of the car (returning from the beach) we were attacked by mosquitoes. I mean, not just a little bit, but ALOT! I was a little shocked at how fierce the mosquitoes were there. I mean, when I woke up in the morning, I had a welt on my face. Apparently, I was bitten while sleeping. I also woke up to planes spraying the area with bug spray, and they also have a truck that drives by and spray the area as well.

We all had our bathing suits out on the clothes line to dry overnight. C wondered if we should rinsed them since the area was sprayed....well that would be the smart thing to do right? To rinse the clothes....but I was too lazy to...so me and the little Hu's will probably come down with some funky illness because my ass was too lazy to run our suits under water or something.....

Second day at the beach...utterly gorgeous. We spent like four hours or something there, and again no sunburn....We left the beach to get ice cream. Now...how much do you think ice cream cost? I mean we bought three small scoops, and two large ones with the fancy waffle cones.....$14! Apparently, Chincoteague has a 9% tax rate. 9%! M forgot to tell us that if you ask for the "kid size" cones, you'd save alot of money. She bought two cones for like $2.50.

Had dinner, sprayed the kids down with OFF! and then headed back to the beach for a beach fire. We planned on roasting marshmellows for s'mores. My kids (along with the others) were so looking forward to this event. I bought two bags of marshmellows, two boxes of graham crackers, and two trays of chocolates bars. Needless to say, we were prepared to put our kids in a sugar coma. But as we were driving to the beach, we noticed that there were alot of cars driving away from the beach. And now I know why....I think the whole Mosquitoes species descended on the beach. We didn't last ten minutes there. We stayed for the ghost story, and as soon as the fire opened up to everyone...I let each child roast just one marshmellow....I didn't even break into the chocolate before I bellowed that we needed to get the heck out of there (I used a slightly different word though....).

We are so afraid of getting bittened, that getting out of the car was like a military exercise. We unhooked all the kids, made sure everyone was positioned right near the exit, threw the doors opened, and screamed "Run, run, run!" Our kids high tailed it out of the mini-van and into the camper in like five seconds flat. It was hilarious!

That night, determined not to get bittened again...I slept with the covers totally over my head (except for my nose...I will sacrifice my nose for oxygen).

On the last day that we were there, we took the kids fishing. I'm going to give my woman M props for this. For she is a WOMAN, and I am merely a girl in the fishing department. Girlfriend single handedly baited six fishing rods with live minnows, and also sliced frozen squid for bait. Surprisingly, the four out of the six kids caught a fish! M was good about unhooking them and throwing them back in the water. Of course, when my daughter caught one...M was not in the area. C and I kind of looking at each other...realizing that neither of us were willing to touch the thing...so I screamed at a teenager nearby if they can help. Nice, huh? "Hey, I've never met you, but could you pull this stinking, writhing, slimy thing off my hook? Thanks man!"

The female Hu progeny caught a fish!

Heck, I tried fishing too! At one point, I thought I caught something....I'm reeling and reeling and it just never let up. I had M try to reel it in...she said "If you caught something...this is the mother of all fish!" I was getting so excited, because damn...I am a WOMAN afterall. But this is what I caught.....

Catching a crabbing net with weights attached....

So after all of this camping, isn't it time the Hu's get to go on a luxurious vacation some where?

We are leaving in a couple of days to go to Houston....where we will be staying at a ridiculously trendy and luxurious boutique hotel....my pay off for visiting the in-laws. Will must try to weasle out a massage and facial from the hubby while I'm there as well.....

How dieting has ruined my life....

I've posted about joining WW. I've lost a whopping 3lbs. Well, let me tell you...I went to my weigh in on saturday......and it wasn't pretty.....We went out to dinner three times this week.

We went to Burger King last tuesday. I had my first hamburger since the summer started (it was only a Whopper Jr!), oh...and French fries....small French fries....and I had a diet soda!

We went to Baltimore to visit my brother-in-law (who's in town for business) on wednesday and ate at Phillips' Seafood Restaurant. I rarely get to have a decent crab cake...so...I had one. But forgot to ask for a broiled crab cake...so I got a fried one.

On friday, I went to California Pizza Kitchen with a friend of mine (and three kids in tow). That was the day before my weigh in. I knew better, but I rarely get to go out to eat.

I have to say, I was totally prepared to have lost like maybe .5 lb, because I have been working my a$$ off for a whole month. I've been running five miles a day, and lifting! I literally have not missed a day of exercise in a month. I've been crazy exercising! But when I stepped on that scale, I actually gained a damn pound!

I've been sweating and killing myself on that damn treadmill!!!! For naught!

Now, I have back to back vacations, and parties this month. I'm going to Acadia for dinner next week (L, J, and E...totally looking forward to it). It's a "high brow" Cajun food restaurant. My husband, who grew up in Baton Rouge, LA, says there is no such thing as "high brow" Cajun food. If you know anything about Cajun food, it's literally cooked in fat. Think bacon grease as butter. Rice and beans are the staple. Try finding anything diet friendly there.

Diet or rather "lifestyle" change is killing me! My friend that joined WW with me....she's lost 7 lbs already......without exercise....bitch....

Over scheduling

Do you ever have one of those weeks when you are just overscheduled? I'm going to have one of those months....

I leave on Tuesday to go to the beach with three girlfriends and a total of seven kids. All of us are staying in a camper. This ought to be interesting! I'm trying not to overpack, but knowing me...I probably will.

We get back on thursday after noon.

Friday, we're going to the MC Agricultural fair. This is the last year they are holding it near our house, and I've been meaning to take the kids.

Saturday, we're throwing a friend a going away party. That will take all day, and probably all night.

Sunday, we have a birthday party to go to.

Monday...playdate in the morning and we're going out to dinner that night(It's Restaurant Week in D.C.).

Tuesday...I get to pack for our trip to Texas.

We're in Texas for 10 days. We're planning to take the kids to Sea World while we are there.

We're coming back August 23rd. On the 24th, we're going to a Pot Luck for the families in my eldest's class.

And...the kids are going back to school August 26th.

Now, normally this type of schedule doesn't phase me, but the travel and the timing of the beginning of school is really throwing me off.

Let's hope I survive this month!