Long Kindergarten Days

Sometimes, Raylan has a tough time in kindergarten. Last year in PreK he went 4 hours a day every Tues, Wed, Thurs and that was it. He did great and he loved it! This year he’s at school for almost 7 hours 5 days a week. It’s a lot.

My kids get up at the crack of dawn. As in if it’s 6:30a there are least 2-3 little boys up and running around my house. Because of this they have to go to bed early, usually around 7p. If they stay up later than this, contrary to popular belief they do not sleep in. Trust me, we have tried time and time again, it doesn’t happen and they are just wired to be fully functional by 6-6:30 in the morning. If they stay up late, the following day is typically a nightmare! Ask me how I know…

The other day, Raylan said to me, ‘Mom, sometimes my body does crazy things and my brain is too tired to tell it to stop.’ He also shared that he’s sad he never gets to do anything fun. In his mind, he just wakes up, works on homework and gets ready for school, spends all day there and then gets home to play for only a little while, eat and get ready for bed. When he put it this way it made me really sad because he’s right. He doesn’t get to go to the park and play with his brothers, go on nature walks or ride his bike with us, he’s in school all day. 

When I was little, kindergarten was 2-3 days and we rotated every other week with the other class. We also had nap time with mats, lights off and music time. I feel like I turned out (mostly) ok so why do we have such a drive to take the play away from the children? It makes me so sad.

I think Raylan’s teacher recognizes some of this. She’s amazing and has been teaching for 17 years. The other day when he was starting to ‘act crazy’ she whispered in his ear ‘Raylan, I really need you be a role model for your other classmates.’ When he’s doing well she’ll say ‘Thanks for being a good role model,’ and he’s instantly proud of himself. She shared this with me so the following day when he came home I mentioned it, telling him I was proud he was such a good role model to his peers. He lit up, grinning from ear to ear and goes, ‘but Mom, what is a role model?’ I explained and then he was really ecstatic.

So, every morning before he goes to school I ask him to pick his 3 adjectives in an effort to help him have a good day. This morning he picked kind, respectful, and a good listener. This has really helped him focus on doing the right thing. That and a good night’s sleep. I just wish these kids had a little longer to be kids.

Mommin’ It

This morning on a random social media outlet a fellow Mom was looking for compassion. She sent out a plea to the masses regarding how difficult it is to raise a 1 and 3yo and how she feels like a failure because, basically, her kids are completely normal toddlers. Of course, this was in a mom’s group so she got a TON of commiseration but it got me thinking about how harshly she would likely be judged had she posted her blip in another group, or on her profile page and how quickly others, especially those who aren’t in the same life stage, are so quick to judge.

I HEAR YOU!
I SEE YOU!
I FEEL YOU!

Girl, this shit IS hard! I love my boys, they are absolutely my entire world and I have willingly given up my passion professionally in order to be the Mom I want to be with them. But DAMN! This shit is HARD!

My boys are (newly) 2, 3, and 5. My house is a disaster, even after the 5 hours of cleaning my unicorn husband did on Saturday. Within 8, 10 hours TOPS, the hurricane has come back through. I can’t walk across my kitchen floor without getting a sticker, food particle, or colored cotton ball stuck to my foot.  My guest bathroom smelt like piss the other day, I deep cleaned the whole damn thing and could not figure out why it still smelled like an old pool locker room! Then, I picked up the rug…did I mention I had 3 young boys? (Ya, that thing goes through the wash once a week now!)

The other day my nanny went to sweep and there was no dustpan. Couldn’t find it anywhere. Then my 3yo tells me he threw it into the trash last week because he accidently broke it. My vacuum can only do so much here people.

Did I mention my nanny? My nanny, oh sweet baby Jesus praise my wonderful nanny. You see, on top of everything I’m 15 days post op from an ACL surgery on my RIGHT KNEE! Which means that in addition to being largely nonweight bearing, I also can’t drive. LAWD this woman has been a God send! Not only have ALL 3 of my babies survived the last 2 weeks but they are also fed, clean, and happy. She has also driven me to all of my physical therapy and recheck appointments.

But surgery aside, my house is in a constant state of chaos. In fact, if I hadn’t let my OCD cleaning go (ok, lets be honest, I’ve never been next level OCD clean, but I have been somewhat picked up and organized, I don’t dust but my house is vacuumed-type clean), I would live in a constant state of stress and anxiety because it is IMPOSSIBLE to keep a house Pottery Barn immaculate with 3 small boys! IMPOSSIBLE! 

And, I have yet to register the actual decibels up in here but there are days I feel we’d be coming close to the Chiefs Arrowhead stadium record! Someone is always scream-crying, throwing another’s prized possession over the baby gate down the stairs, knocking over a recently built Magnatiles fortress, ripping up a sacred painting or other work of art, hitting, kicking, or pushing. Those brief stitches of time when everyone is getting along are heavenly, but few and far between. 

So yes mamma, yes! You are the only one who can’t stand being around toddlers, even the ones you have created. Obviously, just look at social media, everyone else’s children are so cute, friendly, clean, polite, and socially and emotionally put together…

Ha! Now, pour your classy glass of Merlot and come cry with me, my locked bathroom is reasonably big, let’s commiserate together! Then, breathe. Just admit defeat, be happy, and live your life. Get busy helping make messes with your littles. Acknowledge that mommin’ it is hard, parenting is NOT for the faint of heart. Someday your house will be clean but it will also be quiet, oh so quiet. What then?

Oh, and also, lets normalize the normality of motherhood along the way! Can we please? Let me start by posting this to my social media and we’ll see how it goes…

Kindergartener Misadventures

Welp, we’re four days in and Raylan’s managed to successfully bring home the kindergarten plague and share it with BB. Both brothers (Beckham and Lincoln) have complained at least one point throughout the day that they really miss Raylan while he’s at school. And this afternoon Raylan asked when he gets to go back to school, ha. 

What a week!

Big Kindergartener

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Yesterday was a big day in the Grau Household. Someone started his first day of kindergarten! Raylan didn’t miss a step and was VERY excited about everything, especially the bus ride. Middle joined me for the BooHoo Yahoo breakfast at his school and then we had a Middle ‘n Mommy day. 

Initially, I drove to SkyZone, the local trampoline park because that is Lincoln’s absolute favorite thing. But, since school started, it wasn’t open until 4p so instead we went to check out Kanga’s in Independence and let me tell you, that place gets 5 stars! Lincoln had at blast and the food was reasonably priced and very good!

Today, watching Raylan get onto the bus was easier and BB ‘n Mommy day was a blast too. He got to practice his gymnastics at Gage during Bump City toddler time. We also got donuts in the morning and then went out for lunch. 

We definitely have some busy, tired little boys over here. 

Quote of the Week

Quote of the Week goes to Raylan, bringing up the rear with this gem:

We’re in the tram at the KCZoo heading down to Africa and the tram driver announces for everyone to ‘keep your bits in the tram at all times!’

Raylan: Mom, what are ‘bits?’

Me: Well, she means your hands and feet and head, you know, to be safe.

Raylan, with wheels turning: Well what about my pesky little penis?

Me *wide eyed followed by hysterical laughter but trying to keep it together*: Yes baby, please keep your pesky little penis in the tram at all times too!