We began our homeschool co-op yesterday again. It was a fun day, all of the kids had a great day, and I dropped all eight off with no tears. Stellan threatened but crackers fixed that.
I’m on the security team this year. So… I walked. And walked. It was a fun day… and I was in bed by 9pm.
Liberty is on Student Council this year and was given a huge-on-her generic printed tshirt to wear. It came nearly to her knees and the armpits gaped. I went to town on it to make it fit and took five inches off the trunk and added some shape to it, then took four inches off the length. As an afterthought I took the removed length section and made a band at the bottom. That turned out cool enough that I shortened the sleeves and made a band with those sections as well so they’d match. She went from dreading the requirement to wear the huge shirt for the first three weeks to being super excited about it.
I got pictures! Totally winning that day. Everyone showered, we didn’t forget anything at home, I took pictures, we packed a lunch, and we were half an hour early to co-op because we were ready and I was afraid hanging out at home would mean something would get undone… someone would get dirty, take something out of their backpack and forget it at home… something.
Liberty is 14 and a freshman this year. Craziness!
Eden is 12 and in 8th grade this year.
Sterling is 10 and in 5th grade this year.
Ruby 8 for a few more days and she is confused, poor girl. She’s in 5th at co-op, but 4th at home… but all her books are 5th grade level, it’s just that all of the others did those books in 4th grade. Poor girl. We’ll just call her 5th too.
Charlotte is 6 for another month and in 2nd grade.
Pierce is 5 for another month and in 1st grade this year.
Elliot is 3. She’s in preB at co-op… meaning she’s three.
Stellan is 19 months. He’s in the Walkers class at co-op. He’s graduated from the nursery and needed a nap mat this year. Not a baby anymore! I took his new nap mat to Michigan and made him sleep on it all that week. Lo and behold, he laid right down and took a nap at co-op like he’d been doing that forever. I was afraid it wouldn’t go so well. Stellan is a strong willed opinionated child if there ever was one.
They are sure growing up quickly. Your baby is not a baby any more.
How nice to have something for even the very youngest to do at Co-Op.
What a great job you did on that shirt.
Adrienne you do realize the other mothers will be after you to fix their childs t-shirts once they see Liberty’s don’t you? That’s the price you pay for being blessed with so much talent in the sewing skills. Glad the day went well for you.
How do you feel now that Stellan, your baby, is growing?! It’s so scary for me. The oldest getting older and the baby not being a baby are so terrifying.
Great job on the shirt. You are a superstar sewer. She looks great in it and so mature and grown up!
Are you guys excited for Fall?
Do any of the other families at co-op have as many siblings as your kids? My friend has a friend with kids that are the exact same ages as her kids. I think she is so lucky.
I have a random unrelated question. How do you organize your bathroom? Do they mix toothbrushes up? Does everyone get a colour or a basket for their stuff?
I’m rather enjoying not having a “baby” right now. This month marks the longest time in my marriage that I’ve not been pregnant. It’s odd but I’m enjoying it. I’ve always kind of hid behind babies though – I could always leave the crowd with the baby, or have something as a buffer around people. The thought of not having that is strange. I’m not outgoing at all and have appreciated the excuse to retreat.
My bathroom… I just hung hooks for each kids towel since my other hook set lost enough hooks it was not serving well. I painted a dot of each child’s color on their hook to make sure each child uses their own. Toothbrushes are a mess. I just pulled 16 out of the cup. Each child had at least two except Liberty, who stashed hers away from there crowd. I’ve tried fingernail polish dots but it comes off. I cannot find enough colors to have a single brand. It becomes a mismatch of toothbrushes and I don’t know whose is whose. The kids know. Or they apparently get a new one! Ugh. Occasionally I find out someone is using a sibling’s toothbrush. So gross. I’m losing.
I know what you mean. I have gotten better but I am very shy and with a baby, it is so easy to get out of there when necessary. I don’t really have many social situations to deal with so there’s that.
That must be a bizarre feeling. You have been married 15 years?
It’s like the next stage of life, but sounds like you are ready!
Omg the toothbrush situation does sound disastrous haha. I’m going to keep brainstorming. Maybe a labeled container, but that doesn’t help the younger ones. (Well, younger one in my case)