Back to School. For the first time.

This was a big week of changes for the Williams kids.

Kasper didn't start school until Thursday so I took Tuesday and Wednesday off to hang out with him. Rob took Tuesday and we started the day with breakfast out followed by the Mall of America!










We had lunch at the new Shake Shack at the MOA but were ready to go home for rests at that point.


Kasper spent the 2 (rainy) days building his LEGO kit. He did it all himself and had so much fun.


He did have his assessment with his teacher Wednesday afternoon. Rob and I had to wait in the hall but Kasper told us he went through letters in English and Spanish and did some reading. NBD. I drug him to Target after for school snacks and cake pops.


Marlo started full time in Preschool A Tuesday! I dropped her off the first day and she was a little weepy but eventually let go of me. She went to school in a diaper and came home in UNDIES! She had 1 accident while on the playground but stayed dry otherwise! I think she even pooped on the toilet! Kasper waited until he was 3 to poop. It was maddening. Marlo went to school Tuesday in undies and her outfit for career day _ A CHEERLEADER (aiming high) and came home in the same undies! I have to check if she also naps in undies.


FROZEN UNDIES all day every day.


The night before his first day of kindergarten.


Earmuffs in case it rained. It didn't.


Big day!


Little sister was having a moment. She refused to stand by Kasper.



We got Kasper's bus approval TUESDAY so thankfully he had a bus stop to go to on the first day. We didn't want to do the drop-off line at school and we open enrolled so they don't pick up near our house. Thankfully we got in at a stop close to Rob's office. It's one of the last stops so Kasper spends 10 minutes on the bus. It worked out perfectly! I went that first day and he climbed right on. No looking back!




Lots of questions about why brother got on a big yellow school bus.




Ok. If I were writing this Thursday night or Friday morning I would be in a much different frame of mind but it worked out. First, the nurse's office called and said Kasper was in there looking for lactase to eat his snack but they had no paperwork giving permission. I had had delivered 3 copies of the paperwork the day before. But they found some indication somewhere that it was ok for him to have. Not to mention there was a box of them with his name on them in the kindergarten drawer. ANYWAY. I was feeling relieved that he had made it to school and found a morning snack. Turns out that little bag of goldfish crackers was the only thing the poor kid got to eat his whole first day of Kindergarten! Upon asking him about his day at dinner, he mentioned that he didn't get any lunch or afternoon snack or snack at his after school program. I think my face turned white and he was upset I wasn't happy about his first day. If you had asked him, he said it was GREAT!

Here he is with the afternoon snack Rob found in his backpack when he picked him up.



I called the office Friday morning because I just couldn't believe they would let a kindergartner sit at lunch with no food. The snack I can understand because it was lost in his backpack. Someone from the school called me back later that afternoon and confirmed he didn't get lunch or after school snack. She was pretty horrified, especially after having assured me that morning there were many lunch room employees and volunteers, so no kid could go without lunch. NOPE. The difference is Kasper was probably perfectly happy to not eat lunch and likely had a very convincing story to explain his half-empty-bag-of-goldfish lunch. But when you are as scrawny as Kappy is, you need to eat. I know this isn't what happened at all but I just picture Kasper in the lunch room not knowing how to get the pizza he requested in the morning and not knowing how to ask for help. It breaks my heart! The gal on the phone said she talked to his teacher and all the para-professionals and brought the after-school coordinator in to meet Kasper so they would all know who to watch out for when it comes to finding food. Rob actually volunteered in the lunchroom on Friday to make sure the kid got a meal, and there Kasper was with his dairy free lunch laughing with his new buddies.

He found both of his snacks and got an apple after school. Whew.

We woke up yesterday and got ourselves to the arboretum to stretch our legs.













It was our first undies outing! Marlo stayed dry and even peed in a pit toilet. Those give even me the creeps.



Oh! Also, Marlo is getting her top 2-year molars! They look super painful.


A little girl's stuff.






We stopped for lunch. It was only slightly harrowing. The kids are growing up!




We went to Carol's for dinner and to visit Grandpa Steve who is recovering from surgery. We also saw Papa's Aunts who were in town visiting!

This is a typical weekend morning. It's heavy on the Marlo.



Followed by:




This morning we went on our becoming-usual walk over in Excelsior.



Kasper striking a "cool pose"




Tomorrow begins a full school week! Let's do this!