So over labor day weekend we did a bunch of things, the first thing we did that Saturday though was go to Renfest. We go yearly, sometimes two times in a year, but we try to get there at least once a year. I like going towards the opening because you can normally get a coupon and it is far less busy, so not as crowded which is nice with little ones. So we headed over on Saturday morning, we weren’t expecting long lines to get tickets since we got there about an hour after opening. Unfortunately, there were extremely long lines, though it wasn’t that crowded once we got in. So Dan waited in line with Sully on his back (for almost an hour), and I kept the two bigger ones entertained.

Eloise had been talking about riding the ponies since we got there, she loves ponies. In fact she wanted to ride one from the car into Renfest, which since we don’t have a pony wasn’t happening. As we were waiting however, the elephants walked by. Desmond looked at me and told me, “I want to ride the elephants!” I told him we’d see, since I figured those rides, unlike the pony rides were not going to be free. They played outside, and rode the decorative lions while waiting, doing a great job of waiting.

We finally got in and decided to get some lunch, first we stopped at a shop, and the two bigger ones debated play shields, but decided against them for now. So then we headed towards the doll shop, before lunch. We got each the older ones another doll, and Sully got 2. Then we got lunch. The food is fairly mediocre at best, but it was fine. We then kept on wandering. We found the elephants, and I asked how much to ride, after getting the pricing of $12 for an adult and $7 for a child, I told Desmond no way. Since if he went Eloise would want to go, and they couldn’t both go with me at once, they are too little for that, so we weren’t paying $40 for elephant rides. I told them next time we went to India they could ride an elephant instead.

Then Desmond played a couple of medieval type carnival games, he almost one one too, kid has good hand eye coordination, which he did not get from his parents *grin*. After that we headed to the ponies and both kids rode their two pony rides (kids get 2 free pony rides per visit to the Renfest). We then headed over to the playground where they played for a bit. One of the families that has twins in Eloise’s preschool class was there, so we said hi and hung out for a few minutes, before they headed on their way and we headed on our way. We bought some honey, spices (they have good curry powder there, who would have thought), and swords for the hooligans (including Sully). We then had a snack, their snacks are better then their real food, and headed out with two fairly worn out little kids and one hungry baby.

Everyone had a good time though, and Eloise was quite happy to get her pony rides.

Waiting for Daddy

Riding the ponies

Eloise is crying here because Desmond cut in front of her in line to get the horse he wanted. She still loved the pony ride itself.

How Sully spent his time at Renfest.

Sully practicing crawling!

So today was the first day of preschool for Desmond and Eloise. Desmond had a full day of preschool, Eloise was there for an hour, and Sully was taken all over with no real nap poor thing.

We started our morning with no power to half of the house. After trying to figure it out, and getting nowhere, it wasn’t the fuses, it was a loose connection in a socket in Eloise’s bedroom (Dan figured it out when he got home), I woke up the three small ones and got them dressed. Desmond did his normal morning, “I don’t want to go.” thing, but got dressed without too many issues. We then got into the car, buckled in and drove the big whole 3 minutes to the elementary school for Desmond’s first day of speech therapy (Tuesday mornings for 30 minutes before preschool all school year long). Desmond went to the speech room with his teacher and Eloise, Sully and I waited outside the front office at a table where Eloise colored in her coloring book. Desmond now has a speech book, which he didn’t have last year, and it gives us homework to do with him nightly and shows us what is being worked on, which is nice. After his teacher brought him back to the front, we all headed back into the car and to preschool. I took Desmond into his classroom where he quickly went and found something to play with, he hugged me goodbye and was happy for his whole preschool day (4 hours including lunch). He did come home in his backup outfit, since it was wet out today and he got wet when they went out to play, so I’ll have to send a new backup outfit in tomorrow, but he had a great day.

Here are some pictures of him on his first day. First at the house going to the car:

Playing at preschool once we got to his classroom:

Eloise, Sully and I headed out after dropping Desmond off. We headed home, because I needed a safety pin for Eloise’s skirt, seems 18 month waists are still a wee bit big on little miss tiny. We then headed back to the preschool after being home for 30 minutes or so for Eloise’s first day (one hour, half the class). We got there and she was happy about going to preschool. Until she realized that wait, Mommy isn’t staying with me? What do you mean no Mommy? No go! I go with you, scream, cry, no! To say she was displeased with me leaving might be an understatement. The teacher had to tell her to breathe when I left, because she was holding her breath before screaming. Sully and I headed out with the other 4 moms to Starbucks since it was only an hour class today. Which was nice. We then all headed back to pick them up. Eloise sat and observed, she didn’t participate, but she also stopped crying. She is not a fan of preschool though. If you ask her if she liked preschool she will tell you no. If you ask her if she is going back she will also tell you no.

Here are two pictures of her, the first one is outside her classroom:

This is her happily drawing about 1 minute before figuring out that Mommy was leaving her!

After pickup Eloise, Sully and I went out to lunch at Red Robin, since we only had about an hour and 15 minutes till Desmond was done. She did enjoy that. We then came back and Sully had fallen asleep in the car, which was great, except that he woke up about 3 minutes later, poor boy. So we picked up Desmond and headed home with a very cranky 5 month old who hadn’t napped from 7:45am to 1:15pm. When we got home we all snuggled on my bed and Sully nursed and finally got his nap while Eloise and Desmond watched Curious George.

So Desmond had a great day. Eloise had an okay day, which would have been great if Mommy hadn’t left her a preschool! And Sully had a very very overtiring day going in and out and in and out and in out at preschool.

So Desmond and Eloise had their preschool previews today. It is a short 30 minute visit where they meet their teachers and play in their new classrooms so they can get use to them. They split them up so there are only 6 or 7 kids in the preview. Eloise’s was first, she had actually met the 5 other kids she was with, either at playdates, or through the past year because they have an older sibling in class with Desmond.

Quick aside, the parents of the kids in Eloise’s preschool class have been doing playdates to introduce them to each for the past month. It was a great idea, we were able to make 2 of the 3 playdates. It let Eloise meet all of the kids in her class, but 2, and start getting comfortable around them. She isn’t very comfortable around them, as in she won’t play with any of them, but she is at least willing to play in the same room as them rather then clinging on to me. We are happy for little steps. I really had fun on the playdates as it was a great way to meet the other moms and kids.

Okay back to the preview. Eloise’s was first, she has seen her teacher before, since Desmond had her as one of his summer camp teachers. She also saw her in the halls sometimes last year as we waiting to pick up Desmond. She has also met the other 5 kids in her group (there are 2 groups of 6 for the preschool into). She won’t talk to anyone again. She was willing however to play, she made a magnatile tower, she drew a pictures, she played with dinosaurs and she went down the little slide in the classroom a dozen times. She looked at her teacher, but won’t talk to her, but at least she knows who she is now. I see a not very happy child on Tuesday when she goes to preschool for an hour with just the other 5 kids in her group. Fortunately the 2 year old class starts with an hour the first day of preschool, and then 2 hours the second day with all the kids on the second day, before going into the regular 3 or 4 hour class (those that stay for lunch are there for 4 hours, Eloise is there for lunch since Desmond is) on the 3rd day. She was very cute, and had fun, even with the whole not interacting with anyone else thing.

On the other hand, Desmond went into his class, came to me 2 or 3 times to ask me, “Why are you here Mommy? Are you staying with me at preschool?” I had to explain to him that it was only for today and the short preview, that next week it would be regular preschool with no Mommy. He really wasn’t sure why I was staying, it is preschool Mom, go away! He could have totally skipped his preview and been quite happy on Tuesday in his class with all his friends. He will be thrilled because 2 of the little boys he loves to play with are there the exact same days as him (well one is there M-F, but the other one is there Tuesday – Friday like him).

I never did get a picture of Desmond. Here is Eloise at the top of the slide before going down.