First day of school

Well, we have a school-aged kid. As Austin has been saying for a while, "I'm not a baby, I'm a big boy!"

On Thursday morning, We got ready, packing up his new dinosaur backpack with a few snacks and toys, a change of clothes, and I hid a couple of pacifiers at the bottom, just in case.

We had a photo session in front of the house, where Austin proudly displayed his sign for the new year.

We trouped over in our 4.5 minute walk across the street and jumped into the fray. Billions of children and parents scurrying about. The new principal was there in the thick of it, directing traffic like an old hand even though he isn't, with just 3 weeks on the job. We spotted Austin's two teachers, Mrs. Mukendi and Mrs. Keeno, who visited our house the day before. We joined the procession into Austin's classroom, where we dropped off his backpack in his cubbie, which was the first one. We know Austin Aaronson will likely always be first on the list, which is fun.

Breakfast was laid out for the kids, a cheese omelette, milk and orange juice. Austin took a seat at a table set out for 4. Isla, a neighbor kid, took a seat next to him. We were happy to see a familiar family. Kids were in various stages of sitting at the tables. Some, like Austin and Isla, tucked in, others were exploring the new toys and others, like Calder (the new Kyle?) were up and down and back and forth and all over the place. Austin asked to go to the bathroom and was delighted to discover a kid-sized toilet. "Mommy, my feet touch the ground!" Seeing it from his perspective suddenly brought into relief the inconvenience of an uncomfortable throne.

We'd have made it out of the classroom ok, but then came the domino effect. One little kid started crying...and at first I thought, "ok, our kid's got this! No crying!" Then another kid started. We sat Austin on the rug on the rooster circle. "Look Austin, a rooster. Your pop pop loves roosters." He seemed to buy it. We hugged and walked away. He looked skeptical. My voice failed me as my throat closed up. I walked away, waving and praying the tears welling up would not betray me. A few more steps toward the door and a few more waves. Austin went from skeptical to concerned as a few more dominos fell. The teachers were running out of lap space. A little girl was about to head out the door looking for her mommy and as I stopped to block her, Austin came running. He jumped up and clung to me. The dam of tears held for both of us. He was absolutely stoic. 

His teacher took him from me. I choked out, "Mommy will be back" and ran out the door, where Hayden waited with red rimmed eyes.

I watched the phone all day and rightly assumed that Austin survived. 

At 3:15, anxious parents paced back and forth at the playground where pick up was as classrooms emptied out of the building. His was the last class out. He spotted me immediately and jumped up into my arms. He didn't cry, but it took him a few minutes to say anything other than one word answers to our pepper of questions.

His teacher said he did great and as the evening unraveled we got details directly from him that confirmed that. "We brushed our teeth and I got a red toothbrush." (his favorite color!) "I was on the jungle gym." "Isla is my friend."

He didn't nap, and passed out with his "baby" in his mouth around 5pm. We figured we could all let the rules slid for the sake of comfort and familiarity on this big day.

When he woke up and went to the bathroom, he said, "mommy, I like the toilet at my school better. And, I thought, "well, that's something!"

Bye Bye Therese

Well, today was the day. The last day of an over three year nanny-share with our beloved nanny, Therese. Kyle was in rare form or actually quite typical form: shouting, spitting water, rolling around on the floor, throwing stuff, shouting some more. Austin admonished alongside Therese, “no, Kyle, no.”

Therese has cared for our son better than we could have imagined. As I have said repeatedly, at the end of the day, what I realized I needed in a nanny, Therese taught me: someone who was going to love our son. Taking care of him every day is something Therese did, because it was her job. However, the above and beyond care that she provided was because she loved him dearly. Each morning since she began, she came into the house, washed her hands and then Austin would give her a hug and they each said good morning. This may sound ordinary, but it established love, respect and routine all in one simple gesture. Tonight, when Austin was struggling on his own in the bathroom and we were encouraging him to figure it out on his own, he said, “Therese says, ‘First try it yourself and if you can’t do it, I will help you.’” Well, why didn’t we think of that phrase?

In her way, she disciplined Austin and of course Kyle. Clear authority with the patience of the saint she is named after. For instance, she walked in the other day and Austin had his “baby” in his mouth. We have not been so strict about the pacifier and it has become a deeply entrenched habit/addiction. One word from Therese and he took it out without hesitation or complaint.

Each day for the past three years she got the boys ready, packed up the yellow bag with fruit, snacks and water and headed out in the double green stroller. When we bought that stroller I was so afraid that if we bought one of the types with one kid in the front and one in back that Therese would somehow forget that Austin was there, because Kyle being Kyle would dominate all of her attention. I insisted on the side by side double stroller. As if Therese could ever forget Austin or miss a single moment! She was a juggler of babies and toddlers and little boys. Kyle usually demanded more attention or demanded attention more loudly, but Therese never let Austin feel forgotten. I never once came in the door in the evening and worried that he was neglected. On the contrary, he’d bound over to meet me, happy as a clam and eager to share details of his day with Therese and Kyle.

Their routine was that on Mondays it was story time at the 7^th Street NE Library and on Thursdays it was Boogie Babes at Eastern Market. On cold or rainy days, they sought refuge in Sherwood Recreation Center. Every other day it was to Lincoln Park or one many playgrounds in the neighborhood. They were back for lunch and then nap time. They ended the day playing in the house or across the street at Miner.

Today we exchanged some gifts and promises to keep in touch. The adults in the room shed a tear, truly feeling the end of such an important and beloved era and truly grateful for this wonderful woman. The two boys ripped through presents from Therese and scarfed down cupcakes in her honor (but mostly in theirs). They barely skipped a beat as they hugged their cherished nanny Therese and parted ways tonight as if tomorrow would be no different.