So, I found out the other day that Leif does, in fact, have to start school this fall. The school district we live in determines school entry by the calendar year, and if I choose to keep him home next year (kindergarten is still optional in Manitoba), he will be placed in grade one the following year when he attends. This was a huge shock to me because coming from New Brunswick, where parents can choose the entry age for children born between September and December, I have been operating under the presumption that Leif had another year at home. Yes, I have options, and I am currently waiting to see if he can get into a local Montessori kindergarten, which is only half-day compared to the full-day one offered at our local school, but it is probably not likely since the waiting list has a spot for parents to put their children in utero on. Seriously.
Oh, and because this is MY blog and I want to rant for a moment, please forgive me, BUT . . . every other kindergarten class in Manitoba is half-day EXCEPT for the four schools located by our house because we have been designated "inner-city" and a 9-4pm school day helps working families. I really wish I could insert the sobbing face emoji here. And despite how it may sound, no, I do not live in the getto . . . teehee!
And NO, I am not going to homeschool. Been there; done that; not an option.
Anyhoo . . .
After suffering from one ginormous anxiety attack, my dear Mr. Level-Headed helped talk me down, and I have come to realize a couple of things:
a. I am not worried about Leif academically. He is one smart cookie with the brightest and most fascinating imagination I have ever encountered.
b. I am not worried about him socially. Leif makes friends where ever he goes, and his peers like him.
c. I really liked our local school: the principal and teachers were awesome (and the principal even told me Leif could go part-time until he is ready for a full-day . . . yay! The perks you get when you follow the principal into her office after the meeting with tears in your eyes, pleading: "what are my options." . . . hahahahaha! I am so over-the-top)
and finally:
d. The only real issue is that I am going to miss him. Being an "old" mom, raising a second batch of Littles, I am fully aware that these Littles grow up into Bigs way too quickly, and my heart is just not ready for it. I guess I kind of thought Leif and Harriet were always going to be my two-under-two-crew.
Anyhoo . . .
in typical Krista fashion, I have turned my mood around and I am focusing on the positive. Leif doesn't start school for another seven months, and in that time, we are going to have a lot of fun!
I love nothing more than getting out and exploring with my babies, and thankfully, Winnipeg is the perfect city to do just that. The other day, Harriet and I picked Leif up from preschool and then headed to the Manitoba Museum. We have been there before, and it is definitely one of our fave things to do. There is a hands-on science center for kids, a planetarium, and of course, the museum, complete with a life-sized "pirate-ship" (or at least that's what Leif thinks it is, and we just go with that).
I am incredibly blessed to have been given a second opportunity to raise babies, and even though, it is not easy and I definitely have a lot to learn . . . still . . . and I manage to make a gazillion mistakes a day . . . ugh!, I think the one thing I do right is that I make the most of it, and I try to enjoy every minute we have together.
Cue the onslaught of Iphone pics from our day . . .
They love the race track in the science center! When they get older, they can build their own race cars, but for now, they are just as happy to race the pre-made ones.
Trying to lift himself up. He actually did quite well and almost reached the top on his own.
Harriet needed her mama's help.
This station blew their mind, but then, of course, they started kicking the ball around . . . hahahaha! Soccer on the brain.
Lego break!
Road rage! So. Much. Attitude.
I love this photo! We were exploring one of the exhibits in the museum when we found a drawer that said: "Open me". So, of course, we opened it.We were quite shocked to discover it was a drawer filled with poop . . . hahahaha! And that great, big pile is a bison poop . . . eeek!
Leif and I were trying to move onto the next exhibit, but Harriet heard music and was overcome with the desire to dance . . . hahaha! She is such a ham.
The kids were pretty bummed that the "pirate ship" was closed for renovations, but we discovered a bat cave, complete with flashlights to help you explore. The babies nearly died after they entered one den and shone their lights onto a sleeping (stuffed) black bear . . . eeek! They were terrified!
Oh my goodness, I love these two! They fill my days with joy and laughter . . . Well, ask me how I feel about them after we go grocery shopping and then onto Avery's late night soccer game . . . eeeeek! Mr. Level-Headed needs to get his butt home.
Have a great weekend!
No comments:
Post a Comment