Elek had a rough last couple of weeks going to school in the morning.  It all started one morning after he and I had a longer than normal "date" before school.  We had been making it a habit to wake up earlier than necessary for school so that we could fit in a walk on the beach together in the mornings and, on the morning before the morning of his first meltdown we had managed to fit in a walk on the beach and a mile walk/run/skip around the track behind his school.  After dropping him off at the classroom I glanced back and saw that he was looking longingly back at me.  The next morning, he was squeezing me tight and begging me not to leave and by day three there were tears and more begging.  Andrew tried taking him the next day and it was more of the same except that it started in the driveway of our house as Andrew had to force him into the car.  The next morning Andrew wanted to get more sleep so I had to take him and it was the worst morning yet.  Mrs. Palmer had to call the guidance counselor who told me to walk into the room with them and then leave.  I did what she said but had no idea how traumatic it would be.  Elek was basically pried off of me and reaching for me screaming, "no mom, don't leave me," which left me with a giant frog in my throat and fighting back my own tears till I got into the car.  Luckily, with the promise of Moo's ice cream after 5 consecutive days of no tears and drop off and all of the fun that Mrs. Palmer continually brings into the classroom, he has been doing much better the past several school days.  It is heartbreaking to see him not wanting to go to school but also very reassuring that he always reports that he had a good day at school when I pick him up.  In fact, today when I asked how school was he said, "fantastic!"  I can't even tell you how good it feels to hear that from him!

Last Friday Elek was recognized as the first boy (his teacher alternates each week between boys and girls) in his class to earn the title of "Star of the Week."  He wanted it sooooo badly and was very sure that he had it in the bag.  On Thursday he came home from school and told me that "something mysterious" had happened at school that day.  He said that when he asked Mrs. Palmer who she was going to choose for Star of the Week, she said "I don't know," and winked at him.  The next morning he reminded me that that would be the day Mrs. Palmer would announce the SOTW and as I was reminding him not to get his hopes up that he had gotten it and to try and remain calm and collected if he didn't, he looked me in the eye, with his hands behind his head and said, "mom, I'm like 99% sure I'm going to get it, like 99% sure."  And when Andrew dropped him off at home that afternoon the first thing he said was , "I guess I was right about being 99% sure that I was going to get it."  I swear sometimes I feel like I am speaking to my kids 10 years from now.

Beata gave me a similar, I-am-speaking-to-my-child-at-16 experience this evening.  She was wearing a purple necklace that Gigi gave her and digging for compliments so I said, "oh Hermione, what lovely beads.  They match the purple dress you wore to the ball just perfectly."  She then went on to tell me that there wouldn't be a another ball this year because Lupen called it off and was going to take her out instead.  Now, for anyone who hasn't read the HP books or seen the movie, Lupen is a teacher at Hogwarts who is no younger than 45.

"Taking you out?!  What do you mean taking you out?"
"Like on a date."
"What?!  But Hermione,Lupen is so old.  He's too old."
"Yes but he is good to me."
"He is good to you because he likes you like you are his daughter, not because he wants to marry you."
"No mom.  He is really nice to me and we are going to get married."

What the hell?!  I told Andrew that I literally felt like I was having a conversation with B when she was 20 years old and trying to convince me that a man 20 years older than her was a suitable choice for a partner.  I was getting really worked up over the fact that the more I tried to shoot down her decision the more hardened she became in it.  Please please please don't let this be an early sign of what is to come!

The kids went to their first chess tournament of the school year on Saturday.  Beata took 3rd place in the kindergarten and first grade group and Elek got 1st.  He seemed much more excited though about the fact that team Indialantic took home a 2nd place plaque!  The older kids were really nice and insisted that Elek bring it home over the weekend before handing it over to coach Cooper on Monday.

Augie can pretty much say anything he wants to now.  He is speaking in full sentences.  For example, just a few minutes ago he said," I don't want to go to school. I don't like my school.  I don't like Mrs. Laurie's class."  Luckily I'm pretty sure it was the exhaustion talking since so far he has seemed to really enjoy preschool.

I took Elek to a skating birthday party yesterday for one of his classmates, Alyssa.  As I stood there watching him scarf down Sprite and Pizza I started to tear up wondering how the heck we were already here.  How that little big baby of mine was already in kindergarten and going to roller skating parties.  He is such a sweet boy.  He asked if I wanted to sit down next to him with his friends and kept glancing up at me smiling, as if to make sure I knew he was happy and to make sure I was ok.  And I was so shocked by his persistence in trying to learn to skate.  By the end he could make it around on the carpet by himself alright but still struggled a lot on the concrete rink.  But he insisted that he is going to want a pair of skates for his birthday!

Alright, that's all for now.  Eyes are burning...need sleep.