Where's your anchor?

Transition to Kindergarten has not been all smooth, sad to say.

Now, I've been hesitating posting this because I'm not sure that I want this particular event associated with him permanently on ye old interwebs. Suffice to say, he acted out one day in his after school program, directed at one of the teachers there.

Brian and I had a long talk that night, and I started it off by asking him why he did what he did. Of course, he launched into a long and involved story about how he was wronged by another child. I tried to follow the winding narrative, and the bottom line was that he acted out towards a teacher, but he was actually angry with another child.

Which launched us into a discussion about dealing with anger appropriately. I actually thought the talk went quite well, and I managed to hit all the right points about how it's never okay to get physical with someone, and you have to find other ways to work through things, and sometimes it IS really hard to handle your anger.

He was saying all the right things, and nodding at all the right times, so I thought he was right there with me.

That is, until about 10 minutes into this conversation when he looked at me and asked, "Mom, how do you handle your anchor if it's attached to a ship?"

Sometimes, I forget that for all the eloquence, he's only five.

The World's Worst Pick Up Line

Brian was excited and nervous about his first day of Kindergarten, and it showed in our conversation on the way. He jumped from talking excitedly to nervous silence and back several times. We got this gem, though, which I'm still giggling over.

Brian: (after a period of silence) Europe.
Me: What about Europe, honey?
Brian: What is Europe? Is there a state named Europe? A city?
Me: Europe is a continent.
Brian: What's a continent?
Me: It's a larger area of land than a state or a country.
Brian: Oh, okay. Your name is Europe.
Me: huh?
Brian: You look like a Europe. Your name is Europe.
Me: Um, okay...
Brian: Syrup.
Me: (confused silence)
Brian: You are syrup, mommy.
Me: I am?
Brian: Yes, you are syrup - you're so good I want to put you on a pancake.
Me: (Uncontrollable giggles for the remainder of the ride.)

I hope that by the time he actually has a need to woo someone outside of his mother, his pick up lines get better.

Growing Up...

Brian is, as I type this, at his first day of Kindergarten. I can't believe that he's already starting school.

We had a very recent change of school plans because a school choice spot opened up at the last minute. We managed to get him registered and get all the paperwork done, and all that was left was for him to meet his teacher, see his classroom, and start getting excited.

When that time came, Brian and I got to the school - he was wrapped around my arm, snuggled up as close as he could be to me and still walk on his own. If I had offered, he probably would have let me carry him. (I didn't - dude is getting BIG!)

We got into school, and escorted down to his classroom - the entire way there, he was in that same nervous position under/around my left arm. Upon our arrival in the classroom, out of nerves, he stayed there. I chatted a bit with his teacher, Brian shyly met her, and then started to unwrap himself from me - he started just moving away but still holding my hand, but quickly graduated to darting around the room asking questions about toys and signs and making himself comfortable. He got to the point where he was opening cupboards, and I knew he felt right at home.

Once he started opening up, there was no way to get that shy nervous child back - by the time we left to get back to the car, he was skipping on ahead of me down the hallway, turning around and asking if I was coming.

My baby, growing up and away in the matter of an hour. I'm so proud of him and the boy he's becoming.