Miles goes to Preschool

Last week marked my last First-Day-of-School, as this is (hopefully) my last year in-class in Graduate School. It was also my first First-Day-of-School as a parent of a student. It's a very different place to be. But Miles had a great time at preschool, as the pictures will (hopefully) show.

Miles was completely ready to go to school. The first day is really an Open House, where the kids come to play for an hour, meet the teachers, and not have the parents leave them behind. So, Miles, Adele, and I got all ready to go, requisite backpack, hat, and new shoes. 

Miles is completely ready, with shorts that are way too big for him.

Walking to the car

Walking to the school.

At this point, Miles was not having a breakdown at all. Like I said, completely ready for school. But that changed when we got inside. "I don't wanna meet Miss Pam. I don't wanna see the other kids," he said. And when I tried to lead him into the classroom, he ran down the hall, away from me. We had a little chat, and the classroom assistant came out to coax Miles into the room. He complied.

Playing with bells in the music room.

Making scrambled eggs, while holding his shorts up. All his pants and shorts are too big in the waist or too short in the leg.

Then, his real first day, where I'd leave him alone with the class for three hours. Again, completely ready for school. He proceeded to tell me in the morning that a two-hump camel is called a Bactrian Camel. Now, this is his favorite thing to talk about--Bactrian camels and Dromedary camels. (Turn the first letter on its side counterclockwise, and the arcs on the letters corresponds to the number of humps on the camel.)

Dapper, and ready to walk to preschool.

He insisted on standing under the sign next to the one I pointed to.

And then the right one.

First thing is to find the right hook and hang up jackets/backpacks/hats.

Then to put an apple next to his name (for attendance), and to get a name tag.

Then, washing his hands.

Here, my pictures stop, because I just left. And he was completely fine. He was sent home with a note, however, on his first day. But it was a good note. Just look at it:

Montgomery Heritage Festival

Well, we are all thoroughly back to school, finding our bearings in a new routine (some of us better than others. Adele.). This means our adventures as a family will become sparser and, in general, tamer. But living where we live, adventures are going to keep calling out to us from every weekend. We had nothing planned for this past weekend besides attendance at the Christ Church Yard Sale, but we ended up coming back to church on Sunday for a Shape Note Sing.

I had been craving an old fashioned hymn sing.

 It was wholesome and beautiful. And fortunately for me, traditional music was used in addition to the hieroglyphics that were the shape notes. I am too old for new tricks. But the harmonizations were fresh and powerful/ Miles gamboled around and pretended to conduct us, and Adele sat and sucked her thumb with wide eyes as the singers made the parish hall ring.

That was Sunday. But Saturday, thanks to a tip we got in the morning, we were able to check out Heritage Day at the Montgomery Museum. We went all the way to Christiansburg for our festival fix this week! (A 15 minute drive, but we're spoiled and don't usually have to go that far)

It was a festival meant to celebrate the history of Montgomery County.

Apparently the 19th Century happened here, too! Who knew?!

They had a swell garden to stroll in:

Got to breathe in some powerful lavender.

Miles was even more excited about the antique cars than I expected he'd be.

He was also delighted to be able to turn the crank on this machine that de-kernels corn. Anyone know what this process is rightly called?

I asked; they can use it for animal feed OR for popcorn.

These farm animals are not exotic, but we get to see them only about as often as we see elephants and giraffes.

These we got to pet, though. A baby cow!

A skittish sheep. Who jumped almost as much as Miles whenever the horse would sound off.

You should have seen Miles' face whenever that horse would neigh. All the toy horse sounds and parental imitations while reading childrens' books doesn't prepare one for the reality of that sound. It's alarming, and then hilarious. His face was something like this:

 

But more open-mouthed and big-eyed.This face is for an antique car.

Adele was excited her uptight mother let her down to browse in the grass and manure.

She made her Noises for Cats as she gazed at the livestock. I think they appreciated it.

Sometimes she'll let go of things she's holding and stand unsupported. And then, Wile E. Coyote-style, she'll realize what she's done and sit down fast.

A wabbit!

This chicken was raised from an egg by this girl. She told us all about it.

We had a long groovy recline at the 19th century toys area.

I can't wait to see what else the New River Valley has in store for us this year.

Coming up: Miles' first week of preschool!

Return to Cascades

We knew we wanted to make another trip to Cascades park, and that we wanted to do it before classes began. With the high only in the low 80s and almost no expectation for rain, we could not afford to wait for more perfect weather.

Miles was on his feet for more of the trip to the falls than he was last year.

He did pretty much shut down for the return trip, though. I would kind of like a second ergo carrier...

This year, like last year, I carried Adele. :-)

Another comparison shot: Here he is in the same spot last year.

Has he grown up or what?

Adele enjoyed the view on the way down. I couldn't see her too well, but I could hear her appreciative vocalizations and I could feel her enthusiastic leg pumping.

There was quite a lot of mesmerizing stuff to gaze upon,

...Miles not the least among them.

Just when you think you can't walk any further and are wondering why in God's name you did this with your Saturday, there it is. The mere sound and sight of it is nearly as refreshing as a nap.

The unfortunate thing about Cascades is, it's two miles there and back from the nearest bathroom. And it's a waterfall. So you really can't stick around too long if you have to go. I amused myself while sitting on the rock wondering how many of these people really had to pee, and how long they would all stay if there was a bathroom here.

I know I'd stay till dusk, absent other considerations.

Look at my fair little colleen.

I did bring her swimsuit, but didn't bring a towel, so there really wasn't a point in lugging another wet thing back with us. She got to be free and easy in a swim diaper.

Adele loved the sensations this afternoon offered her. Look how her skin just fluoresces, though!

Here is Adele last year:

And this year:

I think it's an improvement.

Miles and Papa got to do more exploring than I did. I was more than happy just to gaze at the two wonders, my crawling daughter and the roaring falls. White noise made by water is a haunting and restorative sound. It is like very loud silence. I've been getting to know Annie Dillard. Indulge me while I quote her?

"At a certain point you say, to the woods, to the mountains, the world, Now I am ready... You empty yourself and wait, listening. After a time you hear it: there is nothing there... This is it: this hum is the silence. Nature does utter a peep--just this one...There is a vibrancy to the silence...We are here to witness... That is why I take walks: to keep an eye on things."