The first day of school: the village

I have so much to write about Ella's first day of kindergarten today, but for now, all I want to say is that I am so grateful for my local village who sent so many good vibes and love our way for today.  A Beth El mom and her son stopped by last night with wine (for me) and a bag of cute school supplies for Ella.  Several friends sent good luck texts in the morning and checked in during the day to see how I was holding up.  A playgroup mom pal called this evening to see how it all went.  It was such a powerful reminder of the wonderful village we have in which to raise our family, and it all just felt like a collectively thoughtful gesture allowing me to acknowledge the day as an important milestone for me as well as Ella.  I am grateful.

Sweetest brother

There are times when the sweetness between my kids overcomes me, and today was an exceptional example.  

This morning at breakfast, we were talking about the exciting things happening today - Ella's first day of kindergarten and Dash's first day getting to go to his school-wide Shabbat gathering.  As he and Ella talked about Shabbat, she said she was sad she wouldn't get to have challah today and asked Dash if he would make some extra for her.  In his sweet, earnest way, he said "ok, Ella!" which I thought was very dear but I had no actual belief that it would happen.

Well, I went to pick him up at school today and in his drawer was a bag labeled Ella with a little round challah tucked inside.  His teacher told me that he specifically said he wanted to bring some challah home for Ella.  On a day already filled with highly charged emotional moments, I think this small gesture from my sweet two-year old boy might have been the most poignant moment of them all.

Donuts

Post-kindergarten assessment donut break.

The costume

For months, Dash has been planning his 3rd birthday party (which is not until December if you are keeping track) which he has determined will have a "Wild Things" theme, a la Where the Wild Things Are.  He wants to be Max.  He wants a Wild Things cake.  He wants to roar.  I think this will be a wonderful theme and I look forward to planning this birthday party.  

Related (you'll see in a minute), this week we got the Pottery Barn Kids Halloween catalog.  My children both sat down on the couch with this catalog and pored over it.  For many many minutes.  They looked at every page.  They looked at it alone.  They looked at it together.  They talked about the costumes with each other.  It was adorable.  Do you know what kind of costume they sell?  A Max costume.  Do you know what kind of candy bucket they sell?  A Wild Thing bucket.  Dash has his heart set on this costume.  He wants to wear it first for Halloween and then for his birthday. And hey, we have a Purim parade at Beth El in the spring - he can be Max for that, too!

The problem?  The costume costs $79.  And the bucket is another $20.  And if he gets to pick a costume from the PBK catalog, you better bet that Ella will feel that she should be able to pick one also.  And if we order the fancy costumes this year, what happens next year?  I waver between thinking I should order them the dang costumes and be done with it - the kids will be thrilled, I'll be done with Halloween planning before Labor Day, everyone is happy - and thinking that this is a crazy amount of money to spend on a costume, and what I really need to do is reconnect with my DIY roots.  I can surely make a Max costume for less than $79.