Backtracking a bit to early August…
We went to Darien Lake the first weekend in August on a day that was supposed to be overcast and potentially rainy. The rainy weather held off but the crowds were scared away. The good news was, we had an awesome time and didn’t have to deal with long lines! 🙂
We actually got there before they officially opened. They let us in the park but they wouldn’t let us get past the main concourse into the park until they did some cheese ball opening number. LOL
To kill time, Mike and the boys went to get maps and something to drink:
First ride of the day is ALWAYS the carousel:
Aren’t we cute?
Kiddie rides:
We’re actually getting to the point where Ian is going to be too big for the little rides. I’m not sure what we’re going to do when that happens because I don’t think he’s brave enough for the BIG rides….
Kiddie coaster:
LOVE:
Random sea lions:
The big draw for us at Darien Lake was their new Thomas the Tank Engine show. It was a HUGE hit with the boys so I took a TON of pictures. Just a warning!
Waiting for the show to start:
The boys sitting in the front row of the “theater”:
Self-portrait!
Sir Topham Hatt!
Driver Jo:
C’mon out Thomas!
OMG!!! It’s THOMAS!!!!!
Guess who got to go on stage and help out?!?!
Ian and Matthew!!!
Dancing along:
Meet and greet afterward:
Ian and Matthew go up on stage around 7:00 (if you don’t want to watch the whole thing):
I love that Matthew waved as he walked by Thomas. I didn’t see that from my seat. 🙂
After that, we let Ian ride the kiddie rollercoaster about 40 more times while Matthew, mom and I shared some fried dough:
Matthew was very hot and sweaty and very much past his nap time. LOL
After our little coaster/dough break, we headed to some water rides. We knew were were going to get soaked so we were kind of hoping to do those last. After getting completely drenched, we realized the timing was right for the next Thomas show so we headed there.
Guess who got to go back on stage?!?!?!
Yes, that’s Matthew behind the “ERM”:
They also did this hand-holding-sing-along thingy:
More dancing:
Matthew really excited about Thomas:
Watching the show:
GO!!! GO!!! THOMAS!!!
Another meet and greet:
After that, it was pretty much time to head home. The boys were beat and we’d ridden all the rides we wanted.
Before we left, Matthew had to get one last snack:
Despite a few instances of him sticking his leg through the pretzel, he pretty much ate that entire pretzel on the way home from the park. (He’s a bottom-less pit which concerns me…what is he going to be like at 16?!?!? LOL)
It was a fun but exhausting day. Can’t wait to go back next year!
I know I already posted his first day pictures but here are some from orientation and supply drop off….
One of many fake, cheese-ball smiles I got out of him:
Meeting his teacher, Mrs. Newman:
That’s his seat in class, by the way. 🙂
Learning how to “order” lunch:
Ian’s cubby:
More pics of the classroom:
Do you like how he’s about 8 inches taller than these 3 classmates? LOL
This nearly deserves a post of its own. Mike’s mom made Ian an art smock for school. The kids need smocks through the second grade and I couldn’t find anything that (1) fit him and (2) wasn’t the consistency of tissue paper. The smock she made was absolutely perfect!
Thank you, Grandma Samulski!!!
Matthew insisted on taking this book of children’s Bible stories with him to the potty. He sat on the toilet and “read” to us while he peed. LOL
He is such a boy. 🙂
Waiting for the bus:
Matthew has been so excited about the first day of school. When he saw Ian standing outside with a lunchbox, he insisted on having a “wunch” too. Mike packed him some muffins in a Ziploc bag and put it inside a lunchbox. LOL
Daddy and the boys:
Mommy and the boys:
He wasn’t too amused when we told him he wasn’t going to Kindergarten:
Just in case there was any confusion about what day it was….
Here comes the bus!
Everyone is so excited!!!
It’s finally time to go to Kindergarten!!!
Bus Driver Tom was very friendly!
Off he goes!
Ian was the second child on the bus and the first girl was someone he went to school with last year. I was glad he had a friend to sit with.
On his way to Kindergarten:
A little confused about what just happened:
We drove over to Ian’s school because I really wanted pictures of Ian getting off the bus.
Here comes Ian’s bus!
The bus driver parked the bus in the lot, off to the side, for several minutes. He got out of his seat and walked up and down the aisle to talk to the kids.
Here they come!
Despite my attempt to hide, Ian saw us as the bus passed.
Getting in place to unload:
Ian was the first one off:
(That’s his principal with the white shirt and black pants pulled up to his hairline. LOL )
Here he comes!
Going right in to school:
After Ian went in, Mike and I headed off to work until it was time to get Ian off the bus.
Here comes the bus to bring Ian home!
I guess this first step gives him some trouble. LOL
Last one off the bus:
So excited to see us, he had to run!
I got a huge hug after that picture was taken. 🙂
See you tomorrow, bus!
Telling us about his day:
They read “The Kissing Hand”:
Love this boy:
You may have noticed (or heard, if you watched the video) that Ian didn’t get off the bus with his lunchbox. Apparently the teacher told the kids to leave their lunchboxes in their cubbies and Ian thought he wasn’t allowed to bring it home. LOL Thankfully, it came home today. 🙂
TODAY, Ian fell asleep on the bus ride home. He was sharing a seat with Megan, a little girl in his class that lives down the street. When the bus got to her house, it sat there for a while and no one got off. The Megan’s mom got on the bus and found Ian and her daughter sleeping in their seat. She woke them up, took her daughter home and then the bus drove down the street to drop Ian off at our house. 🙂
You get three guesses. 😉
We’re pretty excited about it!!! Pictures and full report to follow!