First Day of School and my little groupie

Yesterday was the first day of school for both Jack and Alice. I now have them both going to preschool 5 days a week. I was really apprehensive about making the switch from having someone in the house caring for them while I work to having them both gone every morning. They are both loving it but it's another step towards growing up and no longer needing their mommy.

Everything went great as far as Jack was concerned. And I'm just going to think that it was a false start with Alice yesterday. She just turned 2 and a half last week and they had her in with 3 and 4 year olds. She can totally hold her own but that's sort of besides the point. Then they put her in with 4 & 5 year olds for the T-Th session while all her little buddies were in the class for the little ones. I went in this morning thinking I was going to have to yank her. Luckily it turned out that the director had somehow thought her birthday was 03/04 instead of 03/05. She switched her to the other class and Alice and her buddies were all very happy with the change. WHEW!!!

Tonight our little town of Corvallis held a celebration for its 150th birthday. They had bouncy houses for kids, birthday cake, wine, beer, gelato and munchies. We thought the kids might enjoy it so we headed down. As you can imagine, with anything free, the lines were horrendous. We did the bouncy houses, stood in line for cake and then found seats on the grass in basically the second row. Then the mayor got up and spoke, then the President of Oregon State, then the Oregon State baseball coach and by then I was ready to pack it in. Alice had decided that the best way to make it through the "entertainment" was by launching herself into my lap and pummeling my stomach with her sandaled feet. NICE... After about 75 rounds of that I really didn't think my stomach could take much more. But then the real entertainment began. I had no idea, but apparently Meredith Brooks (http://www.meredithbrooks.com/) is from Corvallis and came home just for this. During her second number (I'm a Bitch) her 3 year old son got up and was dancing on the stage with her. Next thing I know, Alice was taking off for the stage. I started going off after her and Meredith said to let her go and then invited her up onstage! So there is my 2 year old up on stage dancing with a multi-platinum artist!!! Oh, and are you wondering where the pictures are of it? Yeah, as we were getting ready to go, I went back into the house to get the camera and promptly forgot what I went in for.

No photos.

Oh, and would I be in the scrapbook business? Can't tell you how badly I was kicking myself, because... it gets even better!

Meredith is releasing a kids album later this month (we bought it and I would highly recommend it) so after her Bitch number she launched into kiddie tunes (a slightly ironic turn). She then invited all of the children up onto the stage. One of her songs was "What's Your Name." She had the kids all say their names into the microphone. When it was Alice's turn she said her name so faintly that no one could hear it. So Meredith stopped everything, brought Alice to the front of the stage, knelt down beside her and had the crowd quiet down so we could hear Alice. And then Alice shouted out her name. The crowd was clapping and laughing. It was just great. And there was no camera in my hand.... Bad, mommy, bad!

I'm hoping when I open the local paper tomorrow she'll be on the cover or when I turn on the news tonight she'll be there. Fingers are crossed...

I still can't believe it. My 2 year old is a groupie!!!