End of School Time!

My handsome Pre-K graduates 

It has been an especially busy past week with all that has been going on.  I survived my 6 days/6 nights as a single parent while Myke was up at Apple for "office time" and a developers' conference.  Not without a couple "bumps" in the road, but we managed.  The first night he was gone I was shook awake by a medium-size earthquake at 1am.  I'm not sure if it was more the shake or the loud noise that came along with it that woke me up...but that was a bit nerve-wracking!  I somehow fell back asleep....but not without Ella as a bedmate.  The earthquake must of woke her up, too, as she came in my room right afterwards and asked to sleep with me.  To be honest, I was glad to have the company!  I guess she enjoyed the night together as she came in the next night, too!  Then Saturday night was Eli's turn to "have a sleepover with mommy".  How could I say no?  They're not going to want to sleep with their momma forever.  (Right??  That would be a huge issue if they did!).  Then, Sunday night Eli came running down the hall to me and vomited on my rug and then onto my bed.  So that was fun.  It was followed by two days of a stomach bug/fever.  I'm lucky to have such great momma-friends who all helped me get Owen & Chloë to and from school that day so I didn't have to drag Eli out.  He literally stayed in bed ALL day Monday.  Poor guy.  

Myke is back now.  Yay!  He arrived home around bedtime Wednesday night and then took a 1/2 day off on Thursday so we could go to the San Diego Fair.  I hadn't been since I went with Chloë when she was 18 months old.  We went with Thom & Maureen (Myke's parents) and the 4 kids.  We had a great time and all was going well...UNTIL WE LOST OWEN.  Yes, we lost a child.  For the first time ever.  It was terrible.  The 8 of us were walking along and literally one minute I was saying something to Owen about leaving his stuffed animal prize in the stroller and then the next minute we stop to decide to turn into a barn to see animals and Maureen must have done a head count and asks,  "Now who are we missing?"  We quickly notice that Owen isn't with us...literally I think less than a minute from when I was just talking to him.  One of us stayed with the stroller and kids and the other 3 took off different directions looking for him.  After scanning the crowds and walking up and down the "aisle" we were in, I started getting a little more panicked and flagged down a security guard.  Myke had flagged one down the direction he went in, too.  They took me & Maureen to the Admin offices/lost children area and I was told that they just had found a lost boy and that they were going to check if it was him.  They wanted me to start filling out some paperwork...but we were just thinking, just show us the missing boy!!  Where is he?  Is it Owen or not?  Then a woman behind the desk asked if there was a "Sarah"...and I felt a wave of relief wash over me.  Obviously, the little boy had said his mom's name was Sarah.  Just bring me my little boy!  They told us that he was being escorted our way now and to wait there.  Soon enough (but it felt like 20 minutes) 3 security officers escort my scared-looking & teary eyed little boy to me and we just ran and hugged and both started crying.  Owen just kept saying "Mama" in a distressed tone as he clung to me.  It was definitely an emotional one.  Agh.  Apparently, when we had stopped the to decide which way to go next Owen had just kept walking along.  I'm not sure when he realized we were no longer around but he was apparently quite a ways ahead.  He must have started crying and a woman came up to help him and got him to a security officer who took it from there.  Agh. Hope that will the last time we lose a child in a crowded venue.  In all likelihood it probably won't be...and I'm surprised it hadn't happened yet with 4 kids.  I've never been one to use the child-leash.  Maybe I should start now?  :)   Is 5 too old to wear a leash??  ;)

 On a related note--when we arrived at the fair front gate that morning Thom had the idea of taking each child's photo on his phone before we walked in.  That way we could show the photo if the child got lost, it would remind us what clothes they were wearing, etc.  Brilliant idea.  When we were in the admin offices we showed them the photo.  Anyways, so glad that episode is over.

Other than that, the fair was a great time!  Kids had a blast, played games, rode rides and ate junk to their hearts' content.  It was a fun and exhausting day!

A few pics: 

Craziest snow cone creation ever!  Had two lollipops, a fruit roll up and cotton candy all on top!

Bumper cars! (Owen)

Eli milking a fake cow (real white liquid came out!)

The girls!

I had fun, too! (before we lost Owen)

Rides!

The next day, Friday, was Chloë's last day of school!  First grade is over!    She's had a great year and has come a long way with her Spanish, her learning ...and her wiggle-worm tendencies.  Yay, Chloë!  We have a 2nd grader in our house now!  

She was a little emotional to say by to Mrs. Ventzke when I picked her up.

But a stop for strawberry sorbet in a waffle cone helped her to recover: 

I also put together this side-by-side shot of both the first & last day of school and can't BELIEVE how much bigger and older Chloë looks from just the start of the year to now.  She's a big girl now!  Sniff sniff :(

Then this morning was Owen & Eli's school performance and graduation from Pre-K at their preschool.  It was a really cute performance with some little skits and songs followed by a graduation ceremony.  Most of the photos are on my "good camera" but I'll add the ones taken on my phone for the time being: 

Proud of my boys!

Owen the Octopus & Eli the Elephant.

So cute! 

We're having some down time right now after all the business of the past few days.  Then Chloë has requested a BBQ and pool party.  Family only.  I think she wants some family time :)  Sounds good to me!  Adios!  

Friday night: attack-dad-with-pool-noodles fun!