T-MINUS TWO DAYS...

...and then Beast gets to experience the wonderful world of kindergarten.

AND THEN THERE ARE THOSE DAYS...

...where everything works wonderfully:

Congratulations, my darling Noodle.

SOOOOPER GENIUS

Not that I want to brag, but we just had our first teacher conference -slash- report-card review for Noodle, and saving for college is going to be tougher for us than we thought because we've got maybe six years tops between kindergarten and RPI/MIT/Caltech/Starfleet Academy.

Noodle does have her occasional attention-span issues -- those of you who know me or my mom are saying no, really? Do tell right about now -- but so far we couldn't be happier with her progress in the classroom and can't wait until next year when she she cures cancer, finds bin Laden and singlehandedly kills him with a Wuxi Finger Hold, whips Tiger Woods at Augusta, picks up Nobel Prizes for physics, chemistry, literature and bowling, solves the Kobayashi Maru scenario and wins the World Series for the Cubs.

Okay, yes -- with that last one we're seriously overreaching.

MEANWHILE, LURKING BY A STONE IN THE MUD...YOU?

Any more followers out there? My fiendish plan to have every humanoid in this galactic sector reading this blog by Thanksgiving finds itself becalmed. Commenters are welcome as well, of course. Who doesn't enjoy a little dishing?

Both the wee ones are home today, and we've got Noodle's first teacher conference this afternoon. Our initial indications are that she's a complete angel at school and saves the hellionosity for mom and dad and little brother. Although right now she and Beast are quietly watching Monsters, Inc. after a remarkably sane breakfast.

Please don't let it rain all day. I really need to get the little varmints outside.

DAY ONE

There goes our little Noodle, off to dazzle the rest of the world with her intellect.

And in the open space on the bottom goes "To not kick my baby brother even if he did wear my princess hat."


That was orientation day, only 90 minutes. The real first day was the next day. And away we go:


Here's Noodle on the bus. Not in the back with the hoods and greasers, not in the front with the goody two-shoeses. Just right:

I thought there was going to be drama and blubbering the first day, but nope. It's a lot different than when I headed off to kindergarten with a swat on the behind and a "See you when you're 17". Now there's an orientation assembly with parents and kids the first day, and us nervous parents can ask the teachers and principals whatever silly questions pop into our addled heads. I, for one, learned that there was nothing to the rumor that Padma Lakshmi was going to be the school's lunchlady this year. (Drat, said the dads.)

JUST WHAT THE NOODLE ORDERED

So useful if you've got a little one venturing forth into kindergartenland: How To Tie Your Shoe (s). (Found on Parent Hacks)

WE'RE HALFWAY THERE

Five nights of Noodle falling asleep solo. Five more to go and she gets her prize. After that? Rut roh.

So she set foot inside her future elementary school for the first time today, and loved it. An hour of story-time, and since she's already taller than some of the second graders she looks like she fits right in. Her Awesomeness and I did the meet-and-greet with the principal and the head of the local PTA, and due to my goofy radio-guy schedule I was the only dad in the room. As a result, I could feel some of the moms' eyes boring into me from behind. At least that's what I think was happening, because it's highly unlikely they were checking me out. It could have been that the sunlight through the cafeteria windows was hitting my super-sexy bald spot at just the right angle and they were squinting from the glare.