I think we’ve decided to do the 5 day Pre-K program for Ben next year. I’d initially wanted to do the three day (which actually is sometimes two days, Monday Wednesday and every other Friday)…but because of his October birthday he’s going to be a very young Kindergartener next year and I think the 5 day program will help better prepare him. Ideally I’d like to give him an extra year before K, but our only options with that are a Montessori type Kinder prep or homeschooling for a year. Neither option really works for us, the Kinder preps are SO expensive. I was looking at this Transitional Kindergarten and while it looks like a great program, we can’t afford the $2,000 a year to send him. And homeschooling for a year kind of defeats the purpose of getting him confident, able to problem solve with others and in control of his emotions in a classroom setting. Plus, I am so not prepared to homeschool (even if it is just for a preschooler).

So while he’ll be one of the youngest in his class (thanks to the NYS age cut off of December 1) I think he will be fine. Or rather, I hope. Just one of those things with parenting I guess, you always hope the decisions you make are the right ones. He’s a very smart little boy, I’m just a little worried about how overly emotional he is. He feels everything so much. Pre-K is 2.5 hours and I’m hoping the 5 days help get him in a school routine and the classroom experience helps prepare him for Kindergarten. Right now we’re at a “we’ll see how he does with it” and if he’s really NOT ready for Kindergarten next year, we’ll reevaluate our options.

Can I be honest, my house is gross right now and it’s driving me nuts. Crumbs on the floor, dishes in the sink, laundry in baskets, cob webs on lights, cat fur tumbleweeds. There just isn’t time. And when there is time I’m just so tired that I can’t bring myself to clean. People have weekly cleaning schedules, maybe I should try something like that? Then again those people scrub their walls and baseboards. I don’t think I’ve ever cleaned my baseboards. I think I get discouraged that even if I do clean, it just gets dirty a week later. Someday my house will be clean. Along those lines, as SUPER excited as I am for spring…it just brings with it a whole ‘nother host of chores. Weeding flower beds, mulching, mowing the lawn, the garden, cleaning windows and siding (because that hasn’t happened in years). I’m looking on the bright side of winter, I don’t have to do anything outside just yet.

I have a bunch of photos to post from our trip to Ohio a few weekends ago. I was joking with Andy, that who goes to Ohio in the middle of winter for a weekend getaway? This guy! We had fun visiting with college friends and enjoyed the long weekend sans kiddos though.