The Wheels on the Bus

A little over a week ago, G had the chance to attend bus orientation for kindergarten. The transportation department website said that siblings were welcome to attend (which was good because Randy really needed to sleep that morning; he was battling double ear infections), so I drove the crew down to the local elementary school to give the kids a chance to ride the bus.

When we arrived everyone stood outside the school on the curb beside a parked bus. The kids thought it was very cool and I snapped a picture before Baby C could wiggle out of my arms.

It's the best picture I could get while holding a squirmy baby.

Then we were asked to mush as close together as possible while the transportation lady spent the next 30 minutes reciting bus rules. As this was a kindergarten orientation, at which many siblings (mostly younger than 5 years of age) were in attendance, you can imagine how well the crowd paid attention. S sat down and played with mulch in the flowerbed. G sat as patiently as possible listening and trying to absorb all the rules. Baby C tried to touch the tree nearby, then run away, then lunge out of my arms, then ate a snack, then tried to run away again. By the time the bus was ready for loading, my arms were so tired from holding that baby still for so long!

But then we got on the bus, and G and S beamed from ear to ear as we embarked on a five minute drive around the block.

We were seated in the last row on the bus so the ride was extra bumpy and cool.

Baby C seemed lulled by the movement of the bus and laid down in my arms and was actually still for a few minutes. In the end, G and S thought the 30 minute lecture was worth the chance to ride the school bus.

*Since orientation, Randy and I have decided that we'll be driving G to and from school, at least for kindergarten. We understand that we cannot protect her from all negative influences in existence, and that one day she's going to learn about profanity, explicit television and music, etc., but the thought of exposing her to worldly fifth graders after so carefully protecting her innocence for 5 and half years, ultimately helped us to decide to try and keep our little girl, "little" a little longer.