Off the Grid and Into Kindergarten...

It's been over a week since my last post and I haven't even been keeping current with all the latest quilty happenings via Bloglovin, which qualifies as me being off the grid around here.  I've definitely been avoiding my sewing machine since I wrapped up that marathon session of cuddle quilts.  Not that I don't have anything that I need to work on, mind you.  I've got the September bee block to get started for the ScrapBeeLicious circle, 3 months - ugh - of my Sister's Ten BOM to catch up on, and that Amis Rangoon commissioned quilt hanging over my head.  But I'm all sewed out at the moment and life has me a little focused on a new routine in our house this week.

Our oldest started full-day kindergarten this past Tuesday and I was alternately thrilled and terrified.  I was really excited to be down to one kiddo during the day (some precious one on one time with little sis is rare around here) and that older sis would be out on her own learning more independence and new skills in school.  But she's always been a bit shy and nervous in nature and anything new gives her a good amount of anxiety.  I've had visions for the past two years of a child clinging to my leg and unwilling to even set foot in the school without sobbing and throwing a fit.  We haven't had the best experiences with occasional daycare and she hates to even have me out of sight for long periods of time, so believe me, these weren't impossible scenarios for me to imagine.

As I expected, we did have a good evening of constant worry about school the night before as well as a half hour of crying and begging me not to send her to school the morning of the first day.  But we have a fantastic teacher who saw her panic when it was time to line up and file into class and asked her if she could hold hands and help her lead the line.  She agreed and with a few looks back at me as she walked away, marched right into school and out of my hands.  I snuggled little sis a little closer to me, went back out to the car and cried like I swore I never would.

We still have spells of nerves every morning so far, but every afternoon pick up is filled with smiles and excited talk about her "fabulous" day.  So long story short, I'm in a sewing slump while I get adjusted to lots more commuting time, a new work schedule, and the excited and nonstop chattering and play of little sis on her own.  But bear with me - I'm sure that I'll be back on the machine with more to share soon.  What do you guys do to get back into a gear after a sewing dry spell?