Motherhood Mondays: Toby's first day of school

Toby started school this month, and on the first day, Alex and I took him together.
We went upstairs to his class, and he chose a car to play with. (Oh, that little belly.)
He slowly took it all in...
I sat for a few minutes to get him settled (and to check out how the awesome car doors opened!)...
He said hello to the other kids and introduced himself ("Tibby!").
Finally, after a few minutes, I hugged him goodbye. My heart was in my throat. Alex and I left quickly (like a Band-aid, right?) and Toby burst into tears. It was so tough! But we knew the teachers were great and that he'd settle down in a couple minutes and have a happy morning (and he did).
He had an awesome first week (he goes three mornings a week), and we were feeling great. But last week was harder. At night, I'd ask him if he wanted to go to school the next day and see his friends, and he'd shake his head, "No." And when Alex would take him in the morning, he'd start crying as they walked through the gate. The teachers told us, interestingly, that a lot of kids will seem fine the first week and then have a hard time adjusting the second and third week. We'll play it by ear—the school seems lovely, and has a pretty backyard with a playground and sweet teachers and art projects and a guy who comes to play guitar! Toby could, of course, wait a year to start school, but I think he'll adore it once he gets comfortable and really thrive in that fun social environment. To help him along, we have been talking excitedly about school and packing his favorite snacks (Cheerios, strawberries, bananas); and our beloved babysitter gave him a funny monkey backpack, which instantly became his best buddy (see above:). This week, he seems happier about everything, fingers crossed.

Did your kids ever have a tough time with school? Was the first day hard? When did your little ones start? I'd LOVE to hear any thoughts and advice. It's hard for both babies and parents! xoxo

Have a beautiful weekend.

What are your plans for this weekend? My friends Jason, Patrisha and I went to see the Paris Opera Ballet perform "Giselle" on Wednesday—it's their first time dancing in New York in sixteen years. It was absolutely breathtaking, and we were totally moony over the principal dancer, Dorothee Gilbert. Also, the Bachelorette finale is this weekend! Who are you rooting for? (I love Jef.) Hope you have a good one, and here are a few fun links from around the web...

A song for your weekend.

What a photo.

Shark bite cupcakes.

A bike-in theatre? Yes!

Perfect, perfect jeans.

A rainbow school.

Copenhagen is getting a bike highway!!!

Sandwiches made even better.

Whoa, this dress would be stunning for a wedding. (It comes in black, too.)

Rad alternative to the Army Guy toy. (Via Leigh)

New Yorker towels.

Finally, on a more serious note, our hearts go out to all the victims and families involved in the Colorado tragedy. xo

(Paris Opera Ballet student, via Ello Dahling)

United States rubber stamps

Stationery is beautiful but can get expensive. So what about making your own? This etsy shop sells rubber stamps of your favorite state or city, which you could stamp on plain notecards (50 for $6). Voila, you're set for years. (The ampersand, below, would also make a cute wedding gift.)

Which of these romantic trips would you take?

Just for fun, let's talk about fantasy vacations! Which of these four romantic getaways would you choose, if you could hop on a plane tonight? Above is San Francisco, where you could take a sail underneath the Golden Gate Bridge, hike along the coast and wear lace briefs to bed.
Or you could whisk away to Paris and spend the day strolling down the cobblestone streets and the evening drinking rosé wine along the Seine. At night, you could head to one of these beautiful apartments and slip into a sexy black chemise.
You could fly to the gorgeous seaside village of Positano (we actually went here on our honeymoon!), and swim in the Mediterranean, eat fresh fish with lemon and wear a white robe by the pool.
Or you could venture to Kenya's Giraffe Manor, with 1930's decor and friendly giraffes who will peek into your bedroom window! You could wear a boyfriend sleepshirt to stay cozy in the cool evenings.

Which suits your personality best? Happy update: Eberjey is offering 20% off with the code CUPOFJO through this Sunday.

Credits below...
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Making friends as an adult

Alex wrote an article for last Sunday's New York Times about how hard it can be to make close friends in your thirties and forties. The astonishing thing is what a nerve his story has hit. The article has been viewed a gazillion times and is getting a record number of comments. It's fascinating to realize how many people feel the same way.

Read the story here, if you'd like, and weigh in: Have you, too, found it hard to make new friends after college? Do you wish you had more close friends these days? Do you ever find it awkward to "ask someone out"?

P.S. Seinfeld's take. :)

(Illustrations by Roman Muradov for the New York Times)