Primary Program

Owen participated in his first Primary Program at church!  He looked so handsome on his big day!  Sitting up in the choir loft away from Mom and Dad was too intimidating, so Mommy sat with Owen the during the whole program. We rehearsed his speaking part many times at home ("I came to earth and received a body.")  He had it memorized and was ready to go!  However, when it came time to speak into the microphone with about a hundred people watching him, it was a little too overwhelming.  Owen was so brave, though, walking up to the microphone and standing up to face all those people. Way to go, O!!

 

Owen was a great singer and his favorite song from the program is one called, "Gesthemane."   It is a really beautiful song and I can see why it's his favorite. Good job, Owen! One Primary program down, eleven to go! We are very proud of you!

Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam

Let it be known that on Sunday, March 4, 2012, Owen Edward Araiza went to his Sunbeams class all by himself for the first time. He cried a little bit, but his teacher said after awhile he looked at her and said, "I was sad because Mommy left me but now I'm not sad anymore. I am happy now."

And then he was fine!

 Let it also be known that on Sunday, March 11, 2012, Owen went to Primary AND Sunbeams all by himself. That would be a total of 2 consecutive hours away from Mommy and Daddy. There were a few tears, but he was very brave.

We sure are proud of our big boy who, in his own words, "doesn't even cry!" anymore when he goes to Primary by himself. He loves his teachers, Sister Snedecor and Sister Harrison and the other kids in his class. He really looks forward to going to Primary every Sunday.

Mommy is especially enjoying her newfound freedom to go to Relief Society and Sunday school but feels a little sad that her mama's boy is growing up.

1st Day of Primary

Owen is 3 years old and so on Sunday he got to start his first day of Primary at church. Before Lexie was born he was doing much better with his separation anxiety. However, since she's been born he's digressed a little. I'd been talking with him a lot about Primary and how he gets to go to his own class with the big kids.

Come Sunday morning when it was time to get ready for church, he started crying and saying that he didn't like church. When I didn't say that we could stay home, he immediately started trying other tactics.

 Bear in mind that all of these things were said in between sobs, which lasted from the time he woke up through the entire first hour and a half of church.

"I don't want to go to "Puh-why-murry" (Primary)! It's scary!"
"I don't like church!"
"Primary is mean!"
And then, my favorite... (He's one smart cookie!)
"I can't go to church because my ear hurts! My ear is hurting!"

I was able to calm him enough to go into Primary as it started. Luckily Lexie wasn't hungry, so I stayed with Owen during Singing Time.

About fifteen minutes into it, Owen turned to me and said, "Hey, I'm not scared anymore! I'm happy! I thought it was scary, but it's not!"

And just like that (snap your fingers) he was a happy little boy! He LOVED every minute of it. As long as I was there with him, he was completely relaxed and himself. When we went to his Sunbeams class, he sat in his own chair, talked to the other kids and his teachers.

When it was time to tell the class what his name was, he pretended to burp. (He watched the movie Elf recently and likes to imitate Buddy the Elf's ever-lasting burp).  I was really surprised at how much of a ham he was during his class. Usually he's really shy, but he acted very silly and was unintentionally disruptive at times....But I'm glad that he was comfortable enough to be himself.

Now we have to work on Mommy not going to Primary with him. Baby steps...