Her First Day!

My Baby Girl (that's actually what I've taken to calling her these days - Baby Girl.  Only sometimes does she inform me that "I not a baby!") went to preschool this week!  And you know what, it wasn't hard on either of us - not one little bit. 

I will be the first to admit that after 2.5 years with her as my every-present side kick, this mama is very much looking forward to 10 kid-free hours a week.  "You're going to be all alone with no one to play with!" mocked my son.  Umm...I've got plenty to do to fill my time, don't you worry.  Want to know how I spent my first kid-free day?  At a 2 hour PTA meeting and the Gyno.  Par-tay!  Ok, so I did manage to meet Chris for lunch in between, but you get the idea...

But my desire for kid-free time is not what made it so easy for me to drop my baby off this week.  First, this was not a new school environment for either of us.  She is around the corner from Sam's pre-k classroom, she is beyond comfortable in the building and the director already knows her/us.  She has great teachers this year.  Second, she wanted to go SO BADLY.  All summer long Sam and I pointed out to her and talked to her about "her preschool."  She began to comprehend that "Sam has a go kinagawden, I have a go pwe-schoow."  And now she points to the building when we drive past, labeling it as "my pwe-schoow."  She was craving the social interaction, crafts, singing, etc that come with a preschool environment.  And heaven forbid her brother get to go to school all week and she be stuck at home with mommy every day!

So day 1 arrived, and was marked with our new family tradition of Sprinkle Pancakes for breakfast.  She was happy and cooperative for picture taking, excited for her turn to hold the sign.  As we were walking in to the building, as I held her hand, carried a purse, tote bag, nap mat and 2 bags of "school supplies" she cautioned me to, "be carfuw my pit-ture!  Two hands!"  She was quite concerned I'd drop the sign before she'd had all of her pictures taken!

And after the last picture was taken and the glass doors were opened, she marched right in.  She did not, as I'd anticipated, march to Sam's old room out of habit!  She found her room (we'd been there for "meet the teacher") and said hi to her teacher.  I began to sign her in and deposit her water, lunch and snack in the appropriate bins.  When I turned around, she was gone.  Didn't give a kiss, hug or even say goodbye.  I peeked into the room to find her happily examining toys and playing with the other teacher.  I called to her to say goodbye, got a smile back...and that was that.  And I left.

5 hours later I collected a happy, although tired (still learning to nap on her nap mat) girl.  I asked some questions about her day and got more out of her than I anticipated.  Later that night, after nap and dinner, Chris asked one question and the girl started spilling all kinds of information on us.  Honestly, we didn't get that much about Sam's collective days at preschool out of him for the first two months he attended.

"I go pwe-schoow, it's my fiwst day!  I paint.  Miss Kim help me.  Its yewow.  I nap my nap mat.  I Pway bwocks!  I go back my bwocks lwader..."

I cannot wait to see how she blossoms this year.  Her little personality is getting goofier each day, and I love it.  Her teachers have said that she has been quiet so far, but I know that will change soon!

Bonus picture: Start a new job at the beginning of the school year and your wife makes you take a picture, too!