1st Day of 1st Grade

I'll admit it.  Prepping for 1st grade is teeny, tiny potatoes compared to gearing up for kindergarten.  Not only did he not really need new clothes ("back to school clothes" shopping losing something in Houston, where you're going to need your summer wardrobe well into the second grading period), but we'd bought his school supplies through the PTA with one simple click of my mouse (bless you!) and we'd found his backpack at the beginning of the summer.  Along the way we'd grabbed a new water bottle, lunch box and shoes, and that was it!  I spent the last two weeks before school started feeling like I was forgetting to do something.  I blame the commercials.

The emotional build up was lacking, too.  Although he's been going to school since we was two, this was only the second year that he'd gone back to the same school as the year before.  He knows the staff, the kids, the routines, the layout.  In comparison, there almost nothing new this year!  He already felt like he owned the place.  While I am far from feeling like I rule the school, I too am comfortable there now.  The front office staff knows me, I can find you all kinds of supplies and I know where to ask the right questions.  We were comfortable.  We felt good.

Until the morning that teacher assignments were posted on line.  I logged in and saw a name I'd never seen before, one that I couldn't pronounce.  I did my best to read it off to Sam, trying my best to cover my fear of the unknown - the new teacher.  Not that I mind a first year teacher, but it sure is nice when you're neighbors can fill you in a bit on a teacher's quirks before you walk in the door.  But I didn't need to cover anything for Sam.  As soon as I mispronounced his new teacher's name he immediately corrected me.  You know her?  "Yeah, she led the STEM lab last year."  I later learned the she also student taught in one of the Kinder classes last year, as well.

So as Sam walked through the jam-packed halls at Meet the Teacher night, he greeted by name by everyone from the secretary to the language specialist, including his new teacher.

***

First day of school means sprinkle/chocolate chip pancakes.  Its tradition, and we follow tradition.  Even if that means that Mommy has to cook everyone else breakfast on her birthday.  (Don't worry, I made them all take me out to dinner that night.)

Please enjoy the studly Janie and Jack outfit that Sam wore on his first day of 1st Grade.  I'm sad to report that this will likely be the last year that he will wear something nice (ie Church Clothes) on his first day.  I swear we discussed the outfit choice ahead of time, but we still had a meltdown when it was time to get dressed that morning.  This was not an "awesome" outfit and it was important to him to only and always wear "awesome" clothes to school.  I used to send him to preschool in a polo shirt every single day.  Now he only accepts Under Armor, super hero, or specific Sam-approved shirts.  I really am trying my best to let go, but he just looks so darn cute in his nice clothes!  Someday he'll want them back, right?

By the way, I did feel really badly about the tears on the first school morning of the year.  I swear I did.  But I wasn't prepared to let him wear a silly t-shirt and I just had to stand my ground on this one.    Please be comforted to know that he took the collared shirt off something shortly after we left the building and returned home in his nice shorts and and awesome t-shirt.  Like I said, I'm really trying to let go.

The whole family took him to school that morning.  We walked him to his room but he wanted nothing to do with a picture.  He was sitting right across from one of his swim team buddies!  I looked around and realized there was nothing left for us to do.

Daddy went to work and Annabelle and I hit up "Tears and Cheers" in the cafeteria.  No tears from us, I promise.  Just fun times chatting with moms I hadn't seen all summer.  Its possible that a few of us stayed until the Principal kindly asked us to leave so that they could teach the Kindergartners how to walk through the lunch line, which made me realize just how much these kids mature in a year.  My word, what's he going to learn this year?