First Day of School

Today was a big day at our house....first day of having everyone attend school at the same school!  Our first day of school was filled with the usual mixed feelings......excitement about the new things that lie ahead this year, a little hesitation about the unknowns of a new grade and classroom, and also sadness that a fun and relaxing summer is over.  The kids don't usually sleep in yet during the summer, but we certainly needed to move a lot faster this morning than we have in the past three months!

Ashby was very excited to get dressed in her uniform this morning, and excitedly declared that she and Sadie were "twinsies"!  She will be at school three days a week this year and went in with her usual confidence.....ready to check out the toys and centers and make new friends.  After school she told me that her favorite activity was "playing picnic" in the pretend center with a new friend, and  that next she wants to check out the pretend camping toys.  She ate all of her lunch (win!) and said that rest time "was hard."  

Sadie is feeling very excited for her teacher this year and was eager for school to begin this week.  She was proud to turn in her summer reading list (which included a few short chapter books!).  After school she told me that she had "liked everything", but did have a few complaints to log.....she doesn't like sitting on the rug for stories ("Mommy, now that I'm getting older sitting criss cross applesauce isn't that comfortable.") and wished that her teacher did not give such specific instructions on how to organize the items inside their desk.  She did like eating lunch in the dining room (Kindergartners eat in their classrooms) and loved Art class.  I wasn't surprised when she did not want to stay after school to play, but instead wanted to be at home and play pretend with her stickers and dolls.  That is a good way for my introverted girl to unwind after a full day of school and structure.

Finley was the least excited child of the three for school to begin, but after seeing his classroom and friends at Launch Day last week, even he was a little ready to get back to campus.  After school he was most excited to tell me that his teacher has given them permission to talk while they are in line while they are walking outside (that's a big privilege for 9 year old boys bursting to talk to their friends!) and they will get to have two recesses most days.  He also really liked that they are allowed to choose who to sit with at their lunch tables, as this has always been assigned for them in the past, and he thinks there are some interesting looking books on the shelf in his classroom.  He is not looking forward to the daily jobs his teacher will assign (sweeping, wiping desks, vacumning, etc) or wearing his formal uniform every Friday.  (This is a new requirement and involves his pants and dress shoes, even in the warm weather.)

It's getting to be a tight squeeze in daddy's car for the morning commute!

All smiles waiting for her turn to go into her classroom.

I thought I would feel very emotional and teary this morning as I said good-bye to all three, but I wasn't as much as in years past.  I think I spent time feeling some of those things during the past week, and so this morning was just focused on making it a good send-off for them.  I am grateful that I get one more year with Ashby at home part time.....I need to ease into this full-time school era.

One more smile from Sadie as she left Convocation with her class, and then she was off to First grade!

And then, I didn't quite know what to with myself.  I ran a few errands, came home to do the laundry and prep dinner and then met Mike for lunch.  I'm sure it's going to be a process to figure how to spend my time now with all three at school.  I want to be purposeful and wise and efficient, but I also do not want to pressure myself to get it all worked out this semester, or even this school year.  We have many many years of school ahead of us, and I will be interested to see what turns up for me.  Here's a great 2018-2019 school year!