School Days

And so it begins!  Jeter has officially started the life of a student.  

Since his birthday is at the end of July, he would have been the youngest in his class if we would have started him in kindergarten last year.  Last year at this time, he wasn't even excited to go to preschool.  He didn't want to go to school.  He said he would just rather stay home and have me teach him.  And as much as I would love to keep him home and out of the schools, dangers, peer pressures, and bad influences, etc., I know he would be better off there, and learn so much more than I could ever teach him.  Anyway, after thinking for the last five years about all the reasons to send him or to hold off a year, we made our decision to wait a year and send him now.

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I am so happy we did!  He was so excited to start school, 

which I think makes a big difference.

Last year's first day pic compared to this year's first day pic.

I'm not gonna lie and say that it was easy watching this sweet boy walk into his new school that would soon consume his life, but I'm also not one of those parents that cry about something like this either.  He was so excited, how could I not be excited for him?  

Getting ready to step inside the unknown.  

If he was nervous, he didn't show it.  I think I was the one that was nervous.  I had so many concerns and questions and worries, that were all probably dumb, but still.  To name a few:

How is he gonna know how to do the lunch line, or pay for it?

Will he dare to tell the teacher he needs to go the bathroom?

How's he gonna find his way there and back if he does go the bathroom?

Is he gonna last for 7 1/2 hours?

Will he make friends?

Will he know to come in from recess when a bell goes off?

How will he find me after school? (Parents aren't allowed in the school when school gets out)

Will he pay attention?

We got in his classroom and found his seat.  He sat right down and told me I could leave.  As I went to give him a hug and tell him bye, he hugged me back and pulled away real quick so I couldn't give him a kiss.  Oh I hate for him to have to grow up!

Then there's little miss.  

She had to have a backpack and get all ready for Jete's first day too.  She could hardly wait for Jete to start school, and was so excited to walk him to his class.  But at the same time, she was apprehensive about him being gone all day.  After all, he is her playmate, partner in crime, fighting companion, and mouthpiece.  I had to convince her it was gonna be so much fun for just us to be together all day.

We only had a few people in Jete's school stop us and ask if we needed help finding her class.  She looks like she would fit right in.  She's as tall as most of the kids in Jete's class!

She was definitely listening to me when I told her of all the fun we could have.

So when we got home from dropping Jeter off, her requests to play barbies, horses, babies, and a picnic at the park (in 100 degree weather might I add) were all granted.  But seriously, how do you turn this cute face down?

I'm excited for Jete to make new friends, learn, and be independent.  I'm excited for me and Jerz to have quality time together, where we can rely on each other for company and to make it through the long days without Had and Jete.  And I'm just a little terrified that I'm gonna have to play barbies and babies every day.  Yikes!