First Day of School

Okay, so it's not technically school, but we've been calling the two-mornings-per-week Mother's Day Out "school" to help Grace figure it all out :) So last week, outfit selected, lunch packed, nap mat ready, we headed out for the big day. She was such a little trooper when we got there. She was excited to check out the new room and play with all the new toys. She smiled at her teachers and pointed out her classmates saying, "boy", "girl".

It was all going a little too well and I was starting to think that I was the only one fighting back tears. Since Grace was doing fine, after a little while I gave her a big hug and kiss, told her bye, and left her for the first time in the hands of non-family caretakers...and managed to spend every single minute of the next couple of hours thinking about her. Was she okay, was she having fun, did she like her teachers, did she eat her snack, did she miss me...you get the picture!

I came to get her a little early being the first day and all and boy, am I glad I did. She was crying when I got there and her teachers said she missed me all morning. They said every time she realized I was not there, she would start saying my name and looking for me. Broke my heart. As soon as she saw me, she gave me a huge neck hug and between little sobs, said, "Mama, go" not letting go of my neck for a single second. She did wave at her teachers and told them bye. As soon as we got in the car, she was smiling, eating the snack she wouldn't touch earlier and singing along to her favorite songs. I guess it's to be expected, but it was so hard to see my almost 18mo. old little pumpkin sad :(

This week was a little better and she's been talking a lot about "school", "teachers", and "toys" when we're home. I guess it's going to take a little getting used to...for both of us. This morning when I picked her up, we were talking about it on our ride home and I asked her if she had fun at school. She didn't say anything for a little while, then she looked at me in the mirror and said "No School" - oh, my!

Mother's Day Out - here we come! Here we go! Baskets and pegs and little ladybugs with each kiddo's name Modern little nap mat - so cute! Making her first school friend Checking out the new toys Ooooh, are those toys I see out there??? This is fun! Squirmy 'cause she wanted to go check out more new toys And finally, a little first-day present from Noonie! Thanks!!