First day of kindergarten!

Yesterday was a mon-u-mental day in our household. It was the day that I sent my first born to kindergarten!

We've done preschool for two years now so you would think that it would make it all easier and I'd be used to leaving my child behind in the care of her teachers, but nope, not easier at all (for me at least, for her, yes I do think that the two years of preschool helped!). Somehow it just seemed like the start of a new era, of a time when the end of August rolls around and you get that funny feeling in your stomach that's part excitement, part nervousness, that signals it's time to start school again. It just feels more official when you start elementary school, and it's weird knowing that we're embarking on a journey that will last, at the very least, 12 more years.

Of course I have to document it with pictures....here is Ella with her big yellow crayon that her Nama gave them to use to save money for the beach, I thought it worked well as a first day of school prop.

Looking thrilled isn't she? I can't tell if she's giving us just a bit of attitude for taking her picture, or showing a bit of nervousness.

Now she's happy, getting the traditional front door-first day of school picture.

This has to be my favorite picture of all. I laughed so hard when I saw it!

With mom and dad, getting ready to head over to the school. Notice the pink peeking out from her dress? I put some shorts on her after I realized that the size 6 dress was just a bit short (I swear the sign said "dress", not shirt).

One final picture before we hop in the car to head to school. Looking like a kindergartner with her backpack on!

On the way to the school entrance I asked Matt to take a picture of us from the front walking in and this is what he did:

Nice. He claims to have not heard me. Riiigggghtt.

Matt and I walked her to the main entrance, we were greeted by the school counselor who was waiting there and she said, come on let's go I'll take you to the gym (where the kinders gather for the first week). At that point Ella looked at me with the sad-about-to-cry face and gave me a big hug which made my tears start (hidden by my sunglasses of course) and then she was swept away and that was it (Matt was bummed he didn't get to hug her good bye as well). I may have shed a few tears as we drove home, but since Matt doesn't make appearances in the comments section, there are no eye witnesses to say one way or the other!

We decided to drive Ella to school for now. I don't know if I posted about this before but she isn't going to the school she's districted to go to. They had more kids than they could take so about 16 were sent to other elementary schools. We weren't happy about it, but it works out that she's going to school with some of her best preschool friends for at least one year. But it also meant that she'd be getting on a bus by herself with no one else from our neighborhood. So we figured that by taking her in the morning, we'd help the transition go smoother and also make our morning less hectic (15 minutes extra to get ready!).

But coming home she's just on the bus with other kinders (that's what they're called!) so it wouldn't be as intimidating.

Her bus was due at 12:15 so Catherine, my mom (who stayed an extra day from their Labor Day visit to be a part of Ella's first school day) and myself all walked to the bus stop to wait.

Matt even came down and joined us a few minutes later. We waited. And waited. And waited. For 30 minutes we waited for the bus to come. I started doubting myself, that maybe I had the wrong bus stop, that I put the wrong bus number on her bus tag, etc, etc. Thirty minutes is a long time to wait for your first born to come home from her first day of kindergarten on her first bus ride (very weird trusting that she would get from her class to her bus to our house. I know, I know, you experienced moms are laughing at me, but it's my first time!!!)

I may have sent Matt back to house to call the school transportation number just in case there something going on that we didn't know about (I have no idea what though.) Again no eye witnesses.... :)

Finally we spotted the bus!

My heart soared when I saw Ella get out of her seat and make her way off the bus.


One day down, one hundred and seventy nine more to go!

Overall she enjoyed her first day. She had a few complaints like, recess was too short, art class was only once a week, she sat next to a boy she didn't like, but nothing major. She was nervous again that night but completely fine in the morning and when I dropped her off she gave me a big smile said "Goodbye mom" and walked off. I didn't feel one bit sad either! Just excited for all she's going to learn and experience throughout this year!