Back to School - Kindergarten and Preschool

The long anticipated first day of kindergarten has come and gone.  Emma had been looking forward to being an official kindergartner all summer, and mom had been dreading the day all summer.  I'm not sure why I was dreading it so much.  I mean there are plenty of days around the house where the girls are doing nothing but fighting over toys, arguing over which movie to watch, complaining about being bored, and giving me the normal lines of "We NEVER get to....... (insert favorite activity)."  I just know that my big girl, the one who introduced me to the best gift ever - being a mom - just over five years ago, was about to fly the coup.  No, she wasn't going off to college or getting married and moving across the country (sorry mom) but she was going off to big kids school.  She would be spending more time with her teacher during daytime hours than with me and that alone made me sad.  Super sad. 

 

I suppose I just love having her around the house.  Listening to her make believe games, watching her dress up, watching her dance, or just getting a glimpse of her whenever I please.  She makes me smile and laugh and is a great entertainer for her little sister.  I knew she was ready for kindergarten, though.  And in my heart I knew it was what was best for her.  It is just kind of hard to let go.

 

OK - enough being sappy.  Despite being super sad the day before kindergarten (on the day we celebrated Anna's birthday) I held myself together quite well on the big day.  I think I had gotten it all out of my system.  Oh and I suppose you want to know how the actual kindergartner did?  She did awesome!  Jay and I took her to her first morning and she was SO excited!  She ran right into her class and started playing with a puzzle and another girl.  She basically had to tell Jay and I it was OK to leave and we left her happy as can be - looking all grown up. 

 

She LOVES school.  She LOVES getting homework.  Oh how those days will change!  The only thing I wasn't prepared for was how utterly exhausted she would be from kindergarten.  More tears in those first two weeks than the last two years combined.  I know she does great at school but she loses it the minute she walks through the door!  She cries for no reason such as "I just don't know what toys to play with!!!!" or "None of this is making any sense to me!!!".  Sometimes she literally sounds drunk saying stuff that makes no sense whatsoever.  I guess full day kindergarten is a lot to take in for her and will take some time adjusting.  We are in week three now and she is slowly getting better.  

 

 

 

Playing with a puzzle

She is a Regina Howell Charger

Cookie to celebrate finishing the first day of school

 

Completing her first homework

Anna was also beyond excited to start her first year of preschool.  Like I have said before, she likes to do everything her big sister does. She couldn't wait to wear her backpack like Emma does!  I was a bit nervous on her first day because I had no idea if she would run off and be happy or have lots of tears when I left.  Turns out that she is exactly like her big sister and she ran off into her class so excited.  I had to even call her back to get a hug goodbye!  I actually left her class a little teary eyed because she surprised me by being such a big, independent girl!  She loves going to school and can give me bits of information about her day too since her speech is improving so much.  She tells me she loves to play dress up with the girls, loves the playground, talks about a boy named Brody all the time (look out dad!), sang a song called "Rockin in My School Shoes" and even told me she made a purple handprint!  Why do kids have to grow up so fast?

First day school pics were a disaster for Anna.  My camera lens kept getting all foggy from the crazy humidity and by the time I pulled my phone out she was over it.  She looked super cute anyway!

 

 

 

Her backpack is bigger than her!

This last video is Emma showing off how she can tie a shoe!  This was her homework over Labor Day weekend.  I have worked with her in the past and she didn't have any interest in learning.  When it was labeled "homework" from her teacher she couldn't wait to learn!  It literally only took 10 minutes and she had it down pat.  She is already learning so much!