First Days

So far the 2014-2015 school year is off to a great start.  Both kids were ready and excited on their first day.

(Sorry that picture is blurry. Not sure why.)

We dropped Benjamin off and he didn't even want me to walk him in.  "Just drop me off at the door; that's fine."  Big third grader already.

Bella's school required that we walk them in, so I did and I was totally fine as we walked in, put her bag in her locker, said hello to her teacher, found her desk, etc. etc.  Even as I said goodbye and walked out, I was fine.  But then I drove out of the parking lot and the full weight of what I'd just done hit me and I started to sob.  My baby girl, my only girl, was in first grade and was now going to be gone away from me all day.  After all last year together every day homeschooling - this was a shock to my heart.  I cried the whole way home.  I thought of her all day and found it hard to concentrate on anything I was doing as I wondered about her (and Benjamin too, of course, but it being his second year since homeschooling, I was more certain he was ok).  Finally 3:30 came and I picked her up.  She came out of school grinning from ear to ear.  "School is so fun!  I can't wait to go back!  Can we make a time machine so I can make it tomorrow and go back right away?!"  It made me so happy to hear that.

 All week has been much of the same.  She likes her teacher and her classmates and the things they do there.  It's been a great experience so far.  I've just noticed she's been really crabby and mean to Christian this week.  More than usual.  I don't know if that's because of fatigue from school, or a subconscious backlash because he gets mommy time all day and she's jealous, or a struggle for attention in any form she can get it.  Whatever the cause, it sure has made the time when she's gone much less emotionally difficult for me. :)  I've really appreciated the peace and quiet of just having Christian home all day.  Preschool doesn't start until Monday, so we've made the most of our free week and gone to Greenfield Village, gone swimming, and played with friends at the park and loved every minute of it.   Kelly even walked over from work to join us for lunch at the village this week.  "I don't care what we do, I just love being here," Christian told me when I asked what he wanted to do at the village.  Amen, Christian.  You expressed exactly how I feel.

Benjamin seems to like his class and teacher this year even better than last year.  He's been much more positive about the whole thing so far.  Also, this year his teacher sends home a booklet with what they did in each subject that day so I can ask him specific questions and we've had much better discussions about what he's done away from me for 7 hours.  That drove me crazy last year that I never knew what he was doing all day and all he'd say was, "Nothing," or  "I forgot."  You've been there for the last 7 hours, how can you forget everything you did??!  So far his favorite part of the day, though, is the bus ride home.  He didn't want to ride the bus last year, preferring I pick him up rather than spending the extra time getting home.  But I insisted he ride it this year so I didn't have to do three drop-offs and three pick ups every day and he's really enjoyed the bus.