It's been a big week around here. A week full of firsts.
For starters, the Biscuit started Kindergarten. We said goodbye to his daycare the week before, a place where we both feel comfortable and safe.
Until he was 4.5 years old, he was in daycare full time while I worked. Because of that, I really didn't think that it would be too hard for me when he started school. I didn't think that anything would be as hard as leaving him for the first time at 13 weeks old with complete strangers, in a daycare that I didn't totally love, but was the best we could afford at the time.
Of course, I was wrong. This was just as hard.
The week before he started, we went for an orientation. He seemed so small in our public elementary school, where he only knows a handful of students, none of which are in his class. The rules seemed too plentiful, and too big for my fidgety, nervous five year old. He had trouble sitting still and being quiet for the 20 minute orientation, which mostly was an introduction to the behavior tracking system in place in his classroom. All of a sudden, I was not ready to let him go and wasn't sure he was ready.
Though I am used to him going to school everyday, I am also used to being in total control when he goes, and how long he is there. Now we are slaves to the school calendar.
And will be for the next 17 years. Ouch!
We went over some of the rules with him before the first day. The first school-wide rule is to always address adults as "Sir" or "Ma'am". Living in the South, this is something that I have tried to drill into him as soon as he was talking. I've had very little luck, and am constantly correcting him. We practiced a little with him the day before, still with little luck. My heart soared when answered "Yes ma'am" to his teacher's very first question. He was already trying so, so hard.
He has done great this first week. After bringing his lunch for the first three days, he asked me if he could "get a tray", and he tackled the cafeteria as well. So far, so good.
The Bean really didn't have a change this week, since he moved into his 3K class at preschool at the beginning of summer. However, the official school year started the same day as the Biscuit's. So he needed a sign too.
His "packback", as he calls it, is empty. However, he insisted on wearing one to school, since his big brother was taking one. He ran into the kitchen on the first day with a big smile, wearing his backpack, and said, "I got my packback on with my school supplies. I'm ready to go."
If Kindergarten wasn't enough, the Bug started a Mommy's morning out program this week as well. I have to say, this was cake after leaving two itty-bitty babies at daycare full time. He will be a year old in a couple of weeks, and is only attending a few hours a week so that I can get some work done.
I took these right before we left, as an afterthought so I could remember what he looked like on his first day of "school".
I thought that the start of school was plenty reason to reminisce and get weepy over how fast time moves, and how my big boys are no longer babies.
However, the Bug started taking steps today, as if to signal that he, too, is no longer a baby. He has taken a couple of steps here and there over the past two weeks, but nothing that I'd really label as walking. Today, he went all out and took 7 or 8 steps several different times. He is just two weeks shy of his first birthday, and we may well have an official walker by then.
After such a full week, we were all exhausted. We took it easy, and ended the week with a family game of Sorry.
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