August 18th - First Day of School!

Please disregard the crazy layout of this post. I can't get the pictures to go where I want them to and I'm tired of messing with it! If I keep trying, it will end up being the last day of school before it's correct.

Yea, it finally came--the first day of school!!! You don't know how excited I was for this day to get here. Man, these kids are work. Yes, I know kids are work, and I signed up for that when deciding to have kids. But really, you don't understand---THESE kids...they are work! And trouble. But also sweet and loving. Anyway, that aside, I was still thrilled to see the 2 older ones head off to school yesterday morning.

Blair started Pre-K this year and Reid is in 1st grade. Blair is now joining Reid at his school, which she is super excited about. She finally gets to ride the bus, and she didn't even have to sit in a car seat on the bus, she told me. She seemed pretty happy about that. Of course, since she has a easier time sitting still than her big brother, it doesn't surprise me that she gets to sit in a seat of her own free will (whereas Reid, God love him, still had to be "reminded" to stay in his seat with the use of a seatbelt booster last year).

Anyway, I drove the kids to school yesterday morning, probably more for me and my emotions than for them. I just love seeing them get settled the first day. As usual, we were running late. So we were hustling in as school announcements were running over the loud speakers. We stopped at Reid's room first. Everyone (all 8 of the other kids in his class) were already in their seats by the time he took his. I hated having to rush him into his room, but in the end, it was probably better for him since it didn't give him the chance to get rowdy at the excitement of seeing his friends again. (And better for me since I am a lingerer and tend to linger around for no reason, which probably would have made the drop off harder for everyone.) Anyway, Reid never has a problem being dropped off anywhere, so I was a little surprised when he looked a little timid walking into his room and motioned for me to lean down. In a whisper, he said, "I don't know where to sit." So I helped him find his desk, he sat down and was fine.

I then ran out of his room and across the hall to get Blair dropped off in her room. At the instruction of her teacher, she found her hook in the hallway, hung up her backpack and then went back in her class. I helped her find her seat, gave her a hug, said "Have fun!" and walked out. Now, Blair is pretty outgoing and friendly, but she does show a little separation anxiety at times. So I was partly expecting a "Don't go" or "I want my old school" or at the very least puppy dog eyes. But nope, not a tear, nervousness or anything! So, I just kept walking and that was that. And even more impressive is that she didn't even take her beloved, don't-leave-home-without-it, carry-it-everywhere, ratty, old bunny with her! It turned out to be a very uneventful drop-off. So, obviously not needed by my kids on the first day of school and with nothing left to do for them, I got back in the car and headed home, a little misty-eyed at the fact that my little Blair is now officially a school girl. 

Sloane wanted to wear a backpack and take a First Day of School picture too

Oh, prior to the first day, I asked Blair what she was most excited about about going to her new school and she said playing with dolls and playing on the computer. When I asked Reid, he said he didn't know (typical Reid answer). At the end of the first day, Blair's favorite part was playing on the playground, painting, and playing with playdoh and Reid's was centers (activity stations).

Enjoying some First Day of School ice cream after school