Being awesome.
I was completely fine this morning, getting the 3yo ready for his first day of school, ever.
Truly.
He was a rock star, dressing so handsomely, gobbling up breakfast, busting out his new fancy fast school shoes.
I even interviewed him before school.
His list of favorites:
Song: Kick Drum (Avett Bros.)
Food: Cheeseburger
Fruit: Cantaloupe. No grapes. No. Cantaloupe.
Animal: Todd Helton the Cat
Song to sing by himself: Tin Man (also Avett Bros.)
Sport to play: Soccer
Breakfast: Pancakes. No. Waffles. I LOVE WAFFLETH.
Place to go on vacation: The Butterfly Pavilion
Thing to do outside: Swimming
Show: The Lorax
He just kept firing off things at me like a little machine.
Big brother is overjoyed that E is now old enough for preschool – the same one, in fact, that he went to.
He was also so nervous for him all day.
This is when it all went to crap, because that picture made me cry, by myself, in a coffee shop while surrounded by uber geeks this morning. And I didn’t care. I sniffed really loudly and I’m sure made some weird throat noises, but I drowned it all out with Mumford & Sons (because I forgot to load The Avett Bros. into my iTunes library) blasting in my headphones as I sat solemnly in my hope for E that he knows how very much his older brother loves him.
That was the moment when I knew I needed a little reflection time, a little breather, a little space in which to be thankful and weirded out with some new free time a few mornings each week. This morning changed our lives forever as we sent our baby on his educational way.
He’s ready.
He’s also a little nervous and unsure about navigating this new change.
But he’s ready.
He kept us on track and on time this morning.
Even in the car. It was, evidently, 5:15.
He rocked out a little on the five minute drive.
And then it all happened so fast.
The walk in.
The sign in.
The send off.
The first looks of, “I can’t breathe” and “I really might be a little nervous and I’m confused – I thought you guys were staying here with me.”
Oh that moment.
And he was a little sad for a little while…and then he played. He had some work time, some snack time, and he met two new friends whose names he even remembered to tell us about this afternoon. We listened to Kick Drum and went for cheeseburgers at lunchtime and chatted about how almost everyone gets a little nervous at first, but new friends and new stuff to learn and new teachers help us all be awesome.
And we are.
Awesome, that is. :)
Hank Pantier
i realize that i am totally biased, but seriously, those are two of the most amazing kids i’ve ever met. i am totally with you on the “i-am-fine-no-wait-i-might-not-be” “so-happy-for-this-experience-no-wait-slow-down” roller coaster.
Mary
i’ll hold your hand if you’ll hold mine on our little roller coaster. <3