Aaron's First Day of Kindergarten

I never would have dreamed that I would go from holding a newborn in the hospital to sending him to Kindergarten in the span of a few short days. Seriously--where did the time go?

Aaron has been so excited about starting Kindergarten. Claire has been too--she just knew she would get to go too. Last week we practiced our new morning routine all week, which starts at 6:30 since our school is an "early school". I made a list to hang on their bedroom wall that tells them the steps of getting ready...

Step 1: Wake up at 6:30.
Step 2: Get dressed (shirt, pants, and socks).
Step 3: Eat breakfast.
Step 4: Brush teeth.
Step 5: Put on shoes.
Step 6: Go to Kindergarten!

Every day last week we had to wake them from a dead sleep at 6:30. This morning, when we headed for their room at 6:30, we heard them chattering about what step 2 was, and about how today was the first day of Kindergarten! I think Aaron must have been so excited he woke up a little early, but he stayed in bed until 6:30 on the dot, because he knows the rules! He told me, "When the clock was on 6:29, I said 'Almost time'!"

After breakfast of cheese grits and scrambled eggs (his new favorites), he was off to Kindergarten!




We took the whole family this morning, and parked close to the school so we could walk. Aaron felt confident as we entered his hallway that he knew the way to his class (we had visited at a "meet the teacher" last Friday).


Here he is with Mrs. Anderson! She is so energetic and I think we're really going to like her!


He ran into the class and I called to him, "Aaron, aren't you going to tell us bye? Do you care that we are leaving??" Ha ha ha! He ran back and gave everyone big kisses--including Hannah. It was so sweet when he and Claire hugged.



Even Daddy got hugs.


I didn't really cry when we were leaving...I only teared up a little as we were walking down the sidewalk back to the van. When we were leaving Claire said, "Why do we have to leave Aaron at Kindewgawden?" Then she said, "But I don't WANT to get back in the van without AARON!" Later that morning we went to a "cry breakfast" with my friends Tammy, Stacy, and Amanda, who all had kids starting K this morning. Claire enjoyed that, then we had a playdate with her friend Emma Kate, and she had a blast playing girlie things and locking Emma Kate's baby brother out of the room. He he he! After that I think she wasn't so sad that she was spending the day without Aaron. We stayed busy and it kept her mind off of him I guess. It worked well for me too, and 2:30 was here before I knew it!

This afternoon Mammaw surprised me by stopping by so she could stay with the girls while I went to get Aaron. I walked again, and picked him up at the door. He was so excited to see me!


I didn't get many details about the day. Of course he can't remember any of the kids' names. Some things he said:

"We ACCIDENTALLY didn't go to art today. It was an ACCIDENT. But tomorrow we have music!" He did tell me they met the art and music teachers, but didn't GO to art. Maybe next week they won't forget. ;-)

"My favorite part is going to be computer lab, but we didn't do that today." He can hardly wait to play on the computers they have in the classroom!! As if I never let him play at home!!

"I made a sun visor and colored the apple blue! And the leaf green and the stem brown." He told me he did a painting of...what ELSE? A garbage truck! He wanted to show it all to me and was a bit disappointed when it wasn't in his folder, like his preschool art work always was. Maybe they send that stuff home on Fridays? I have no idea.

Did you play on the playground? "Yes SIR! We won't go out there when it's raining. My teacher didn't tell me that, but I just know that." He told me they played on "hot slides"--I think recess is just before noon and it was blazing today!!

Did you eat all of your lunch? "Yes! I ate some of it while the teacher was coming around with the trash can." We've been telling him he won't have long to eat his lunch so he's going to HAVE to learn to eat faster. But I do think he ate everything I sent today! Some of it apparently at the last minute.

Speaking of his lunch, here is his first school lunch, packed in his new super-cool bento-style lunch box. The idea of a bento box is to reduce wasteful plastic baggies and convenience food packaging, and give you the tools to pack a healthier, appealing lunch. I like it so far! He had PB&J, some graham crackers, raisins, dried cherries, and a coconut macaroon. :-)


Tonight I got all 3 kids in bed by 8:00 and I'm feeling very prepared for tomorrow!!

And to think...Claire will go in just 2 short years. I am really going to savor my time at home with her and Hannah, because I now know how quickly it flies! I'll be a mess when Hannah goes in 5 years!!