Brian Goes to Kindergarten

My all time favorite book growing up was Mumpsy Goes to Kindergarten.  It was my grandmother's book and she read it to me every time I stayed with her until I was able to read it to her.  The tradition continued well into my junior high years.  The book now sits in my curio cabinet with Pinky...my doll from my grandparents house.  A reminder of my childhood and my wonderful grandparents.

Last week, my baby boy went to Kindergarten.  Mumpsy was a scared little kitten, unsure of what Kindergarten would bring.  Brian wasn't scared a bit.  He was ready and excited to meet his new teacher, Mrs. Harrington, the week before at Readifest.  He was ready and excited to start this new adventure Wednesday morning.

We have become quite close with the neighborhood girls over the summer, so we started our morning by seeing them off on their bus to their first day of school.  We then started our car ride to Ryland.  Brian doesn't go to our neighborhood school for two reasons.  First, the school he attends in three minutes from my work.  Second, our neighborhood school is big.  Really big.  And we knew he would be more comfortable in the smaller setting Ryland offers.

Brian and Lilah were super excited to see the hot air balloon out in front of school when we arrived (a first day of school tradition)!  Brian tolerated my picture taking, but you can see from this series of pictures, he really just wanted to get inside his classroom!

I thought I would cry for sure.  I mean, he's my BABY!  But he didn't cry.  He didn't look back.  So, you know what?  I didn't cry either.  If he's okay, I'm okay!

Lilah was another story.  She cried and said, "we NO leave my Brian boy!"  Poor little thing.  She's not taking this back to school thing so well.  Even a solo trip to the zoo with mom and dad didn't do the trick.  Every day last week she asked me, "I go to school too?"  I told her she has to be three and potty trained.  Guess who had only 3 potty accidents in the three days that Brian went off to school without her?  She really doesn't want to miss out on anything!  And she really misses her buddy.

Days two and three were much the same as far as Brian adjusting to Kindergarten.  As in, there was no adjustment.  He loves it!  He was super excited to tell me about the gingerbread man hunt they had on Day 2.  He even created a hunt for me when we got home and reset it for Shawn to do when he got home.  Days 2 and 3 meant I couldn't walk him to his classroom anymore.  He had to hop out of the car in the drop off loop.  Brian didn't bat an eye.  I may have shed a tear or two the first time.  Would he find his classroom?  Would he be scared?  Yes and of course not!  He's got it under control.

He told me that his favorite part of the day on Friday was SCHOOL!  I also found out from another mom whose kiddo is having a rough time, that she witnessed Brian telling him, "it's okay, you're going to be fine."  Awww!  And his teacher sent me a note to let me know that he is SO SWEET!  LOVE!