First Day of Preschool

This was it. The First Day of Preschool. My baby boy. Wa-hoo! We have been looking forward to this for months! Con has needed structure. I have needed structure. My poor boy has needed this. (He is playing contently by himself letting me post--yeah!)

And he was great! A great listener. A great direction follower. And painter. And didn't have to do everything and answer every question. A little bossy, but he is the oldest in the class by far, and I am his mother. And the other kids didn't seem to mind. And it was at our house. (With roof construction going on, yes, but the kids soon blocked out the banging and crashing sounds from above and the moms politely led their children around the mess to go home. Thank-you, Tyler, for cleaning up the back yard!!)

We are doing Busy Bees, a co-op with seven other kids (most of which are 3, but two are still 2, although one I would not have guessed it) and I asked to be the first teacher. Not just because I love school, or my classroom experience, because lets face it 5th and 3rd grades are sooooo different from 3 year olds. That part scared me. Still does. But a lovely mom named Chelsea offered to stay and I very eagerly accepted and she kept things running smoothly.

I wanted to have it here first because I can just finish the session at our house before this baby is born. The first day at a different house, I will be in the hospital. Tyler or Ann will have to take Con to his first day of preschool not at our house. I will miss that milestone. Asi es la vida. This was the first day, anyway. And better to have a big'ol'pregnant teacher than try my hand at preschool with a newborn.

Where was Grace? Thank-you Mary! Grace went to "Aunt Mary's" house for the two hours, to "play with Baby Ryan." Her first time to go anywhere All By Herself. She reportedly did not know what to do with herself--we are usually there with nine kids, so I can see the confusion. I think she'll figure it out. She's at that stage where she doesn't know what to do without Conrad here at our house, either, for the first hour or two. Then she looks around and goes after his favorite toys like she is being naughty. I love it!

First day of school--how would we rate it? Well, we didn't get to a fourth of the activities I had planned, and I forgot my cutsie songs and finger plays the last 10 minutes and fell back on reading to the kids (which they seemed to enjoy and my literacy back-ground thrilled at), but with lots of thank-yous to all my help, I would call it a success. I can't wait until Thursday!