It was a day of mixed emotions for me beginning just before 6 am, at Jack's preferred wake up time. Big day for a big boy - he started preschool! AJ and I raced around early to get everyone up, dressed, fed and out the door looking modestly presentable by 7:45 am. My hat is officially off to parents that must do this every Monday through Friday. I have grossly underestimated the kind of planning it takes to pull this off and actually be somewhere when you need to be. But for my first day, not too shabby. We pulled out of the driveway at 7:51 and arrived just a few minutes early over at Twain elementary. The drop off went precisely as I expected it to - a few moments of excitement from Jack as his eyes swept over his new indoor play ground, complete with multiple Thomas the Tank Engine books, stuffed animals, sensory boxes (super great idea for a chair alternative!) and a computer that he is actually allowed to use. Which quickly collapsed into realization that I was leaving...him...there...
Ok so I'm used to tantrums by this point. It's part of our normal every day life. But to leave him for the first time in a big boy classroom crying with people he doesn't know was harder for me than I thought it would be. I got teary as I left the building with Livvie asking me, "Mom, is Jacky going to be okay?" Ummm, I don't know. But I came up with something better than that. "Remember honey, when you started preschool last year, and you were so excited but kind of sad to stay by yourself without me? Well Jack just feels a little sad because he's not used to it yet, and he doesn't know how much fun it is. He'll get it soon!"
I was so anxious to pick him up at 12:30. I kept staring at the clock on the wall as the minutes ticked painfully by during chem lecture (last one, praise God). I drove over to Twain and parked illegally in the circle drive, so we could make a fast getaway. Down the hall to Mr. Jordan's room, where he met me at the door. The other kids were napping on little yoga mats, cute cute cute. Jack was outside with Doris (who he has since referred to as "Dora".) Nothing but smiles and hugs when he saw me coming. A GREAT first day, followed by a GREAT first week and nothing but fun until the end of the year. We are ready to begin again in the fall!!!
