Growing Pains

T-minus 1 week ... and so starts the new school stress
#1: "Where will I go to school next week?"
me: "You'll go to St. Patrick's, you know that. We've been visiting a lot over the summer."
#1: "But I can't go to school, I'm not 5 yet."
me: "Sure you can, you're in a great class where everyone is 4."
#1: "But I'm 4 3/4. Where do we go?"


T-minus 5 days ...
#1: "Grandma, do you know that I can't go to school next week because I'm not 5."

Grandma came up with all kinds of good reasons why St. Patrick's would be the most fun any 4 1/2 year old would ever wish for ...

T-minus 2 days ... Mrs. K and Mrs. J visit us at home
Oh, these are the loveliest ladies ever. They rang the door bell and I saw 2 women that both reminded me of my Mom. As much as I have loved #1's school for the last 4 years ... there was an unbelievable sense of calm to see "my mom" outside the window and know that "she" would take care of my little man for the next year. Mr. Right is convinced that he'll have his knuckles hit with a ruler by Mrs. K before the year is over ... another sign that she is perfect.

Mrs. K and Mrs. J spent 1/2 an hour with #1 - introducing him to Minky and Mr. Bubbles ... or something like that. They are the classroom mascots - puppets that help them learn the class rules and all kinds of other good things. Mrs. K then pulls out a photo album of pictures of things that happen in PK2 and the second photo in was a picture of last year's class and castle with a dragon. Mrs. K and #1 spend a few minutes talking about the magnificence of the castle and the size of the dragon when #1 breaks out ... "do you know what dragons are afraid of?" Mrs. K said, "No. What?" #1 leaves the room and comes back dressed in his Dark Knight Batman costume. I'm hopeful this means, "Watch out PK2, I'm on board."


T-minus 1 day ... Mommy, Daddy & #1 head to school for New Student Orientation
We came, we saw, we conquered...
We found his classroom, his "locker", the art station, the kitchen, the loft ... PK2 is A-OK!


#1s First Day of PK ...
A bit of a disaster until he got out of the car. But he got out of the car! I picked him up 3 hours later and he asked, "When do I get to stay for a full day?" I count that as success.

... And the transition continues ...
We're now in week 2+ and there are still signs of stress. There are tears at least once a day ... and some resistance in getting out of the car at least every other day. It is heartbreaking ... and I'm exhausted. Then there is the other side of the transition - when I pick him up after worrying about him all day long, and rush, rush, rush to get to school by 5:30 so he isn't the absolute last kid to get picked up from extended-day ... and he hits me for coming too early. "I'm not ready to go home yet!!!" WTF? Kid ... you are taking years off my life!