And He's Off!

Ahhh, where do I start?!! Today was Henry's first day of kindergarten, a day met with many different feelings for all of us...fear, uncertainty, doubt, excitement, relief, hope...to name just a few!

We had debated for the better part of the year whether Henry should start kindergarten this year...our options were to send him to a kinder prep program, St Agnes, or to Hewitt. Ultimately, we thought he needed more than a glorified pre-school, but in our eyes, he wasn't really ready for kindergarten. So by sending him to St. Agnes now, we give ourselves the option of sending him to kindergarten again next year at Hewitt if he needs it. We shall see...

So anyway, he hadn't been talking about school at all recently. I know he was anxious, but I think he thought if he didn't discuss it, it wouldn't happen haha. But alas, the day finally came. Last night he took the jitter glitter from Charlotte and put it under his pillow, and fell right to sleep...unlike his big sister, who calls us back like 15 times the night before school starts :)

This morning I had to wake him up at 6:30am because his bus pick-up is so early. Anyone who knows Henry knows he is NOT a morning person! So he walked down the stairs, looked outside, and started to turn around and go back upstairs saying "nope, it's too early...the moon is still out" haha. Too early for me too, Henry boy :). He couldn't eat anything because he said he had a bellyache (those darn butterflies!), but he got dressed without any issues and we went outside for the required photo shoot haha

The hands in the pockets kill me :)

Too funny

So handsome

Back to the stoop haha

Hugs from his proud big sister:)

He found a ladybug...is that supposed to be good luck?!

We had a babysitter stay with Eloise, and Jon, Charlotte and I walked to the bus stop. And more pictures :)

Looking for the bus

Love my boys

A little heart-to-heart with daddy

I was feeling so nervous at this point, felt like I was going to throw up...I can't imagine what Henry was feeling!!! Can you imagine getting on a bus where you know no one, going to a school you've never attended, with a teacher you've never met, with kids you don't know, for a completely new experience (elementary school!)?!! So many unknowns. It is so brave of him, and we are so incredibly proud.

Anyway, the bus finally came, and he hugged me a few times and walked over...Jon had to help him up because his backpack was so heavy, but he got on! I had to put my sunglasses on to hide the tears as our little boy pulled away on that big bus for the first time. Jon had a quiver lip. It was emotional, even though we were meeting him at the school 10 minutes later haha.

That is Henry's little head by the front of the seat there. He told me he looked for a booster seat but couldn't find one. Oops, guess I forgot to tell him there are no car seats on a school bus :)

Gulp...

So we drove to the school for their little kindergarten ceremony, where they announce the kids and have them go meet their teachers. It took a while...it was hot...the kids were antsy...the parents were anxious, so we were all wanting to get on with it haha.

Reunited at school!

Henry got Ms. Smith, an older, grandmotherly woman. She seems nice but strict, which is good. Henry didn't want to walk in, and needed help with his backpack (like all of the kids--the supplies weigh more than they do!), so I walked him into school. The kindergarten classrooms are all around a big playroom, and Henry was in complete awe of that room, he barely even noticed that we walked into his classroom and he didn't even turn around to say "goodbye" to me as his teacher ushered him in haha. So I just left...phew! :)

We were anxious all day...Jon called me at 10am to see if the school had called yet haha, so to say it was a relief to see his smiling face come off the bus would be an understatement! He told me it was "really fun" and he had a great day...oh deep breath for the first time haha.

After he finished telling me about how much fun he had, he said he was so hot and he was "dying sweating". We had to go home immediately so he could change, and he pretty much complained the entire way to Hewitt about how it was so hot and he wanted to go home. By the time we got to Hewitt, he was whining and crying incessantly. Some things never change! But strangely enough, he snapped out of it and seemed to get a second wind when we got home...we all had snacks, he told us about his day, and he asked if he could have homework from now on just like Charlotte haha. And he was so excited to see Eloise--and vice versa! She didn't know where her play mates were all day, so they all had to make up for lost time :)

At dinner Henry told us about saying grace at school, and Charlotte asked him to teach her what they say. What followed reminded me of the scene from "Meet the Parents" haha...so cute.

So I would consider today a success. Henry had a great first day at kindergarten, and Charlotte had another great day in 2nd grade...fingers crossed tomorrow goes smoothly too :)

 

Xoxoxo