Meet the Teacher was a success! Rylee got to meet her teacher (Mrs. H), see her classroom, and even met a few new friends. When it was time to go she insisted on staying. The next morning she was ready to go back but I had to remind her that school doesn't not start for another week. Needless to say, Rylee is excited and more than ready to start kindergarten!!
The day before the BIG day was bittersweet. It was our last official day to spend all day together so we made the most of it (lunch, painted nails, played, and lots of snuggles). She was full of questions and excited about what was to come tomorrow. That night we layed out her first day of school clothes and I gave her a little gift to help her not be so nervous or anxious about the big day. The gift included a new horse stuffed animal (I named it Brave - since she was going to be such a brave girl in Kindergarten), The Night Before Kindergarten book, and a necklace that says 'I love you to the moon & back' for her to wear so if she is scared or sad or just missing us she can hold it and think of us because we will be thinking of her the whole day.
Went to check on my baby before I went to bed and she had fallen asleep with her new book <3
The next morning she was up bright and early at 6:30am bouncing down the stairs into our room telling us that she was ready for school! We sent Rayna to my sister's house to have a smooth morning with no distractions, ate breakfast, packed her lunch, got dressed & put on her new necklace from Mommy, took her kindergarten picture (all smiles), and off to school we walked. She looked so beautiful and so big this morning making me wonder when and how she grew up so fast!
My big Kindergartner!
We held hands the whole walk to school as she skipped along telling us how excited she was, wondering how many friends she would make, and that Mrs. H was going to love her. She then said, "I am just a little bit terrified and a lot excited!" I asked her if she knew what terrified meant and she said no lol...I reminded her there is nothing to be scared about. Oh, and she insisted on carrying her backpack and lunckit the entire way when we tried helping her she said, "no thanks". The backpack is almost bigger than her! Seriously, cannot get over how grown up she is now.
We walked into the school all the way to her classroom and she walked right in with no hesitations. She gave Mrs. H a hug, found her seat, and began to talk to her new friends at her table. She asked the little girl behind her who was also chatty like herself what her name was and if she would be her friend <3 I did not want to hang around too much so I gave her a big kiss and a quick goodbye. As I walked out I heard her telling and showing her new friend her painted nails...love that kid!
I held it together until we left the classroom. It's like I left my heart in Kindergarten this morning. After counting down the hours ALL day it put me at ease when I saw her run up to us after school with a HUGE smile on her face! She had a great first day making new friends, going to music, reading books, and even helping a friend at lunchtime (which makes my heart so happy). She was a little grumpy with her sister (what's new?) but overall was fine after school and went to bed.
The next morning she was just as excited to go back to school. We walked with her cousins and they chit-chatted the whole way about 'big kid' stuff like...how they loved their teachers, new friends, music/art/PE, seeing eachother during school, etc... These three are the best of friends and I am so thankful Rylee has them to look up to <3
This is definitely the hardest milestone yet. Sending your kids out in the big world, hoping they will be safe and surrounded by good people. Hoping they will never be afraid to speak up, include everyone, and be themselves. I hope she will always be confident in any situation thrown her way and know that she is loved beyond measure. Oh and I hope she will never say not when I ask to come have lunch with her! ;) Here's to a fun and successful school year with lots of great memories to be made!
