Kindergarten

Logan started three-day full-day Kindergarten today.  Just writing that gets me a little misty-eyed and nostalgic.  Where did the time go?  Wasn’t he just a snuggly newborn yesterday?

Yesterday we went to Logan’s classroom to drop off supplies and meet his teacher, Mrs. Fox.  He was a little nervous to greet his teacher, but he enjoyed finding his name at his table and was so excited to see that his friend Isaac is assigned to sit at the same table as him.

Logan also likes his locker and is even more thrilled that his is green, his favorite color.  :)

This morning, Logan was definitely more excited than anxious.  He assured Audrey that she will get to go to Kindergarten when she turns 5 and gave me the play-by-play of how close we were getting to the school.

I’m torn.  I know that today takes him one step closer to independence, and although I’m ready for that, it also takes him one step farther from me.  And even though Logan attended preschool, this is a much larger place with much older kids.  It’s real school.  I find myself feeling a mixture of so many emotions: anxiety (will the other kids like him?  will he fit in?  will he be able to open his granola bar wrapper?), excitement (I can’t wait to watch him learn and grow), nostalgia and sadness, but mostly huge, bursting pride. 

When we got to school this morning, we took a few pictures and then went around to the playground where the kids play before school.  I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of kids playing on that playground.  Logan didn’t seem phased by all the other kids, he just wanted to find his friend Isaac.  As we were looking for Isaac, a whistle blew indicating that it was time to line up.  It was at that moment that Logan teared up a little.  “Mommy, I didn’t get a chance to play!”  I quickly hugged him and assured him that they’d get another recess later, and then he found Isaac (teal shirt in front of him) who told him it would be ok.  (Thanks, Isaac!)

After that he was fine.  Excited, actually.  His teacher, Mrs. Fox (above, standing in front of his line with her arm out), is great and I trust she will guide Logan this year to help him learn and grow.

And with that he bravely walked into school like the big five-year-old he is (while I snapped pictures like the paparazzi).

At pick-up time, Logan was all smiles as he hopped into the car but didn’t want to share much about what they did at school today.  He told me what he had for lunch (which I knew anyway since I packed it), that his favorite time of day was recess, and that his table is the “Eagle” table.  Then he wanted to know what we did while he was gone (we went to a park, which made him a little jealous) and he wanted to know if he can stay home with me when Audrey goes to school.  :)  He’s excited to go back tomorrow, though, so I think that’s a great sign that it was a good day!