The First Day of Kindergarten

The First Day of Kindergarten!!  It's finally here!!!

5:45 came so early, yet Tate slept right through our alarm!!  YAY!!  I got up, got his special first day of school breakfast ready...he requested tiger Cheerios (aka Frosted Flakes), caramel yogurt (aka chocolate on the bottom greek yogurt) and hot chocolate!  A sugar rush if I've ever heard of one!  :)  I got my hair done, started making his lunch then went upstairs to wake him up.

He was out of bed in a flash as soon as he remembered he was having his beloved Tiger Cheerios :).  I of course joined him for a bowl.  After much prodding he was finally done...boy did he savor that hot cocoa and those Frosted Flakes, opting to not eat the yogurt this morning, but saving for an after school snack.  So I got him dressed and gave him a little first-day-of-kindergarten gift, a Lego creator helicopter.  He was thrilled.  Teeth were brushed...mine and his.  Make-up done...mine.  Then it was picture time.  Of course.  All along I was peppering him with tidbits about how fun kindergarten was going to be, how he was going to see his old friend, C and how I would be picking him up.  I reminded him over and over that no matter what I was always going to be here for him.  My little boy was full of smiles.

I've edited out his school crest...
it would be there on his left.

The loveys went with us in the car :) 

My little boy with his big kid backpack! 

We got all situated in the car and we were off!  We arrived at the school in time for some pictures outside!

Then we made our way inside.  The atmosphere inside was amazingly warm, inviting, loving, welcoming and just buzzing with excitement.  Parents, teachers, administrators said 'Good Morning!' 'Welcome'.  Smiles were all over the place.  My fears and anxiety dropped dramatically.  On our way in we had run into his dear friend from his daycare, so we walked him into his classroom since his mom was just dropping him off.  The boys were thrilled to see each other.

We made it to his classroom and there was his teacher!  We found his cubby, his desk and some awesome toys to play with!!!

I kissed my sweet boy good-bye (a few times) and left him with a smile on his face.  I took his epi-pens to the nurse's office and had a quick talk with her...the really nice nurse :). I then realized I had forgotten to tell his teacher he could have the jitter-juice the group was having today (she had sent me an email with the ingredients, so I was to let her know if he could have it).  I ran back to the classroom as I knew they were about to all go to the student center for their morning meeting (they have one every morning).  The boys were lined up outside and there was my Tate, second in line, beaming and jumping up and down.  

Seems like he was going to be all right!

I made my way to work, constantly praying that 230 would come quickly, so I could go pick him up!!  By 2:45 I was on the road!  The carpool line was in full swing by the time I arrived...I got a bit confused (as I anticipated from the lack of instruction!), but he climbed into the car and we were off.  This will definitely take some time getting used to because he was inclined to piddle around and not get in his carseat and buckle himself in in a timely manner.  But we'll work on it!

I asked him how his day was and he said it was ok.  I asked if he liked any of the boys, and he said no, they were all mean and rude.  Sigh.  I asked him to tell me his 3 favorite parts of school and he said lunch because he could wave at C, the play-doh project and playing on the playground.   I asked if he played with the boys on the playground, and he said noone would play with him.  Sigh.  

I tried to ascertain why he thought they were mean and rude.  He said they said rude things to him, but he wouldn't tell me what.  He mentioned that they told him 'No cutting!'  I do know that Tate has a very hard time standing in line and waiting his turn...I've seen him have issues with it.  So I reminded him that if he does try cutting in line, he won't make friends easily, that he needs to wait his turn.  He also said he didn't sit with anyone at lunch because "I have food allergies."  I had asked his teacher on Friday if he was going to have to sit alone, and she said no.  So I need to figure out what that's all about...I'm going to send her a note tomorrow and make sure he's not sitting alone.  

I've asked him a couple more times this evening about the other boys.  He's specifically said one boy in particular was mean, but I'm going to give it some time.  I know he'll find his way.  I know this.  God is there with him;  He'll help him.  I know this.  It's just so hard to not worry.  I didn't realize how very much I loved this child of mine until I was so worried and anxious about someone hurting him.  This fear cuts me to depth of my soul.  

Tonight I gave him two more back to school gifts (books!) and we had a festive dinner of delivered pizza!  I hope to continue our first day rituals over the next 12 years with the special breakfast, dinner, my taking and picking him up and a couple of gifts.  I realize that when he's 15 he may not want me to walk him into his classroom, but we're going to have our meals together and he'll get something meaningful from me to remember the first day!

Christian also skyped with Tate when we got home.  Tate was a little distracted and didn't really want to talk, but I'm glad Christian is trying to share these moments with him.  It will mean so much to Tate in the long run.

So tonight I'm going to head off to bed a little less worried than I was last night.  I'm going to cuddle my sweet boy who seems a little befuddled and confused, but very secure in his mother's love.

I even had him take some of my love with him in his backpack.  On Friday we had a last hoorah playdate with some of his closest friends from his daycare at one of the kids' houses.   The mom organized a craft.  She read A Kissing Hand  Here's a quick synopsis...School is starting in the forest, but Chester Raccoon does not want to go. To help ease Chester's fears, Mrs. Raccoon shares a family secret called the Kissing Hand to give him the reassurance of her love any time his world feels a little scary. Since its first publication in 1993, this heartwarming book has become a children's classic that has touched the lives of millions of children and their parents, especially at times of separation, whether starting school, entering daycare, or going to camp. It is widely used by kindergarten teachers on the first day of school.

So all us moms on Friday made cut-outs of our hands and our kids' hands.  We laminated them and we were ready for the first day of school!  This morning Tate and I each kissed ours with my intention as the book said that I would take his hand to keep him close to me and he would have mine to feel close to me.

He wanted both hands.  

Ok little boy, take both our hands, so our hands will be together all day.  He was very happy.  Which made me extremely happy!