The First Day of School...Four Times

This year, we experienced the first day of school several times in our house. Four, to be exact.

First Day of School #1 was the actual first day of school, when I sent my three(!) eldest kiddies off to get their public edu-ma-cations.

I started this new season of my life by waking up at six to get Maia up and out the door by seven. It is easier for me to get up earlier than I have in years than it is to come to terms with the idea that my little girl is in middle school. I feel like I've fed her to the wolves. Here she is before taking the bus to school for the first time in her life:

Two and a half hours later, my Buddy posed for this photo after riding his scooter to his first day of fourth grade:

I think it's important to note that he had this "outfit" picked out and laid out on his bedroom floor for days before school started. And when I say the clothes were laid out, I don't mean that they were sitting in a pile. No, I mean that they were spread out on the floor as if a very flat, invisible person were on the floor in the clothes. It was quite a sight!

My Teensy finally started kindergarten. Believe me, there never was a child who was more ready to start kindergarten than my Teense. She was so excited to get to her classroom, put her things away, and get started! Here she is before we left:

Now, dear friend and devoted reader, please do not think that I am counting all of this as separate first days of school. Oh, no. All of the above was just the first "first day of school."

First Day of School #2 occurred the next week when my sweet kindergartener had to switch classes. We were both a little frustrated when we found out that she would be changing teachers, classrooms and classmates. Poor Teensy thought she had just figured everything out and they were changing things on her. Happily, I report that she now has friends in her new room, loves her new teacher, and is still giddy as...well, a school girl, to be going to school with the big kids.

Two days after Teensy changed classes, Maia got a new schedule. Seven school days into the year, Maia had our family's First Day of School #3. Lest you think I am being dramatic, consider that although her entire schedule didn't change, she did change English, Social Studies, Science and Math classes. Only Reading and PE/Art stayed the same! Bless her heart, she was nervous that she'd no longer have friends in her classes, but her worries were in vain. I'm excited for her new schedule and have high hopes that she'll do well. She said there are only about 10 kids in her new Social Studies class. How awesome is that?

First Day of School #4 was today when my baby officially started preschool. She couldn't be more thrilled to be able to do such a big kid thing as go to school. She has big plans to paint her heart out, dress up like a princess and have a great time. Here's a peek at my newest school girl (who is really into posing herself so fun lately):



Lots of people have asked me what I plan to do during my six hours of "freedom" each week. Well, don't worry about me, dear friend and devoted reader. I have more than enough ideas of things to keep me busy at least until next summer when my little chicks are around me again.