First Day

The first day of school was great!! The Thursday before school started, Wood hosted a Sneak-A-Peak where the kids got to meet their teachers, take all their school supplies to school, and get to know their classroom a little.  Bryn and Jadyn were all smiles for this big event.  We have been counting it down on the calendar for weeks!  

Here is Bryn with her Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Maurer.

...and standing by her very own locker! 

...checking out her new room.  She loved the reading corner!

Bryn spotted her good friend Evelyn at Sneak A Peak where they found out they would be in the very same class!

Jadyn, getting her supplies out and in the right place for 1st grade!

Jadyn with her 1st grade teacher, Mrs. Duron.

The first day started out with little Bryn saying that she did not want to wear her "first day of school outfit".  If you are a mom, you are aware that the first day of school outfit is carefully selected by both mother and child.  It has to be both cute and functional.  It sets the stage for the whole blasted year as far as I am concerned!!! Well, what exactly do you say at this point!! I could think of only two options:

1) Say no, you get what we picked and you don't throw a fit...with the possibility of tears on day one.

2) Say yes, go pick out another outfit (and in your mind thinking that it had better be good!!)...with still the possibility of tears if the correct outfit is not found in time.

I went with #2. The first outfit she brought to me for approval came from (and I am certain of this) the dirty clothes.  I can say this because she has picked this outfit (and worn it!!) from the dirty clothes basket at least three days in a row.  With a (loud) sigh I told her to try again.  Now, we have 9 minuted before my friends come for pictures and she is in the closet with the door closed.  I am sure, close to tears.  

The sad part of this story is that my wheelchair does not fit into the girls room, so I have no way of getting to her physically.  I try, successfully, to coax her out with kind words about how beautiful she will soon look in whatever outfit/ensemble we throw together in now 8 minutes.  

We finally agree on an outfit. I am not incredibly pleased, as I think it is a little too big.  (of course, this is my fault as when we went clothes shopping, we bought the clothes a little big so she could wear them longer).  But, it is pretty and Bryn is happy, so off we go!!! 

Does anyone else have these problems???

When we get to school, I realize all this was nerves as she did not want to get out of the car!  Thank goodness Jake was there to carry her for a bit, and  give her plenty of hugs.  Pictures went well with our playgroup.  We now have 5 in school! Whew!  I can't believe they were once so itty-bitty.  

4 happy Kaylors (Katelyn is still at home getting ready, happily going a little later than the yikes!).

Jadyn and Bryn on the first day of school.  They are so excited to be at the same school this year.

Notice Jadyn is holding all her stuff while Bryn is not!

5 friends in school!

We drop Jadyn off in her first grade room with Mrs. Duron with complete success. She can get her backpack and find her seat all by herself. 

Jadyn on the first day with her precious teacher!

Then, we head to Bryn's class quite slowly.  Plus, she does not want to carry any of her things: backpack, nap mat, lunch box... We help her put away her things and she, again slowly, goes to her seat.  I am so relieved that we know Mrs. Maurer and she is comfortable in her class.  Also, it helps that one of her best friends (Evelyn) is in her class.  So, she has some familiar faces.  We might have all been in tears had this not been the case.  

Bryn and Daddy before the big day!

Mom and Bryn ready to go into her classroom.

Bryn all smiles with her teacher.

We left and I went home to a quiet house, and I spent the whole day at home with my grandmother (great company!!).  You should have seen us when it got close to the girls coming home...it was like Christmas, we were so anxious about hearing about their day!

Katelyn was picked up a little later. I did not get the opportunity to take pictures of Katelyn with all her teachers. Wouldn't that be fun next year though! I am sure she would love that!  Katelyn is now 5'4" now and so beautiful! She starts volleyball tryouts on the first day and for the rest of the week.  There are over 50 girls trying out for 22 spots.  She does not seem too nervous, but I am!! I know she is much more resilient that me when it comes to this sort of thing.  She will be fine either way.  

When Shelly dropped off the girls at the end of the day, they were NON-stop talking about school.  When one would stop to take a breath, the other would jump in with something fun to share.  This is very unusual for them both.  I am quite used to "We played." or "We had lunch." as the commentary for the day.  I am, thus, quite grateful for the barrage of talking about their day.  I hope that every day is just as much fun for them.  

I am so excited for their years at school together.  One of Bryn's favorite things was seeing her family and friends at school throughout the day.  She said she would give them a high-five if they met passing in the hall.  What fun! I would love to go to school with so much of my family.  Some of my favorite memories of elementary school involve having my Aunt Sandy as a teacher in the same building with me!  

Katelyn had a great day too.  She loves a lot of her classes and loves being an 8th grader.  At our school district you go from being at the bottom (7th grade) to the top of the totem pole (8th grade) before moving on to high school.  By the way, if Katelyn heard me using the words totem pole she would be horribly embarrassed.  Its the age!! I am SO not cool!

I think that is a lot for one day.

Much love and laughter to all of you!

Jess