First Day of School

Camden & Riley

First Day of School

September 3, 2005

After a week of night time routines, and discussing the start of school, and having an end of summer playgroup, the day finally arrived...The First Day of School! With Camden sick again and asleep by 6:00 Tuesday night, Riley and I had a girls night preparing for the big day. We gave each other manicures and pedicures, picked out her outfit for her first day, talked about what to expect and how she is such a big girl now, and giggled in bed about "boys" before drifting off to sleep. I was not sure if Camden was going to attend his first day of school or not due to another fever of 104.6. But after a long night of tossing and turning, he woke up cool and perky. When asked, he replied he wanted to go to school, so Mom got to take pictures of their first day of school together. Riley woke up excited around 7:00 and we dressed in her out fit that we laid out the night before, put her hair in a pony tail and curled it under, brushed our teeth, and she was super excited because Mommy gave her permission to put on her very own eyeshadow and blush (made of pressed baby powder). We topped off primping by putting on lip gloss and eating breakfast outside on the front porch while the bus picked up the neighborhood kids. (I am pretty sure the bus garage did not get the memo that Camden is not attending the public school this year because the bus driver stopped in front of our house--he would have been the first on and off the bus). Meanwhile, Camden and Daddy woke up at 8:40, took showers, got dressed, came downstairs to eat breakfast, grab backpacks, lunches, and school supplies, so we could pile in the van at 9:10 and head off to school for 9:30. Riley and Camden were both excited for school, but I think Riley takes the gold for her excitement! She has been waiting 12 months for the day she could go to "big girl" school with Camden. She loved wearing her backpack for the first time to school, having her own cubby to put her stuff in, she talked about making "me own friends", and when we dropped her off, there was not one tear shed...she was a natural! So Mom and Dad leave the kids at school and have two hours (normally three but not on the first day) to ourselves...what to do, what to do? Errands without kids of course! It was GREAT! At 11:30 we picked the kids up and were able to observe the end of day circle time. Each child is expected to wait until their name is called to be dismissed to their parents. Riley was first, and after her name was called and a stamp on the hand, she ran towards us beaming from ear to ear! Ms. Nancy had to remind her to use walking feet inside, and she nodded while she eagerly waited for her to finish. Rileythen walked over to us and gave me a great big hug and kiss, and went to get her bag out of the cubby. Camden was last out of circle, and he too was grinning from ear to ear and really enjoyed his first day too! I am so glad he is there with Riley because he is more able to tell us how the day goes than she is right now. He told us of Circle time and the story about a frog and alligator, and a story called "Catch the Bus." He said he learned letters (which is actually the phonetic alphabet not the letter names), and played with magnets and puzzles. Riley said she ate snack--of course! But when I asked what she did at school, and what her favorite part was, she said "circle time!" Camden said his favorite part was playing with the magnets. As we were leaving the classroom to go home Riley suddenly got upset and did not want to leave! She also started getting upset because she thought we forgot her plant that was requested as a school supply for each child to bring and learn to care for throughout the school year. She kept pointing to her plant and saying, "mom, forgot. mom forgot something." It was cute that she was so concerned about her plant. She even commented on it again when we were at home. "mom where plant go?" I had to remind her that her plant (one that had been on my kitchen counter for weeks) was to stay at school now. Camden was concerned later in the evening about his family portrait (another school supply requested--a family portrait framed for the student to place in the classroom to make the learning environment more comfortable) asking where it was. I had to remind him too that it was to stay at school so he could always see mom and dad when he was learning. After school was eventful too! And we have not started extra curricular activities yet! We ate lunch, visited our neighbor Terri for a while, then toted a Little Tykes Country Cottage playhouse across the street to our house that Terri gave us (THANKS AGAIN TERRI), the kids then took a nap while I went outside and cleaned the playhouse with the hose and Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, Assembled the house, and finally closed the day with a later dinner of ham casserole which the kiddos helped me make. they ate the yummy brain food so they would be smart and ready for school in the morning. Next was Baths, Books, and Bed! So here I am recapping the big eventful day! I think I shall enjoy the kids going to school, although I was a little teary eyed dropping them off and picking them up today. Mostly happy tears for them because they were so excited, and some were caused by the empty nest syndrome. I snapped out of it quick though!!! School Rocks Kids!

Camden & Riley Tuesday morning, waiting for their friends to arrive for an end of summer playgroup. (Look at Camden, can you believe he had a 104.6 temp 2 hours later?)

Riley, Kimberly, and Anna having a summer picnic the day before school starts!

Riley eating breakfast on the front porch before school.

In front of the cubbies!

Playing with magnets at school.

Riley running to greet Mom at the end of the day...just before Ms. Nancy stopped her and reminded her to use walking feet inside. She is going to be my trouble maker...hahaha.

Camden coming to greet Mom and Dad at the end of the day...he is not as enthused as Riley. Been there, done that.

The End...

of the first day at school.