First Day of Kindergarten

My favorite holiday has arrived again. Yes, the first day of school. Hip, hip, hooray! This year, Liam is officially kindergarten and no longer preschool. This year is also the first year that he will be attending a few full day classes. He's been asking since the beginning of last year if he could stay full day, but we knew that he wasn't really ready yet. This year, I think the full day will be really good for him, as it will get him a little taste of what to expect in first grade next year.

Hangin' with his best buddy

He woke yesterday morning with great excitement about the day. He washed and dressed in near record time, but when it came time to sit and eat, mass chaos descended. Suddenly the rain boots we'd bought weren't comfortable, and all was wrong with the world. He wasn't hungry and wasn't going to eat breakfast and dissolved into a puddle of wailing and crying and carrying on about the sad state of things. We eventually sent him back up to sit in bed until it was time to go. After some quiet time to think, he decided that his boots were fine after all, and he ate in the car. All was sunshine and roses again. Once we got to school, he immediately latched on to old friends, and it was as if the long summer break never happened. All except that he was now the second tallest of all the children in the meadow followed only behind a good friend from class last year. Over the summer, he must have grown several inches, and he now is taller than the friends that he was as tall as or shorter than at the end of the school year. Amazing how they can shoot up in just a few months. Jonah, for example, grew 2 shoe sizes in 3 months, and now is taller than some of the preschoolers in the 3 and 4 year old class.

The teacher's assistant escorts the children to the train

Jonah was probably the funniest part of Liam's first day of school. He made himself right at home in the meadow, while the other children his age were still clinging to their parent's sides. When the teachers rang the hand bell, and the Pavlovian response brought the children back to the wagons to line up, Jonah got into line with the nursery kindergarten class, ready to go. He was disappointed to learn that he wouldn't be going to school, and asked when we were going to go see his classroom. I informed him that potty training and turning three would be necessary goals to reach first. Needless to say, he didn't agree.

Little man in big bro's jacket

Once the children went in, Jonah decided that he needed Liam's sweatshirt to keep him warm, and the sight of the little guy in big brother's oversized jacket with the floppy rainboots was enough to get me shutter-happy. I let him play on the playground for a little while and then we headed home. It was strange to be back to one-on-one versus on-on-two, but kinda nice. Much easier to cope, and I think the little guy relished the extra attention.

On picking our young man up from school, he decided that full day kindergarten was great, but that naptime was "really long." Not surprising, since he never has been good at napping.