In Minnesota, our schools tend to start after labor day (we've heard something about the teenagers being the main work force for the resorts up north, so if you take them away you can't continue to stay open, but we're not sure about that). That meant that the kids started later than many others - Sept 8th for Olivia, and the 10th for Madeline.
Olivia was so excited for her first day! For weeks, she would talk about going to preschool every time we passed it in the car. Finally, the day came!
Favorite animals: cats and owls
Favorite color: purple
Favorite food: pickles, and tortilla chips
Favorite treat: vanilla ice cream
Best friends: Madeline, and Emily S.
Showing off her new (owl) backpack!
At preschool, she dove right in! No tearful separation from this child!
Unfortunately, she started to get sick right in the middle of her first day (she had a fever when she woke up from nap), which meant that towards the end of her morning, she started crying. She kept telling her teachers, "My mommy misses me!" Poor girl! She's gone twice a week for three weeks now, and for the most part the transition goes well. I know she has a lot of fun there and has already made a few fast-friends, but there have been a few dramatic moments (or mornings!). For example, just last Friday she came into the kitchen in the morning, asking about what we would be doing that day. "I go .... see Miss Nicki?" (her Bible study teacher on Wednesdays). "No..." "I go.... preschool?" (She's very excited when she says it!) "Yes!" Then she instantly burst into tears. "I don't WANNA go preschool! I miss you so much!" It's hard being two-and-a-half...
Just two days after Olivia's first day, Madeline went off to KINDERGARTEN!! Talk about excitement for her first day - this kid was talking about this for months! We had a count down going in the kitchen, and she was PUMPED!
Favorite pastime: playing Lego Friends or video games
Favorite animal: unicorns and dolphins
Favorite color: pink and purple
Favorite food: yogurt, and graham cracker and nutella
Favorite treat: icing!
Best friends: Norah S. and Ella S.
Wants to be: a scientist and a mommy
Madeline is riding the bus to school, so this is how I take the kids to and from the bus stop (it's a 7 minute walk with the wagon - I don't even want to know how long it would take if I made them walk it, too!). She is fortunate enough to have two neighborhood buddies riding the bus with her, so she hasn't had any anxieties or issues with going to school without me. Her friend Meara helps her to her classroom, too! We live in a wonderful neighborhood!
She's had three full weeks of school now (plus the first two days were a Thursday and Friday), and we're slowly transitioning to this new "norm." Just like most kindergartners, she comes home emotionally exhausted. These kids "hold it together" all day long - following the rules, trying to get along, navigating totally new schedules, learning how to be away from their moms for the whole day, NOT melting down when things go wrong or are scary - and so when she comes home, she's DONE. She can't hold it together well anymore, so we've been seeing a lot of emotional outbursts, tears, and a LOT of fighting with her sister. In turn, it's been really hard on Olivia too because she misses her big sister so badly, then isn't treated nicely when said sister does come home. We are slowly starting to see things turn around, and this weekend the girls have been getting along a lot better! Friends of mine have said they felt it took six weeks for their then-kindergartner to adapt, so by that time table we still have time to continue learning how to cope.
In the meantime, I KNOW Madeline is having a lot of fun! I've heard from her teacher (a WONDERFUL woman for Madeline to be with during the day! Praise God for that pairing!) that she is a total sweetheart (we knew that!), she's engaging with the other kids, and even looking out for her knew friends (such as if someone gets hurt, etc). She's really flourishing at school, despite feeling overwhelmed by all of it. We're so proud of her growth in the last few weeks!
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