BACK TO SCHOOL!!

The week we've all been waiting for: (Mommy potentially more than anyone)  BACK TO SCHOOL WEEK!  Wednesday morning it was Hadley's big day to take her place in the Pre-Kindergarten (or Junior-K, as they call it here in Virginia) class at Grace Episcopal School.  In addition to a new classroom and 3 new wonderful teachers, she also has to adhere to a much stricter dress code.  While we welcome this, we assumed it might cause an issue with Hadley, but so far so good!

Our big girl all ready to go

Hugs of encouragement from Harper

2nd annual picture by the sign before we get in line to greet the Headmaster

It was right after this picture was taken that Hadley asked, "Mommy, are you going to take pictures of EVERY SINGLE THING?"

Me: "Um, YES!  Obviously!  Where have you been the past 4 and half years??"

Greeting Mrs. Byrnes

Harper couldn't pass up the chance to follow up with her own greeting and hand shake as well!  When Mrs. Byrnes asked her about school she simply said, "Me, Owl!" which made Daddy and Mommy SOO happy.  We've been a little nervous about how Harper was going to adjust to preschool, but her enthusiasm about her preschool class name set our minds at ease.  

Saying hello to one of her teachers, Mrs. Fraser.

Posing in front of her kite that she decorated all by herself before school started.  It's quite impressive. Most others scribbled and attached some ribbon to the bottom.  Hadley did a princess stencil, then colored, stuck stickers on, and attached a rainbow lei.

Bye bye to Daddy

Then it was over to the Pit for a play date with Harper's new preschool class!  The moms basically chatted together while the kiddos played independently.  I think Harper was just psyched to be at the playground by herself.

8 or 9 little munchkins sat together at the snack table...then 7 or 8 left, replaced by others...and then eventually there was just 1...who just happened to be one of the original 8 or 9.  

Does this really surprise anyone?

Lunch with Daddy to celebrate Hadley's first day!

Today it was Harper's turn!!!!!!!

School ran for just an hour long to get the little ones acclimated, but it still counts.  

Preschool, HERE WE COME!

Her triumphant walk to the car with her sweet backpack (that she insisted contain a banana, just in case).

Momentary moment of panic and attempt to flee

Back on track and down we go to her classroom

Getting a lay of the land in her room.  Thankfully we didn't show up to a room full of children screaming for their mamas'!  So far so good.

Harper was very proud of herself for removing and stowing her backpack in her cubby.

And that was how I left her!  She waved and said, "Bye Bye Mommy!"  I secretly high-fived myself and made my way up to the holding room where the rest of the moms (more than a few first timers crying in their coffees) waited for the hour to pass.

And this is what I came back to find!

Totally pissed that I'm still taking pictures instead of swooping in to rescue her :)

The real story though, is that she had a GREAT time and played for the entire hour.  It was one little boy who burst into tears upon seeing his mother come back that set her off.  The teacher said she only cried for about a minute, and then once she got a peek of me coming down the hallway she went nuclear!

Telling Daddy all about it :(

Much happier, and seated for her own celebratory lunch.

A little comfort food and a best friend turns everything around...as they will for the rest of her life!

Feel the love

Moments like this make me think of how the years are going to FLY by and how this will soon be my 16 year old strutting into the house with her purse (and probably yapping on her phone) leaving me in the dust.  Sigh...