PRESCHOOL!!!

I love creating fun traditions with my little family, so you can imagine how excited I was to establish some traditions with the start of school having been a teacher myself.  Roxey has been looking forward to this moment for so long, in fact I have felt guilty on a number of occasions for not doing a joy school kind of thing for her, but that's then this is now.

It all started with me allowing Roxey to pick out her own backpack.  She picked a ladybug, pretty cute.  Then one night for our bedtime story, I let Roxey listen to the story The Kissing Hand on the computer.  She thought it was the cutest thing.  We then traced her hand and put a heart in the center that said Preschool and I plan on doing that each year up until 6th grade.  May not be cool to do it as she gets older, so we'll see!  Then I told her to go and look inside her backpack.  Thanks to my mom's vast collection of beanie babies, there was a little raccoon waiting inside.  We named him Chester and I told Roxey that because Chester had gone to school now, he knew what to expect and each day he would sneak out and put a book inside her backpack.  There were fun ones like 'Twas the Night Before Preschool, What to Expect about Preschool, Maisy Goes to Preschool, and Don't Talk to Strangers ( a topic I thought should be addressed before I sent her off on her own!).  She looked forward to this every day and it would come at different times, basically once I could get Chester out of her grips and sit him on top of her backpack as a sign that the book had arrived.

Next, her teacher had appointments for each of them to come individually to meet her and get acclimated with their classroom.  This happened on Jordan's day off so we were able to go as a family, it was so fun.  Not much happened there, but it was still neat to do that as a whole family since Jordan usually misses out on these things due to work.  Not sure why apples are associated with education, but we gave her teacher a caramel apple, because I've decided to try and always show appreciation to those who impact my children's lives.  It's kind of hard to believe that she will be out of my little nest for a while, oh how I hope she doesn't get hurt or bullied or doesn't believe in herself... oh it's hard to start new chapters in life at times.

Then the night before her first day, I made her a meal of her favorites; noodles, corn on the cob, french bread, and Sprite! (Pretty easy to please!)  I had put black butcher paper on the table and she got to draw while I got dinner ready.  After dinner we went for a walk, had Popsicles on the front lawn, and then it was time for the good old bedtime routine.

In the morning we had her favorite breakfast, which happens to be mine too; Belgian waffles and Jamba Juices.  Both of which were purchased at the store beforehand because I don't make breakfast in the morning, I ain't no Suzie Homemaker! 

Finally, we got ready and took some fun pictures.  Penny went down for a nap, so I was able to leave our monitor with a neighbor and walk Roxey to school.  We were early of course, a little excited, but it allowed us to talk with other kids as they arrived.  She even found a buddy with a ladybug backpack as well!  Then when it came time, we were able to go downstairs, we had talked about the process a few times, so Roxey got right down to business.  She gave our little "I love you" you sign (I do it in sign language and she holds up two fingers in order to say I love you too- and because she can't do the sign for I love you- too hard).  Waved good bye and off I went, only to hear her at the bottom of the stairs yell, wait you forgot a hug.  Totally my fault because that was in the verbal plan that we went through, so she was doing that more to be dutiful than because she needed it.  I love this girl!

So now here I sit waiting for her class to be over... I'm going to surprise her when I go to pick her up and take her to our swimming pool right after since our pool is just up the street from her preschool, then we'll come home and have lunch and make cookies.  What fun!

Only negatives during this experience were that the teacher's daughter was home sick with pink eye (YIKES!) and I walked away with the inevitable feeling that now begins the chapter where others are going to have a huge impact on my daughter's life, not just our small family.  I do believe that she can learn a lot from others and the world around her (no I'm not contemplating homeschooling her) so here's hoping she gets off to a great start and LOVES school!

Chester from The Kissing Hand

Making a book delivery

Meeting her teacher, Miss Vanessa (had to take her backpack!)

Doodling- look at that perfect circle around the letter o!  I'm so proud :).

Back to School Dinner

Breakfast- so excited!

Off we go!

Quickly made a friend by pointing out that they both had ladybug backpacks!

See you mom!!!