The firsts...

The first half. Of the first week. Of our first year. OF BIG SCHOOL.

Kindergarten is big for all of us. Its not just that our biggest is getting BIGGER, it is a big change for our entire family.

Check out that awesome "green with my name in blue and a cheetah on it" backpack. Isn't his mom the coolest? Well, except for the fact that this is now his "Leopard-cousin-of-a-cheetah" backpack. Because his mom apparently doesn't know the difference between the spots. I've got a lot to learn this year, too.

I'll admit, I wasn't one bit sad about KJ going to school.  He was SO ready and I'm genuinely excited about him growing up.  That doesn't mean I didn't have some serious anxiety over the weekend leading up to his big debut.  Cbug has been like KJ's wingman at their preschool, they loved being there together.  And this time KJ was heading out on his own.  This would be his very first time to really have to make a name for himself.  His first time to shine on his own.  In a 6-year-old way, it was his turn to be salt and light.  Would this be too much responsibility?  Did he know how proud we are of him?  Will he remember to be encouraging, to help his friends, to be respectful?  All of that and...

Do they seriously expect us to be there EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. and ON TIME? DUDE! 

So far we are 3 for 3 getting there on time. Including the first day, when his amateur mom took him to the completely wrong hall. Hey, even mom's make mistakes sometimes. Isn't that on the "everything I need to know I learned in K" poster?

I've loved his excitement at the end of each day.  I've been taking some notes of some of my favorite first-week-sayings:  

One of the very first things he told me about his first day of Kindergarten was a really important fact.

"This is both a good and bad thing.  The good part is they had chicken rings in the cafeteria.  The bad part is that I brought my lunch."
Which was not his only observation about the cafeteria.  Also:
"They have a TON of chocolate milk there" and "I should always remember my water bottle because the water in the cafeteria is very expensive" (love my little accountant)

His favorite part, by far, is that his school has a gym.  He doesn't even know yet what they are going to do there, but he knows he loves it.

"THIS IS REALLY exciting. Today we divided into teams and it was my turn to go to PE.  And do you know what? I go BACK to PE on Friday."

In response to me apologizing for the car-rider line taking so long

"Well, it DID take you a long time to get here.  And I was just sitting on the pavement waiting for you.  It did have a roof, so that's good, but it WAS really hot today.  Good thing I didn't start crying.  I thought about it."

Some big things are pretty different now in his public school than they were in his little private preschool or even than they were in our home.

"Do you want to know something about my new school?  They don't even pray before lunch OR snack.  I was just sitting there with my lunch box, waiting patiently, and everyone else was eating.  Finally, a teacher told me I could go ahead and open my lunch.  So, I was like, well ok, I guess I'll just have to eat without praying then. Can you believe that?"

I love that this was not embarrassing at all to him, it was just sheer disbelief that someone wouldn't pray before a meal.  We talked about how he can still just pray for his own food and he can pray during the moment of silence and the cool thing about praying is that really you can do it ANYTIME you want.

As he was going to sleep one night he told about an important rule in their classroom

KJ: "We CAN-NOT run at school. Ever.  Well, unless there is an emergency."

ME: "Well, what would be an emergency that would make you run in your class?"

KJ: "Oh, well, maybe if you really have to sneeze and you run quickly to get a kleenex before the snot comes out"

By the time he got home from school today, he asked to go take a nap.

"Mom, Kindergarten sure is hard work"

Tell me about it, bud.

And tomorrow (and for the next 13 years), we get to do it all again!

But I'd do it a thousand times if it means getting to come around the corner in the afternoon to see you jump up and down with a smile the second you see your favorite mini-van. Promise you'll never be too big to be glad to see me, ok?

I love you and I'm so very VERY proud to be your mom.  You are totally going to ROCK this!

Give me some pounds ('cuz that's what all the cool kinder moms do),

ABL