Kindy Recap

Warning: If you're tired of reading about kindergarten, then just go ahead and skip this post. 

Ok.  I guess everybody who stuck with me is dying to know how Sarah's first day went, right?  Well, there were tears.  And a lot of llama drama.  

So let me start at the beginning.  

The kids awoke to my lame attempt at a schultute, a paper cone filled with goodies for back-to-school.  I just wanted to get things started on a positive note and make the kiddos feel special. 

 Which they did.

 Crayons and candy.  All a girl really needs.

Don't be fooled by these smiles, though, people were tired.  

And by "people" I mean the ENTIRE family, since we were all up throughout the night for various reasons, most of which circled back to the cough that decided to claim squatter's rights in Sarah's chest 2 days before school started.

No worries, it was only a 1/2 day of school, 

so we gave her some honey tea and sent her on her way.

Oh, and by "sent her on her way", 

I mean "walked her into school en masse and took embarrassing photos along the way while Mom tried and failed to hold back tears".

 Best shot of the day, and Mike is fired from family photography.

 I thought Sarah was quite the little schmoozer, giving the teacher a Sarah original piece of art.

But, then I saw the veteran students bringing in fresh flowers.  

Foiled again!

After a quick trip to the ol' locker,

it was time to meet the table-mates and get down to morning work. 

And that was the last smile any of us got for the rest of the day.

Around noontime, Will and I rolled up with the stroller and eagerly awaited 

the appearance of our girl at the "Walkers" exit. 

As most of the rest of the kindergarteners rushed out wearing conquerors' smiles, I peered into the crowd and couldn't find my girl.  At first I thought we'd messed up and put her down as a car rider, and then I saw her.  Angry tears painted her cheeks, her face bunched up like a fist.

Uh-oh.

I ran and scooped her up, and then she let me HAVE IT.

"I told my teacher I didn't want to be a walker!  Why can't you drive to school like normal people?! Nobody played with me on the playground and my teacher gave me a headache because she talks too much!  I'm not going back!!!"

Soooooo, that went well. 

Fortunately, a round of meds and a weekend spent bouncing off the walls like a deranged hamster was just the ticket to a better frame of mind.

And this was the scene walking to school yesterday morning.

Another 1/2 day meant another noontime pickup, and she was all triumphant smiles. 

And she loves her teacher.

And she saw lots of friends on the playground.

And she moved her clip up, learned a new dance in P.E., 

and found her way to her class all by herself. 

(I know that last one because I lurked in the hallway to make sure, against her wishes.)

Her only request was to go to aftercare.

Guess what, dearie?  Your wish is granted as of next week.

This week, though, I'm going to walk you to and from school every day and soak it in.