Tuesday, September 3, 2013

First Day of Preschool

I did it.  We did it.  Carson completed his first day of preschool, and I couldn't be more proud of our little Wee Lad.

Carson's personality isn't the most open to change, so I was very nervous for this morning.  Nervous for him, and me.  Thoughts were continuously running through my head....some positive, but most were scared, anxious, and nervous thoughts.

We started the morning very early.  That was my first nervous feeling I had for the day.  But he was in a good mood all morning, so my mind was slowly being put at ease.  He had two waffles, instead of his typical one waffle.  He said he needed an extra waffle because he was a big boy and was going to school.  I smiled, because he couldn't be more right.  Weston sat right beside him in the big boy chair, and did his typical morning breakfast routine.  Eat one bite, throw one bite across the kitchen.  His waffles had a little syrup on them this morning, which made for quite the rat race around the kitchen to find all of the thrown pieces, and wipe up after them.  Because nothing bothers me more than a sticky floor.  So as the waffle throwing was going down, I was doing my Motherly roll as the boys were giggling at the food being thrown.  I was explaining how we can't throw food, and today is a big day, Carson is going to school, and he has to be very brave, and Wes is going to Deb's for the morning by himself, and Mom will pick Carson up from school, and then we are going on a special lunch date, and then Carson gets to go to Deb's after school, and he has to behave and listen at school, and we have to take a picture before school.  Carson nodded his head and agreed to everything except the picture before school.  He is totally anti-pictures.  But, I did manage to get a cute one!  Oh, and he didn't let me do his hair.  I am a little bitter about that, but maybe on a different day he will.  ha.


After all of the talking I did that morning, and after I am convinced they only heard maybe a few words, Carson grabbed his backpack, and away we went.  We dropped Weston off at Deb's, and we were school bound.

Carson is very attached to his Puppy Pillow these days, and it was included in his pictures because he was convinced that he needed to take it to school with him.  I am sure that was his sense of comfort that he felt he needed on this particular morning.  I am happy to report that I convinced him that Puppy would take a nap in the car until after he was done with school.  He bought it, and didn't object to that statement.  Phew!


We got there and all of the kids were playing outside.  Carson stood back and watched, and didn't leave my side.  I had so many butterflies in my stomach, and I was so nervous for him.  This is the real deal, and this was scary stuff.  I mean, he is 3!  The bell rang, and Mrs. Koenen instructed that all of her students line up against the building wall.  Carson listened, and followed directions.  (He LISTENED, and he followed DIRECTIONS! He knows how to do both! Phew.  Haha.) He lined up against the wall, and walked into the building when she said it was time to go in.  I followed him in, and stood back, and observed.  I stepped in and helped him find his locker, but that was the extent of help he wanted.  He hung his bag up by himself, and got in line to wash his hands behind the other kids.  Carson then turned, waved, and said "Bye, Mom!"  That's when I turned and walked away.  I lost it, and I really felt like I was going to be able to hold it all together.  I called my Mom, and told her how the drop off went, and let her know I wasn't ready for this.  I could hear through her voice that she was smiling, and was very relieved herself.  As was I, really.



To see him smile, instead of crying like I had prepared myself for, makes me so extremely happy.  We have been raising him for 3-1/2 years, and this day has come.  The day that I dreamed that he would take the things we taught him, and use them on his own in this great big world.  The day that he has to be independent, and brave, and walk into his big classroom with all strangers and have a giant amount of courage.  And he did all of those, with such poise that it blew me away.  I didn't doubt him one bit, because I have great confidence in this shy little boy, but I was prepared for the worst.  He proved me wrong, and I am so very, very proud.


I was able to pick him up from pre-school today, and I was so excited to see him, and hear all about his first day.  I felt like the morning hours drug, because I did not want to be at work---I wanted to be a fly on that classroom wall instead.  He spotted me after his teacher dismissed the class, and he ran towards me with a great big smile on his face.  Carson gave me a great big hug, and said he had so much fun.  I told Daddy how his day went, he had to call Frannie and tell her about his day, and I got an ear full at lunch about his new friends.  I was on cloud 9, and couldn't stop smiling at him.  You could hear through his voice that he had a blast, and was so excited to go back.



I am convinced that he grew up in those few short hours at preschool.  I am so anxious to see what this school year brings for him, and I am eager to see him grow as a person.

Carson is so special to us, and it is amazing to see him take on such a scary thing with so much courage and bravery. A proud parent moment smacked us right in the face this morning, and it feels so good!  My heart is smiling extra big today.