One Week

One week in to the girls’ preschool career, and I’m so thankful to report we’re doing really well!

The girls had a great first day of school on Tuesday.  I’m still a little baffled at the drop-off, though.  One moment, we were chatting in the hallway with the other kids and parents.  The next moment, Mrs. E opened the door, asked the kids to put their bags in their cubbies, and began motioning them to come into the classroom.  It all happened so fast!  I managed to ask the girls for a quick hug and kiss, wished them a great day, told them I’d see them in a little bit…and they were GONE!

I know that was by design…no need to drag out a goodbye and risk it being tearful (for the kids OR the parents!)…might as well jump in with both feet, huh? 

At pick-up on Tuesday, I half expected the girls to gallop towards me at full speed and wrap their arms tightly around my neck.  I certainly wasn’t wishing for a “promise-me-you’ll-never-leave-me-again” plea, but I could envision that scenario.  Instead, the girls were both happy to see me, and I got a big hug from them both, but they were more excited to tell me about everything they’d done.

On Tuesday afternoon and all day Wednesday, the girls were singing a new song…something along the lines of “Clean up, clean up, everybody, everywhere!  Clean up, clean up, everybody do your share!”  I like that!!!  (I need to ask Mrs. E what the melody is, though, as we’re all over the board here!) 

The girls talked about their classmates a little bit, and about playing “in the little house” and “the place where you jump” [there is a room with indoor play equipment, since the weather didn’t permit them going outside that day].  I know they sang a bear hunt song (along the lines of a book we have).  B spilled some water while they had snack, but it dried and “it wasn’t a problem”.  They replayed bits of conversation here and there, about what Mrs. E said, and what they said in response.

On Wednesday, Baby B volunteered, “Mommy!  I’m looking forward to going to my school tomorrow!”  Baby A agreed.

On Thursday morning, the girls got up, excited again for school.  Their backpacks came in the mail on Tuesday afternoon, so they were anxious to transfer their things (a change of clothes) from the bags they carried on Tuesday.  They buzzed around and ate breakfast, got dressed, willingly let me fix their hair, and we were off.

I got another quick hug and kiss on their way into their classroom, but my little baby girls seemed so confident walking in.  After school, I got more hugs, their eyes again full of excitement about their day.  Hanging in the hallway I’d seen their handprints and footprints (!!!).  They had to tell me about getting paint on their feet, and then washing their feet in a little bucket.  “There was a special cloth for drying our feet.  Mrs. G helped us,” B explained. 

But the girls’ crown jewel was a necklace they made of foam beads.  They were SO proud!!!  They wore the necklace through lunch, finally agreeing to take it off for nap.  In the afternoon, it was the first thing they put back on.  They could not wait to show their daddy when he got home from work.

Stepping back, I’m so very proud at how the girls have handled this monumental transition.  It was barely six months ago that we still had the occasional tears at me leaving the girls with Miss Jenny – at OUR house! – for a couple of hours.  Until Tuesday, the girls had never been anywhere without me…literally.  Hubby has once or twice taken them for a walk in the neighborhood, but that’s the extent of their time away from Mommy.

I really agonized over the decision to start the girls in school this year, versus waiting until next year.  Seeing their excitement, though, and the maturity with which they’ve handled this transition, has put most of my fears at rest.  

 Further, I still have my “tiny baby girls” when we’re at home together.  I know it’s only been two days, but my sweet baby girls are still my sweet baby girls…maybe just with a little extra fodder for conversation and pretend scenarios.