First day of Kindergarten!

This morning I woke up super early to start our new day and new adventure. I cried and prayed while making coffee and told myself that that was it- no more crying. Madeline came into our room and snuggled up in our bed to watch cartoons like normal but it was not going to be a normal day. Tyler took Tucker to my parents' house and I got Madeline's lunch packed. I found a book about Kindergarten at B&N and the little girl, Sadie, in the book took almost exactly the same lunch to kindergarten as Madeline and I had decided on for her...this is Madeline's description: "A cheese sandwich, not grilled, mustard on both sides, and no crust." She also had sunchips, cookies, ritz crackers, an apple (no peel), capri sun, and princess snacks. I cut her sandwich into the shape of a heart.


I asked her to pose for these pictures and she said, "Mom, I really don't want to take pictures next to dead plants." I promised her I'd crop them out.






We got to her class a little late but we immediately were asked to sit on the carpet with our babies and her teacher read a book, The Kissing Hand. My friend Brandy who's little girl Mary Claire had Madeline's teacher last year warned me about this book so I bought it the other day and Madeline and I have been reading it every night. I still cried while she read it, prepared or not. But Madeline never saw me cry. Her teacher shot me one of those teacher looks like- STOP IT! I realized halfway through the book that I was squeezing her so hard. I really really didn't want to let her out of my lap.


We all drew "kisses" on their hands and then we were shooed away. I didn't like that and I lost it in the hall but then I remembered my biggest promise to Madeline and I ran back into the classroom. She HATES hand sanitizer. And if you know my Madeline you know that you do not ask her to deviate from her stance on a subject she feels strongly about- she'll chew you out all the time saying that her "Momma says so!" So I bought special hand sanitizing wipes for her and she made me promise to tell her teacher that she DID NOT have to use hand sanitizer. So I got that taken care of and left again. This time I felt better because when I went back into the room her wonderful teacher had the complete attention of the class- Madeline didn't even notice me come in! She had given them an assignment- to draw a picture of their favorite movie star. I asked Madeline who she was going to draw and she said, "My favorite movie star, Sleeping Beauty!"

The theme of her class is "Stars" like movie stars and shining stars. School stars. Her teacher had popcorn and little Oscar statues on their desks along with stars hanging from the ceiling. Madeline said that she thinks she got that trophy for being a kindergartner.

School's out! Finally! Tucker and I missed her so much! We had a busy day- the power was out so we spent the afternoon out of the house but it came back on in time for Tucker to catch a quick nap and for me to make Madeline some happy first day of school cupcakes. Chocolate with pink icing.


She came home and didn't want to tell me a thing! She said she was so happy to see me so I could take her to her Mamie and Gramp's house. I convinced her to go home with me and her best friend Sydnie came to visit and brought her a sweet gift and a hug. This is the first time they haven't been in school together since they were 15 months old! Madeline says Sydnie is her "golden friend" like the song...make new friends but keep the old...

I asked her if there was any part of the day that she felt sad or nervous and she said that she missed Tyler and I when she was on the playground and didn't want to slide by herself or swing without us to push her. I asked her what she did if she didn't slide or swing and she said she, "took a deep breath in my heart- not a deep breath, but a deep breath in my heart" and went off to play something else.

She says she thinks she'll like Kindergarten but not PE, recess, or lunch because they rush her through those things. I'm trying to convince her that everything felt rushed because it was her first day. Except my day. My day was slow. I was ready to go get her at 1 and stalked the playground at 1:30. I spent my entire day thinking about her and wondering what she was doing and if she was okay. She was. I will be. But for now I still miss her. Can't wait for Labor Day.