First Day of School - 2013

It's that time of the year, y'all.  The time when shiny new markers are purchased, watercolor paints and boxes of Kleenex.  The time when everything is new and anything seems possible.  The time when kiddos put on brand new sneakers and actually stand still to let their mommas comb their hair in the morning.  The time when Pinterest is blowing up with Crockpot recipes.  And let's not forget, the time when tearful mommas drop their children off and drive away with visions rolling through their minds that only serve to remind them of how quickly their babies are growing.

For my Texas friends, school starts next week, but for all of us Arkansas residents, it was today.  We attended Open House at Collin's daycare yesterday afternoon.  They pull out all the stops to make it an appealing place by bringing in a bounce house and having the Sno-Cone truck present.  In fact, you would have thought we were the meanest parents in the world when we told Collin it was time to leave.  Seeing him in the bounce house (bownky house to him), with all the "big" kids was so bittersweet for me.  I'm glad he can now participate in something like that, but he was so small and awkward.  He didn't know what to do with any of the other kids, so he stayed to his self and bounced while making silly noises.  Seeing him in there reminded me of how much he's growing, but watching him not know what to do with his self helped remind me that he is still small...

Copying another little boy in the Bounce House

Cheese!

Playing on the "bid kid" playground

He has officially departed from the toddler building, and he is now in the Bridge class.  The Bridge class is the bridge between the toddler building and the Pre-School building.  Lord help me when we move to the Pre-School building.  Pre-School...as in, before Kindergarten.  I can't even let my mind go there yet! (Right about now my own mother is rolling her eyes!  I have to channel her when I need to remind myself that children growing up is a natural thing.)

So this morning was a bit rough.  Collin didn't want me to leave him.  He did great until we actually walked in the room, and he realized it was different.  I pointed out everything familiar to him... his friends, Ms. Eva, the toys he didn't want to leave yesterday when we came for Open House.  It didn't seem to matter.  Then I tried to point out everything new and exciting, like the fact that Ms. Eva apparently purchased a goldfish for their classroom.  This actually worked for a moment.  He stopped crying long enough to look at it, and I could see the wheels turning in his head.  It wasn't long though before he went right back to clinging to me.  His bestie, Addie, tried to distract him by asking him to help her "cook supper" with the kitchen play-set.  Bless her.

Finally, there was nothing left to do but apologize to Ms. Eva, duck and run.  I made a quick trip to the toddler building to make sure they would remember to take Collin's blanket to him at nap time, and on my way to the car I spied him through the window of the Bridge class getting his morning snack from Ms. Eva and looking alright.

Collin on the 1st Day of School 2012 and 2013