Kindergarten!

“Mama! Mama! Wake up! You have to wake up! It’s my first day of school!” And so the day began with Jay running into our bedroom, already fully dressed and carrying his backpack. “WE HAVE TO GO! We have to go! I don’t wanna be late!”

He was joyous and crazy excited, but I had to hide under the covers until I could stop sniffling. I got out of bed, grinning only because of his irrepressible grin. Yes, buddy. It’s your first day of school.

Game on.

I want to remember everything about this day. I want to remember how he asked me to brush his teeth because I do a better job and he wanted his teeth to be really, really clean for today. I want to remember how he looked wearing his new backpack and button up shirt and holding his Lightening McQueen lunchbox. How the grass glistened with the morning dew as we walked through the field to school and it got his new red sneakers all wet but he didn’t even notice because he was so excited. How our next door neighbors were there with their little girl, Ava, and how we discovered that our kids are in the same classroom this year. How exuberant he looked as we walked inside the building together. How their teacher tapped a drum to call the kids to Circle Time and they flocked to him. How proud I felt of him. How nervous I felt. How so not nervous he felt.

Here, in nearly stop motion animation is our first day at school:

Walking to school:


Our school, Sandburg Elementary:
Arrival at the school. Me, willing the tears to subside.
Testing out the new playground before the start of school:

Jay: "Can Ella play, too?"

Walking over to the classroom:

A few fleeting moments of uncertainty before the final move into the classrooom:

Discovery of our next door neighbor, Ava, and her family:

"Yeah, I guess I am ready, Daddy"

Peering inside the classroom:
Deep breath. Now we start the walk into the building.


Note the other parents outside:
Ava and Jay sitting together:


So. Pumped.

New teacher, Mr. Thao:


He plays the drums. He is the coolest EVER.


Jay: I am immensely proud of you. You are going to rock the world.


World: Take care of my little boy. He still can’t tie his shoes and sometimes he needs help buttoning his pants.