Preschool.
Oh my.
Today was the big day.
There was a lot of build up to this day. For everyone.
Joe and I laid in bed last night, both of us with tears in our eyes. I am normally the emotional one.
I watched him, wanting to let him speak first. He was sitting in that place that stretches you so hard as a parent -- wanting to hold on a little longer when you realize you have to let go, even if it's just a little bit. When it's your baby it doesn't matter that it's just a little bit. It stings just the same.
"It's just that he's my little guy," he said, "and if he has a bad day I just know I'm going to want to go in there and rip the teachers' eyes out."
And he looked at me out of corner of his eye.
And we both started laughing.
It's hard not to want to protect them from anything and everything.
Joey has been saying he doesn't want to go to school.
He is afraid Joe and I will "be lost" when he is at school and it worries him that I cannot go with him. A teacher's child and he didn't want to go to school.
We decided to expect the worst and cautiously hope for ... something better than the worst? Ha!
In the last two weeks he has been showing signs of serious seperation anxiety.
Well, my confident, silly, energetic, smart, friendly, all-boy, tender hearted Joey did wonderfully today. After a short little "I don't want to go schooooool" pouty faced conversation we dropped the topic and had breakfast. By the time he was dressed he was asking if it was time to go yet and ... he was eager! I seemed to good to be true. I really couldn't believe his apparent change of heart.
He happily let me take about 700 pictures. Not normal.
The happily part, I mean, not the 700 pictures. The 700 pictures is normal.
And then we got in the car.
Snuggle buggles (as he calls them) Dinosaurito and Froggy joined us. :o)
We parked about a block away and walked up to his school.
He happily jib jabbed all the way up to his school asking if this building or that building was his school, telling us we should address him as The Flash and talking about how he was as fast as the cars that were driving by. We held hands and I reminded him he should tell people his name is Joey at school ... and not The Flash, which could totally happen right now.
We got up to his school, he happily posed for more pictures, and then seamlessly went right up the stairs to where the classrooms are. I heard a child crying as we walked up the stairs and internally breathed a sigh of relief. It would be okay if he cried, he would not be the only one. But in the end it was not an issue. He got a name tag, easily took his teacher's hand when I urged him as she led him to his room, and sat right down to see what the teacher in his room was doing with the two kids who were already there. My mom and I looked at each other as they sorted and matched little colored rectangles. The two little girls quietly held back, attached to the parents who were with them. Joey sat on the floor and was completely himself. Not shy at all. He did not feel he needed me. He was doing well.
And so it seems the day continued, for Joey at least.
I was crying as soon as I turned to walk out and my Mom was too. I blame you, Mom, for my overly emotional response to motherhood. :o) I drown my sorrows for an hour and a half at Target while my aunt watched Grace. That seemed to do the trick.
He came home reciting and acting out quite an intricate song/chant about going on a bear hunt.
I was sure to have him show everyone of course. His memory is amazing. He will learn so much this year.
Of course it's only the first day and there will be challenges to come and bumps in the road, I know this.
But the first day was fantastic and, for now, that's all that matters.
We are so proud of our precious little love!
Happy First Day of Preschool Mr. J :o)
