Kindergarten

Check out those VANS! (Thanks for the "fun shoes" Grammy, as opposed to the "practical shoes" mommy purchased.)





Today was Ellie's first day of kindergarten. We have been counting down the days since the beginning of summer! Here is her picture at home before school with a new backpack that is almost as big as she is. Poor thing woke up with a sty in her eye (you can kind of see it in the picture!) Aaron took her to school and walked her down to her classroom. I was anxiously greeting my new classroom full of kids, while at the same time peeking out in the hall to catch a glimpse of Ellie. As she walked down the hall, my eyes teared up! It is so cliche', but our little girl is in kindergarten. I fought back tears, just like all the other moms, tears of pride and a bit of bewilderment that time flies so fast. Ellie was confident, excited and beaming with a big smile. Her favorite thing of the day was recess because she loves monkey bars. She didn't use the bathroom all day. She thinks her teacher is pretty. She can't wait to pick out her clothes for the next day. She wants to get to school early so she can have before school recess! She got to stay at school all day because our school building houses a program called K-too where kindergarteners can go for the remainder of the school day; it is a sort of curriculum daycare. So, Ellie was excited to eat lunch in the cafeteria and extend her school day.


Having Ellie at the same school I teach at is a perk I have been waiting for since I became a teacher. This is my 12th year teaching and I can remember my first year, at my first school, seeing many teachers that worked in the same building that their own children attended. I just couldn't wait for that moment. The building I am in now is considered a "new" building. It opened the same year I was pregnant with Ellie. I experienced my pregnancy along with the first year of opening a new school building. It is just an awesome feeling to now have Ellie at that same school. It is so fun to see many parents and former students who knew me pregnant or heard my stories of Ellie as a baby, toddler and preschooler and now see Ellie at school!



Today was a perfect day...seeing Ellie throughout the day, checking in with her, listening to her excited voice as she relived the most important parts of her day...sharing the excitement of your first born in kindergarten, at your school with your co-workers who are your close friends...working a full day with your job share partner (two teachers in one classroom is AWESOME!)...hearing Easton yell "Ellie!" and run into her arms when we picked him up at daycare. He has only been to daycare with Ellie so I am sure his day felt different. The kids played great after we got home, ate perfectly and we topped it off with a trip to Cold Stone. These are the days you live for. The days you close your eyes and whisper to your husband, "I love my life!"