First Day of Kindergarten

I have to confess that the first morning of school was so hurried that I didn't take photos before we left the house, so I made Bethany pose after school. She was tired and not happy about it, but I insisted. We thought we knew how much time we would need to get ready and get there on time, but our daughter is not a very motivated child in the morning. We have learned in the 2 1/2 weeks since the first day that we have to stay at her side throughout the getting dressed, eating breakfast, brushing teeth, and other parts of our morning routine and keep her focused and moving. Breakfast is the hardest because she's never ready to eat when she wakes up, but I will not let my little girl go to school without a healthy start to her day, so we fight it out every morning. She is so excited about school, though. I insisted that I get to take her that first day, as the Mommy, while Brad stayed with spotted Mallory. He takes her most mornings because he's headed off to work anyway, and I pick her up. I knew she'd be fine, but I walked her to class anyway. It was so strange to turn around and leave the room knowing my baby would be gone for 7 hours a day, five days a week.....but I stayed strong. By the middle of her second week, Bethany told Brad that she didn't need for him to walk her to her classroom. She said, "just drop me off at the curb, Daddy. I'll be okay, Daddy, but you're not going to cry, are you?" He called to tell me about our independent daughter, and we laughed and felt a little sad at the same time. Our big girl is just fine, but I miss her during the day. Mallory and I are having a good time together, though. We watch a little PBS kids and play and laugh and go to WalMart together. When she naps, I try to get more house organization done and catch up online, then we go pick up Big Sis. I feel like a whole new phase of life has started for us, and we're still getting used to it.

*Oh, yes! Bethany insisted on wearing her new skirt to school on the first day. I kept thinking in my mind that the adults in the school were going to think that she was part of that religion that wears skirts and doesn't cut their hair. The next day she wore shorts, so that was all cleared up. ;)