Back to School!

SCHOOL TIME IS HERE!  Yayyy!  I am definitely in the camp of mothers who LOVE back-to-school time.  I love the routines and the learning and the fact that for a few hours a week the house gets cleaner rather than more messy (I can't clean as fast as they can destroy!)  But I do miss them, and worry about them all day long!  Here are their first day pics:

McKinley, 4th Grade

Kennedy, Kindergarten

Girls Showing off their new backpacks from Nana Betty

Girls as they are dropped off  at their school on the first day (because of COURSE we missed the bus the first day.  Pictures take priority over all else!)

Maddox, first day of Preschool (3 year old class)

So this is how Maddox's first day went for ME. I have to admit, I was VERY excited to have some time to myself with NO children for a couple of hours a week (he only goes 2 days a week in the morning).  But when the time came to actually leave Maddox at school (and he all of a sudden realized I wasn't staying), I had to try not to get teary (which I did not expect!)  Maddox had been so excited up until then, and he started looking at me all worriedly and saying with a wobbly lip, "you come right back, okay Mom?"  So I assured him I'd be back soon, and then I had to LEAVE him there all alone, and it was the first time he was ever really away from me!  I felt so crazy on the whole drive back home alternating between being ecstatic and grinning at the realization that I WAS ALONE, and then the next second being so sad and teary that the kids were all gone!  It was the queen of all mood-swings, and I was so shocked at my reaction!  But I've since adapted, and I am very glad that Maddox has some time to listen to a teacher and get along with other kids, and he loves it!

Here is Maddox right before I left him in his new classroom on his first day



And what is the best part of back-to-school?  Kennedy's outfits each day!!!  I LOVE Kennedy's taste in clothing (and her being so excited to get all doll-ed up each day).  Every morning after she gets all ready, she makes sure to have me take a picture of her in her darling clothes (getting out McKinley's hand-me-down bins is like Christmas all over for me!) I am so happy to once again have a girl who loves to wear skirts and dresses! So here are a few pictures of Kennedy the first week and a half of school, posing in her school duds (don't worry, we don't take pictures every day anymore...for the most part).

But before you think Kennedy is just the sweetest, darling-est thing ever, here is a great picture of a delightful meltdown she had after she came home on day 3.  Kennedy gets VERY independent being a big Kindergarten girl at school, and she does NOT like having to come home and have Mommy be in charge again! ;)  I'm so glad I have recorded proof of all facets of her personality!