All Dressed Up and Everywhere to Go

Well, I made it...barely! Car ride there - tears. Dreaded drop off - tears. Leaving - more tears. Parking lot and finally to the car.....shambles. To say that I have been an emotional wreck this week is a complete understatement. But, together, WE all survived. Let's start with the photos.... 

All smiles, dressed and ready to go...

Obnoxious sign I made  that he had to hold up (like my  mom made me do when I was little lol)

So excited for big brother!!! 

And now for the business.....labeled to the 27th degree, it was time to go.

As I walked him into the school this morning I asked him, "Jackson can you tell me what you are most excited about to start school?" and his response, "there's the door!" Ha! Leave it to my child just to be so happy and content with just reaching that big "door".  The big boy school and place that he's been talking about for weeks. We have prepared, bought, ordered, are slightly broke (ha, cue more tears on that note??) and talked through all the things "Kindergarten" with him. He could have answered my question this morning by saying he was excited for a number of things, but I think the lesson I learned from him today (yes my kids teach me more than I will ever admit to, or did I just admit that?) is the fact that of all the things he could have said, he said the most simple answer.

The door. 

To me that was code for - Mommy I am just so happy to be here and get to open that door and to be a part of what's on the other side. I have never felt so happy for him. Ever. You would have thought he was like a robot programmed to do exactly what he was built to do.

We got inside and he went straight for the his locker, found the one that proudly read "Jackson" and began to put his stuff in it. He walked into the class, immediately gave both Ms. Beth his teacher and her assistant Ms. Wendy hugs, he's always been a hugger. :) He then sat down next to his new friends and started to take it all in. It was written all over his face. He had to be thinking what is this place, look at all this stuff and why is everyone else wearing the same thing as me? I could just see his wheels turning. As I took a look around and doing a bit of "inventory" of my own I noticed a number of things: smiling children, supplies galore and lots of emotionally drained Mommies. Phew I'm not alone! You could feel the love that all the parents had for their kids in that classroom like the sweet warm smell of cupcakes in the oven. At that point, I knew my little tiny blonde hair-blue eyed baby was going to be okay.

As I tried to give Jackson some space to get adjusted to his new seat, I talked to Amy, my new Mommy friend and veteran parent at the school who has been paired with us to keep us informed through our uhhh....rookie year at the school. That's so nice to be paired with another family to help you through the first year, this private school stuff is serious business! My kids have a busier schedule than I do! It just so happens that Amy has a younger son, John that is also in Jackson's class. Yay! I have a feeling she and I will become good friends, if I don't drive her crazy with questions first lol.

Time dwindled down and it was time for me to make my exit and I gave Jackson one last hug and kiss before I left. Happy and not a tear in site for him, he was officially in Kindergarten. As I was leaving and going to the car, my new Momma friend Amy didn't disappoint as she captured a picture of me hugging Jackson before I left.... begin the shambles stage I mentioned earlier. She's the best and super sweet for getting that picture for me!!! I'm sure my list of I.O.U.'s will be rather long for her by the end of the year! So we're off and more posts to come from our Kindergarten year! 

-EM

To Jackson - although you can't read this today... hopefully one of these days we can look back and read this post together, I'm sure it will make your Momma cry every time. I'm so proud of you monkey and can't wait to see what's beyond that big "door" for you! All my love bubba....Mommy.