Preschool Here We Come!

Caden started preschool this year. We have been so excited we just couldn't stand it. Unfortunately Mike was gone on business so we tried to get some good pictures and video.

I started talking to Caden about going to school and we read a book about Jake going to school and how he wouldn't let go of his parents the whole first day. (My favorite picture in the book was Jake and his semi large parents all squeezed into his small desk.) The book talks about all the things Jake missed out on because he wouldn't let his parents go. By the end of the book Jake had become interested in a book the teacher was reading and discovered that school was fun and that he would be ok without his parents. This really got the wheels in Caden's head turning. From then on he would reassure me that he would not cry and that the would say, "good bye mom and dad" and run into school.

On Caden's first day of school he was so excited and couldn't wait to get there. As we were walking down to the school he took my hand and told me, "let's hold hands mom so we don't get lost". (Now how cute is that!!)

I think it was a little overwhelming once we got inside the school. We went in and did all the things that the teacher asked us to do and then it was time for the parents to leave. I told Caden good bye and that I would just be right down the street at the house. He was reluctant but said, "Oh, ok mom. Bye!" and waved goodbye with a slightly quivery chin. He kept watching and
waving as I walked to the back of the classroom and out the door. Now this is the part of the day that I walked out of the school and cried all the way home. My baby is not so little anymore.

I had been thinking about this day for about a month before it came. I was excited for some time to myself. I know this is pathetic, but the night before I was trying to decide what I would do during that first day. Honestly, I had a list so long that I completely overwhelmed myself and had to force myself to stop thinking about it. Now that I was on my way home for my first day of free time I didn't know how to handle being alone and didn't know what to do. I walked into the house and looked around and just thought about how weird it was to be alone with myself. And then the FEAR set in. I could just see myself totally wasting the time and getting nothing accomplished. Luckily I was able to pull myself together and got the whole house cleaned and my scriptures read and my journal written in. It was amazing.

Caden is settled in his class and more comfortable. He loves school and has a great time there.