First Day of School

Dear Connor,

Today was a big day--it was your first day of preschool! There was something a bit surreal about this important milestone. I was getting your backpack ready last night--writing your name in permanent marker on the inside label, tucking in an extra outfit in case your clothes get dirty, putting in a sandwich bag of one of your favorite snacks (Pepperidge Farm pretzel goldfish crackers)--and it just felt so weird, that I'm really at that stage in my life: a mom making sure my son is ready for school. I can't believe you are already starting school. But you are--and you were one super-excited student this morning! 

When I went to get you out of your crib and told you that you were going to school, you started jumping up and down and shouting, "Yay school! Yay school! Yay school!" And you couldn't wait to put on your new backpack:

Daddy, PoiPoi and I all took you to school and the drop-off was much harder on me than it was on you. You didn't cry--but I almost did! When we arrived at your classroom, you found a toy car, plopped down on the carpet to play with it and barely looked up when Daddy, PoiPoi and I said goodbye. We left the room (I honestly don't think you even noticed--harsh!) and I felt several things: proud, because you handled the separation so well; sad, because you handled the separation so well (you were going to miss me, weren't you??); unnerved, because I had never dropped you off anywhere other than at your grandparents' homes and felt strange leaving a place without you; fear, because of what just happened in Newtown (I found some comfort in the fact that your classroom is located in the back of the third floor of the building, rather than front and center on the first floor); and happy, because I know you'll love school.

So how did your first day go? There were no tears at the drop-off but your teacher said that after your class had gym time, you started crying for me back in the classroom, curled up on a carpet and FELL ASLEEP! Out of all of the things that I thought you might do on your first day--cry, throw a tantrum over a toy, climb all over the classroom tables--falling asleep was not one of them! I guess all of the first-day excitement and activity was just a bit too much for you. But you did seem to enjoy school and talked excitedly about it when I asked you about it afterward. I hope you have many more fun school days ahead of you--and no more sleeping! We are not paying your school all this money for you to take naps! 

Love,

Mom