Alma's First day of Kindergarden!

I know this is a late post, but I'm trying to catch up!  

Okay, so I have been preparing myself mentally for this.  Sending my oldest to Kindergarden.  I've heard from EVERY mom that it's a very hard and emotional day.  Knowing my Alma, I knew that he would be okay going to school. . . it was ME I was worried about.  For those of you who know me, I'm not an emotional person.  I just don't cry.  But when I do cry, it catches me off-guard, and it's hard for me to control.  I was just hoping I would make it through the drop-off without crying in front of Alma.  I don't think he's ever seen me cry, and I didn't want him to deal with that.  

Thankfully Alma is in PM Kindergarden which doesn't start until 12:15 every day.  (We're not morning people!) He was assigned a bus to ride, but I wanted to take him to school the first day. . . to take pictures and, um, other emotional reasons.  Lili wanted to go with us, so I let her come.  Lamoni stayed home with MaryAlice.  

Here is Alma ready for his first day! He looks so excited!

Saying Bye to Daddy!

So, we pull up to the Elementary School and walk to his classroom.  We find his name in the coat closet and hang up his backpack.  His teacher, Mrs. Redden says to find their name on the table and they can play with the play-dough until it's time for class.  Alma finds his name and sits down - ready for school to start.  He's my little serious boy, he didn't open his play-dough.  He just sat there, very calm, waiting for further instruction.  

Lili actually walked over and opened his play-dough for him!  She was loving the classroom!  and that right there was my first problem. . .Lili!   Soon, I knew it was time to say goodbye.  I was doing okay.  I could feel the beginning of my mommy emotions, so I said to Lili, "Okay, say bye to Alma, lets go!"  and then my little Liliuokalani turned to me and with sad eyes said, "Mommy, I don't wanna go home wif you, I wanna stay at school wif Alma." and she bursts into tears!  It was a sad cry, I mean sobbing on my shoulder soaking my shirt!  It was sad!  I knew it was the environment she loved.  She wouldn't really miss Alma, but she truly wanted to go to school. She's always loved coloring, drawing, and she can write her name now.  She loves learning!  (she'll turn 4 in about 6 weeks.)  So, I had to pick her up, and carry her out of the classroom.  I walked down the hallway trying to calm Lili down.  I realized that this event had kept me from crying myself!  If I didn't have Lili's breakdown to take care of, I would be dealing with my own.  I did shed a few solitary tears on the way home. 

The next day he was going to ride the bus.  He was so excited for that!  The bus was scheduled to pick him up around 11:27, so here we are walking down our driveway at 11:27.

Well, I'll have you know that about 3 steps after this picture was taken. . . we watched the bus drive on by.  Yea, we missed the bus!  When they mean 11:27, they mean 11:27!!  So, I had the pleasure of taking Alma to school on his 2nd day also.  (no, Lili didn't go with me this time!)

So, on his 3rd day of school, we were waiting for the bus at 11:20.  After he hopped on the bus, he sat down, and I saw this little hand frantically waiving as the bus drove away.  I again shed a few tears for my little Alma - so grown up! 

Alma is just loving school.  I'm still not sure if he's left handed, or right handed!  He uses both when he writes, but when he plays sports, he uses everything Left.  Just like his daddy!  I think he'll end up using his left because I'm noticing when he writes his name with his right hand, it sometimes looks like this, "amlA" he goes the wrong way when writing with his right.  I then have him switch to his left hand, and he can write his name good.  

Oh, and after about a week at school he got off the bus, and as we were walking home he said, and I quote, (in his famous, serious Alma voice) "Mom, uh, I kinda got a little girlfriend"  I had to try really hard not to laugh out loud! I also wanted to cry at the same time! odd!  He was very serious, so I answered him serious too.  We talked about it, and I found out there was a girl in his class named Addison that he plays with every recess, and she sits by him on the bus - both ways - everyday.  How cute!

I can't wait for the adventures school brings!  I'm so proud of my little boy!