Kindergarten Recap (My longwinded post)

I have dreaded this day for a long, long time.

It's not that Kaylee wasn't ready - she would have been happy to go two years ago if had they let her. And despite the sad fact that my baby is officially no longer a baby anymore, I truly am excited to watch her learn new things and grow into her own little person. But, Kindergarten marks this new chapter in my little girl's life, a chapter her Mommy was not so ready for. Where, some time down the road... her sweet, innocent, happy little world is going to be turned upside down. Girls calling her names or telling her she's not pretty. A boy breaking her heart. Some kid on the bus telling her there's no Santa Clause or teaching her bad words. And then, of course, there is the fact that for the last 5 years, I have been there to experience everything right along with her... camera in hand. Now I have to rely on her short recount of her day, parent-teacher conferences, and happy face behavior charts. And let's not forget the fact that someone else is now partially responsible for raising my child. Because, let's face it - by first grade, their teachers see them just as much as we do!

Okay, yes... I had put a little too much thought into this big day, and let me tell you, it was nothing like I imagined it. I pictured it kinda like the movies - long, tearful hugs goodbye, following the school bus with her waving through the window...

Instead, the bus arrived 10 minutes early as we were in the front yard taking pictures. Kaylee, panicked that it was going to leave without her, starts bolting across the street - backpack in hand, gives us a half-second hug, and with a huge, unprecedented ear-to-ear grin... waves a quick goodbye, hops onto the bus, and nestles into her seat. And then she was gone.

As the bus drove away I could feel my eyes tearing up, but as Josh and I started talking to the other parents at the bus stop, tears turned into laughter. Well, until we started walking back across the street and I saw little Jadyn's face buried into her Daddy's shoulder. I asked her if she was okay. She looked up at me with watery eyes and with her infamous pouty lower lip and sweet little voice, said "I miss my big sister." Then started sobbing. It was the saddest thing!

These two really are the best of friends.

After consoling our tender-hearted middle child, we loaded up in the Tahoe and headed to the school so we could watch Kaylee walk into her classroom (okay, really because I wanted to make sure she went to the right place!) She came off the bus with big smiles and holding hands with another little girl in her class. So cute!

We hadn't really planned on going into the classroom but I peeked in and saw other parents in there so we snuck in too. When she saw Josh she looked up at him and said "Umm Daddy? Are you guys leaving?" He told her that we were leaving in just a little bit. And then she whispered, "Daddy - gooooo!" Then she walked over to another little girl who was holding onto her Mom crying and tried to comfort her. Oh, our little independent Kaylee!

The verdict?? She loved every minute of it, and can't wait to go back tomorrow! (And she's still working on getting us to let her ride the bus home with the big kids... she burst into tears when we came to pick her up today. Go figure!)