…and Mom forgot to take any pictures. He’s wearing a gray long-sleeve t-shirt and dark blue pants. He was clean when I dropped him off. He will probably not be clean when I pick him up.
(Note to self: The least you can do is now remember to take the camera with you to pick him up. Would it kill you to take a few pictures?)
Sigh. My little guy, a preschooler. Crazy.
We’d been members of a co-op playschool since he was 18 months old, so being left with a group of kids and some grownups who aren’t me isn’t completely new to him. But because it was a co-op, I was there as a shift worker with him one day a week, and he was there without me two days a week. Preschool? Totally different thing. He’s there for a longer day, has teachers who aren’t parents of other kids in the room, and I won’t be there that one day a week.
We were both a little nervous before drop-off today, but once he found out his teacher had brought in a drum to share with the class, he was good. He kissed me goodbye and started following the teacher around. Anyone with drums is the child’s friend. (Guitar, banjo, or fiddle will probably also get you in there.)
I did some grocery shopping (with no one asking for a cookie!), did some freelance editing (yep, taking work again. Anyone need an editor?), and ate some tater tots. I also may have wandered around the house a few times feeling kind of lost, and may have also resisted the urge to call the preschool about fifty times to ask, “Is he happy? Does he look happy? What’s he doing right now? How about now? Has he said anything really cute? I bet he has. Isn’t he wonderfully terrific? Don’t you agree he’s the most fantastic child ever? Does he look happy now? And now?”
Uh, yeah. Three days a week of this kind of “freedom” is going to take some getting used to.
God, I can’t wait til pickup time. I miss that guy.
oh the milestones! ouch. my son Auden is in daycare 3 days/week. it’s so hard to leave them. i miss him terribly. i always want to phone and ask exactly the same questions!
Ooh, drums! Clever teacher!
Your post today just made me smile. 🙂
I miss your little monkey, too! Been thinking of you guys a lot. And now I’m thinking of tater tots…yum!
3 days a week just for you & your work? Yay for you! J starts school in 2 weeks. I can’t wait, but at the same time am anxious that he’ll be away from us so much. It’s full day school 5 days a week (6 hrs a day). Yikes. I think I need a therapy session :O
Aww. What a cute post.
Isn’t preschool only half a day???? How did you get all that done in half a day? Heh.
I remember the day we brought our little guy to kindergarten. He couldn’t wait! He did kiss us and wave goodbye. Fast forward to this week – 5th grade. Without a backwards glance, he was off with friends, and in to the school. Not a wave, not even a glance. But that night, he curled up with me and told me ALL about the day. My little boy is still there in that small man’s body.
My son started his “new” preschool and I brought my fancy camera and then the camera didn’t work! So I feel kind of lame about that.
Wait until he’s 18 and in his last year of high school. My eldest son is 18 and in his last year of high school. I had him when I was 22 and went to university and then had two more babies while in university! I know what was I thinking?
i am so glad to now i am not the only mama that feels that way. there is an option to extend the day if we pay a few more dollars, but i cannot even imagine wanting to right now. i guess every parent, every mama feels a little different.
thanks for the comment about the co-op. today was a work day for me and it was a whole lot easier with cooler temps, outside play and kids getting used to the structure. still a lot of work, but very worth it. 🙂
‘to know’ not ‘to now’. i would be a big fat fail at editing.
My daughter started 9th grade this week and I’m still recovering from it. It’s too quiet after a summer of her at home 24/7. I thought moms were supposed to be happy to be away from their 14 year olds!
Wow, preschool already! I wish they’d understand that they can grow and stuff as long as they don’t. 🙂 I’m recovering from the first few days of first grade…still choked up! ( And good looking out on the drums, teach.)
Where has the time gone? My little guy isn’t in pre-school yet because dad is home during the day…and it never occured to me that he should be in pre-school…and now I’m wondering if he should be…
I’m just not ready for this.