First Day of School (week 299)

My how far we have come.  For the past four years--since we moved into our house on Carfax--I have been walking past the playground at Patrick Henry Elementary School and dreaming of the day that I too would be able to play basketball, baseball, and climb on the jungle gym at recess.  After three years of preparation at St. Luke's Preschool, the day finally arrived this past Wednesday.  I started Ms. Quintero's kindergarten class at 9:00 am, September 5, 2012.

Both Christopher and I were pretty excited to start school.  Grandma Dubby sent me a new L.L. Bean backpack (a pack-pack as Chris calls it), with my initials BJK embroidered, and with green and blue fish on it.  Chris was extremely excited to get his Spiderman lunch box ready to go.  In fact, he opened and closed it, showed it off, and carried it around the house for some time before we took pictures on the front porch and left for school.  He was so excited about the big day that he kept shouting to the whole family "I'm going San Loooches"!

We dropped Chris off first.  It was like a homecoming for me with all of my favorite teachers waiting at the front door ready to give hugs, kisses, and high-fives for my return.  Because we got a little rain, all of the preschoolers including Chris's best friend Maddy were inside watching the Little Mermaid.  Christopher was so excited he was jumping up and down.  After taking a few pictures, he ran to the front of the group to see Maddy and watch the movie.  When he realized Mommy, Daddy, and I were leaving, I think it hit him that he was going to be on his own for the day.  He melted like a Popsicle and had to be restrained by his teacher so that we could leave.

My arrival to- and my parents departure from- Patrick Henry was a little less dramatic, but equally emotional.  Instead of tears and crying, laughter, and jumping up-and-down, I buried my face into Mommy's side and wouldn't talk or make eye contact with anyone.  Once we were in the room, I played with some little plastic blocks by myself and for the most part made sure that nobody talked to or noticed me.  After a while, Ms. Quintero called all the kids over to the blanket and we went through a book of names, saying "Hola Benjamin Keisler" in unison.  We only speak Spanish in the classroom, but everyone's names still sound pretty much the same.  When they called most kid's names they raised their hands and smiled.  When they called my name, I tried to shrink into a tiny ball so no-one would notice me.

The following days at school for both Chris and I were much less dramatic.  It was a giant milestone for all of us--particularly Mommy and Daddy.  She has more time to get work done during the day; and, Daddy is very happy that everyone is going to school in the same neighborhood now.  No more driving Christopher across town for daycare!  It was also a big milestone for Chris and I because he is stepping into my shoes.  He loves going to school, and within just two weeks he has become fully potty trained--no accidents during the day, and waking up at night to go to the bathroom.  Lots of big developments in the lives of Christopher and Benjamin Keisler.