Nia’s school had its mock election on Monday and I was able to document Nia’s recap. I apologize for the quality of the video though – I was in a hurry.
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Class of 2021?!?!
16 AugFirst Day Excitement
It is so crazy to think that it will be the year 2021 when Nia graduates from high school. I’ll be 43 years old. What? Wait a minute – I think I still have to get through the next 18 years of school days before I even let that cross my mind again.The first school day was fun, according to Nia. She says she likes her teacher and the other students and thankfully didn’t have any major problems because our sweet, little neighbors watched out for her. We are so grateful to have them in our lives. They are wonderful kids and we have a blast riding bikes and running from bees with them.
Buddies
Knowing that they were with her on the bus eased my nerves a ton but that doesn’t mean I didn’t burst into tears as soon as the bus pulled away. How could I not? That’s our precious baby and there she was, barely able to climb the stairs on the bus.
Tiny Legs Tackle Big Steps
She left for school all smiles and came home the same way – only really exhausted. It seems all the fun she had at school really tuckered her out.
All Smiles
Right after that last picture was taken, she asked if I could carry her home and then asked if she could rest. Of course I’ll baby my baby – for as long as I can.
Ready or Not
13 AugThe “Hello Kitty” backpack now sits filled with crayons, glue sticks, safety scissors, antibacterial lotion and notebooks. Her matching “Hello Kitty” lunch box will soon be stuffed with her favorites. She placed the order herself – peanut butter and jelly, applesauce and cheese crackers. Oh and don’t forget the juice box, Momma.
Soon that backpack will weigh on her shoulders. Now crisp and clean, on Friday it will begin its days of being dragged, kicked, dropped, tossed, used, abused and loved to pieces. The lunch box will soon start its important job of carrying the lunches I make with care – the one connection I’ll have with Nia during her long day away. It will carry more than food, it will carry my love all zipped up with her PB&J – Momma hopes you like your lunch Sweets. I’m thinking about you and hoping you have a great day at school.
I hope you learn a lot, laugh a lot, live a lot. I hope your school days are happy days. I’ll miss you while you’re there. I’ll worry that you’re ok on your own. You’re so small. You’re so sweet. Will they take care of you like they should? Will they love your little ways like they should? Will you make friends that you’ll have forever? Will you want to invite them over to play? Will kids be mean to you? Momma can’t protect you there. Be strong little girl. Be brave. Be nice. Be helpful. Be polite. Behave. Be fun. Be you.
I love you Sweets. Friday is your first of many days growing up but I will always remember you as my little girl with the “Hello Kitty” backpack that was adorably too big and that bounced when you walked.
The Graduate
31 MayIs it a bad thing when teachers and other parents come up to you after the ceremony and tell you what a “big” voice your child has or that she should be an actress? They were smiling when they said it so I think they thought her enthusiasm was sweet but I’m not too sure. I don’t care anyway. She was adorable and I appreciate her volume because then I was able to understand what they were singing!
We’re so proud of our little preschool graduate and performer and look forward to more entertaining and touching memories!
Registration Relief
15 MayIt’s over and it went just fine. Nia is now all set to be shunned by the private/home schoolers! Whatever. It’s not them that I have to worry about – it’s that our little girl makes the most of her education, no matter who’s teaching her.
Now, on to the next stressful thing we face as parents!
A Day of Registering
15 MayI have been dreading this day for quite some time now. Just thinking about it ties my stomach up in knots and makes me need to take deep breaths. I’m scared. Worried. Stressed. Doubtful. Questioning. Nervously excited. Scared. I know I already wrote that feeling. I felt it necessary to repeat it since it’s the one consuming me.
In a few hours, I will be registering Nia for Kindergarten. I have already downloaded, printed and filled out the forms. I’ve paper clipped them all nice and neat with all the other forms they require you to show them. Her birth certificate – check. Her social security card – check. Proof that we live in the school district – check. Proof that I am who I say I am – check. Proof that she’s had all her shots – check. My sanity and peace of mind – ah – yeah, nope. Those are pretty far from getting a check.
I’m just so apprehensive about so many things when it comes to this big step. I know I felt the same feelings when I registered her for Pre-K but now it’s official. Our baby girl is starting school- that’s difficult enough to deal with – but then there’s also all the judgments that surround school. I hear it all the time from other mothers…”We would definitely not send our child to public school. Private school is the only option for us.” But then there’s the… “I don’t trust any school system to teach my child. We are homeschooling them.” I know I shouldn’t care what they say but it’s hard not to let their attitudes put doubt in my head.
All I can do is deal with it the best I can and not let Nia sense my feelings. I want her to be excited and happy about starting “big kid” school. So far, she is and that’s really the one thing that settles my stress. I’m just going to take it one day at a time and that starts today. Wish us luck!
Some of My Preschool Observations
28 Aug- The backpacks are bigger than the kids. It’s just so comical to me. (Just wait until you see a picture of Nia wearing hers!)
- Door to door service. All we have to do is wait in a bumper-to-bumper line for 20 minutes and our children will be walked from the school door to our car door.
- In some cases, the teachers don’t even have to open the vehicle’s door. I was behind 4 minivans that had those automatic opening/shutting doors – I laughed out loud at the sight of it. I’m not making fun of the convenience – I know they’re awesome when it comes to that – it was just like something out of a funny movie – van after van pulling up – door after door sliding open – kid after kid climbing in – door after door sliding shut. It just struck me funny.
- Parents have homework. Once a week, Nia has to bring something that starts with a certain short vowel sound. Yes, I know it’s a great teaching exercise – trust me – it’s teaching me too! I have to rack my brain trying to think about what we have in this house that starts with the short “i” sound. Igloo – no. Inchworm – no. Insect – yes but no thank you. I finally decided on an ‘inkpen’. We’ll see – I’ve thought about her and I making an igloo with construction paper but I don’t know – the point is – I really have to think about this stuff and I know it’s just the beginning! I feel so dumb! At least her starting school will give me a chance to become re-educated! How pathetic is that?!?!
Our Little Student
28 AugFirst Day of School
I wish I had more pictures of Nia’s first day of school to share with you but we’re still not up and running with our own internet so we have to keep all of our online activity short and simple. With that said – I just wanted to let you all know that Nia (and Mommy) did super. Even Nate handled the whole thing well.
After he and I walked her to her classroom (which I plan to do for the first few weeks of school), we ran some errands together and then came back home where we read some books and snacked. (He had Goldfish crackers and juice while I had coffee – this was the earliest I had to be up in like 10 months or something! Talk about spoiled!)
It was really nice getting to devote all my attention to Nate. He’s always had to share mommy and daddy so I’m really glad I’m able to give him some quality one-on-one time now. This first day though I felt like it was more like I was watching the clock – I really couldn’t wait for us to get back in the car and pick up the big sis from school.
Nia told me she had a lot of fun and her teacher said she was wonderful (I’m sure she tells all the parents that during the first week but it was still nice to hear). Nia said she did all the typical preschool stuff – heard stories, colored/drew pictures, ate snacks, played (and she “shared the toy doggy”)… I’m just so excited for her and all the neat things she’s going to get to do. She even got her first sticker from the teacher from being good in class – it says “100%” Nate even got a sticker today – his said “I visited the Post Office.”
And So It Begins…
27 AugI’m a mess. Tomorrow is Nia’s first day of school (Pre-K) and I’m freaking out. I never thought I would be like this. I’ve always been able to handle leaving the kids on their own with daycare workers or at the YMCA child watch. This is different though. This time I’m dropping her off all by herself and it’s not to have fun with friends like at daycare. It’s to learn and listen and make new friends. From tomorrow on, she will be judged for how much she knows and how she acts. It’s just unnerving to me. I’m even totally stressing out about where to drop her off – you should see the freaking map we have to follow for drop off and pick up! I’m so afraid I’m going to be ‘that parent’ who drives the wrong way or something!
She doesn’t seem fazed by the idea of starting school. I took her there for an open house last week and she walked right in and started playing with the toy kitchen. She was fine. She was also ok that a few other little kids were playing together – when two of them came over to play with the kitchen, she didn’t want to play with them. That made me worry that she might not make friends or something but by the end of our time there she was playing with them. I know it will all work out the way it’s supposed to – I just wish I didn’t worry about it so much. I know Nia will adjust and have a good time there – as long as I make it through drop off and pick up, the rest should be a breeze.
I’m So Proud
21 AugMy alma mater has once again earned the title of “No. 1 Party School” by The Princeton Review. You’re so jealous, I know. But you UGA grads don’t have much room to talk! Apparently, the Dawgs are in the top 5. (My kind of people!)
I’ll admit I did my fair share of underage drinking as a Mountaineer. I missed one two many of my classes that Andrew and I are still paying for thanks to my college loan. It’s funny what you don’t think about (or care to think about) when you’re living away from home and pretending you’re all cool.
Did I have a blast? Yes. Do I have any regrets? Yes. Would I do it again? Yes. I am who I am today because of all that I experienced, good and bad. I’m proud to say I went to WVU. It was a beautiful and interesting place and alcohol was NEVER hard to swallow – whether you were 18 or not. Some worry that the ranking will leave a bad taste in the mouths of employers, leaving them to wonder if their prospective new employee got any college education or did he/she just spend his/her time past out in a stairwell.
I don’t have to worry about that – it wasn’t the drinking that interfered with my education. It was my brain.
WOOHOO! WVU IS NUMBER ONE! At least we’re known for something…
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