First Forays into Preschool

I love that picture of her!

This Fall, Madeline officially started preschool.  I ended up enrolling her in the school that Nick went to when he was three and four years old, and love that she is learning, playing and creating in the very same rooms that he did years ago.  Although his teachers are gone, the director is still the same, as is one aide, and even though Nick didn’t have her then, Madeline’s teacher was there while he was, so she was welcomed with much love.

When I first told Madeline that she’d be going to school, she was beyond excited.  Unfortunately the excitement deflated quickly when she learned she wouldn’t be going on a “yellow bus” like her brother.  She so wanted to.  Desperately.  In the worst way.  But she resigned herself to being driven by her mother.  I did, however, promise that when she was five years old she can go on the bus like Nick.

When Nick first started school there, drop-off would take f-o-r-e-v-e-r.  He would cry.  And cling to my leg.  And beg me to stay.  I finally found a way to escape quickly … I would tell him to go over to the window and as I walked to my car, he could watch for me and I promised to make funny faces for him.  It worked like a charm, and eventually the crying stopped.  Unfortunately he quickly told all his classmates, and every day when I would leave, the crowd of little faces at the window would grow bigger and bigger, clearly only measured by the lengths I would go to in appeasing my distraught son.  Thank goodness I don’t embarrass easily.

As for Madeline’s drop-off the first day?  I hung up her jacket, put away her lunchbox, turned around to give her a kiss, and she was gone.  In the blink of an eye.  Didn’t need me or my funny faces.  Totally different kids, those two.

Every day when I pick her up, her lunchbox comes home with only half of the food eaten.  After the first day that happened, the teacher came up to me to tell me why.  “She’s saving it to have lunch with you.”  Oh how my heart swelled to hear that!  She’s quite the spitfire, but make no mistake about it, she is filled to the brim with love.

I love when people love my kids as much as I do.

When I got her ready for bed on the first Friday after school started, I told Madeline that she could sleep late (as if!) the next morning.

“Why?” she asked.

“Because you have off from school for two days.  Isn’t that fun?” 

Then the wailing started.  She couldn’t bear to be away from her teacher.

“I miss her!”

“I know honey, but Miss Janet needs to rest too.  I’m sure she gets tired after teaching little kids all day.”  

“I want her!”

Luckily we have since gotten used to two days off.

When Nick started in that school, for the three-year-old class, he was the only boy, with 9 little girls.  Thank goodness a few boys joined him the following year! And Madeline?  She is the only girl in her class this year, amongst a group of little boys.  Boys filled with puddles of brown eyes, eyelashes miles long and bouncy blond curls.  I don’t think it bothers her one bit!