First Day

Ben had his first day of his second year of preschool last week.  Last year he went three mornings each week and this year he is going two full days each week.  He is at the same school in the same room with the same teachers so the start of the year was not the least bit traumatic or emotional.  He marched into that room on the orientation morning and immediately told his teacher that some bin of toys was in the wrong place.  His best friend from last year is in his class again and so are several other kids that he got along with so they were very excited to be together again.  A group of us went to the zoo together after orientation and I think we moms were happy to be reunited too.  I'm excited to enter this new phase of friend making...the parents' of kids classmates phase.  Making new friends when you have babies and toddlers is not easy even for the social and friendly people like myself.  I have read that to really connect with people one thing you need is the regular interaction (which is why high school and college friends and co-workers are the people who often become your closest friends).  Seeing people several times a week twice a day and watching the swimming lessons, etc.has helped us to connect, I guess.   It's good.  I like it.  Also, some of them have younger kids who will probably go to school with Tessa in the upcoming years so I look forward to that.

Full day school does present some new challenges and the other moms were all slightly concerned about these things too.  The main one is eating lunch at school and not being able to pull any B.S.  There is one meal and that's what they get!  We saw the menu in the pickup line and their first lunch was...chicken pot pie!  Hahaha...we all groaned and swore under our breaths in sympathy for whoever had to get them to eat that.  Ben said he tried it, which is probably the rule.  At least try!  I'm going to enjoy this school year.  The second thing we were worried about, without going into too much detail, involves hand and arm dexterity and bathroom use.  I'm sure you understand what I'm saying...

Here are a few first day of school pictures. 

Tessa wasn't going to let us have a nice group picture...oh, no...she made sure to cry for no reason.  Well, she had a reason which is not being accustomed to being rushed out of the house within half an hour of being woken up.  Hopefully she will soon figure out that getting up and dressed early means she gets me, and the TV and toys and Milo, to herself for the day. 

Ben picked that Curious George shirt out at Old Navy when we were shopping for a few new school shirts.  I envisioned a button up or a polo shirt but he liked that one so...I have heard of parents who don't let their kids wear clothes with cartoon and movie characters on them.  Whatever people...the years of childhood are so short and if my kids feel connected to some fictional character then they can wear a cheap shirt with that character. 

Here he is ready to go inside. Off to the right you can see Tessa clutching her milk and wondering what the heck is going on.   

Here is his hook...he is just Ben this year, without the last initial, since he is the only Ben in the class!