A First Day at Preschool

Blythe began preschool today.  I enrolled her in The Learning Tree Preschool, a home run school about two miles up the road.  Blythe goes with two other little girls in our ward, Shaylee Elder and Ellie Mason.  She likes both of them, and she has been super excited to start school.  She really wants to go to kindergarten and be in Mrs. Bigelow's class, but she is happy to be going to Miss Julie's class since she is not yet five and can't go to school with Brandt.

We went to a "meet your teacher" day last week, and I was impressed with the set up.  There are lots and lots of toys and lots and lots and lots of book, and Miss Julie has been doing preschool for 30 years and knows what she is doing.  She is kind and warm, Miss Jen who helps her is the same, and I think Blythe will be happy there.  She certainly seemed happy as I dropped her off and kissed her goodbye.

As I drove off, leaving Blythe to her school, I began to tear up.  I didn't really think I would, but I did.  I love our girl.  She drives me wild and makes me crazy, but she bright and funny and companionable.  I will miss her when she is gone (for probably the first two days; then I'll likely get over it).

With Shaylee and Ellie's mom, we are taking turns carpooling.  On Wednesdays I will take the girls to school, pick them up, then take them home for lunch and additional play time.  This will give each mom two days with extra time.  Instead of having the girls gone from 9:00-11:30, they will be gone from 9:00-1:30.  Think of all that can be accomplished during those extra two hours!  I think it is a good thing even for the days when the girls will be at our house because Blythe will have someone to play with and I can get things done around the house.  It will be good for Blythe and good for me.  Yeah!

I decided that we would have pancakes each week for lunch.  Everyone loves pancakes.  But on the way home, with the three girls in the back, I said, "Shaylee and Ellie, you both like pancakes, don't you."  Ellie replied that she did, but Shaylee said, "I don't like pancakes."  It was determined that everyone liked waffles, so we had waffles for lunch.  I learned later in the afternoon that Shaylee loves pancakes and was just teasing me.

Blythe is in her new school clothes.

Everything is new, including the socks!

Blythe rode to school in Brandt's seat, just because she could.

Headed downstairs to the classroom. 

The first thing Blythe said to Miss Julie was, "We have a fish too."

So there!

She waved goodbye without a bit of concern that I was leaving her.

I took this picture at the end of the day, before I went up to say anything to anyone.

Blythe is having a conversation with Miss Julie about something.

She (Blythe) is being very serious.

Miss Julie is taking her seriously too.