1st Week of Kindergarten

   That's right, Ethan started kindergarten this week. I know most parents say and feel this way but how did my little boy get so big and grow up on me to be starting kindergarten. Okay, that's is enough of the shock and rude awaking...this is about Ethan's first week of school, not Mommy's struggle to let go. 

Coolest backpack ever

    We started the previous week on Friday with meeting Ethan's teacher. Ethan goes to Lorena Kesterson and his kindergarten teacher is Ms. Hadfield. Ethan was very nervous but also excited to meet his teacher and I think the second he saw her and introduced himself his nerves were put to ease. He saw that his teacher was fun and outgoing. It was excited by all the books, activities and some toys that he saw in the classroom. The teacher had a get to know you page to fill out, that he was able to fill out on his own. We even talk to the teacher about suggested books for Ethan to read since we have been having a hard time finding ones that interest him. She immediately pulled out a box of books for him to take home that day and try out. (Unfortunately, they were to easy but I appreciated that she tried and is still trying to help us.)  Then we got his school shirt and toured the school a little. All the while Addison is also getting excited and thinks she is going to like school. Uh-oh. 

Ethan's hulk school smash

     On Monday, we got up really early, since we had to drop Daddy off to his school so we could have the car for the first day. Ethan and Addison realized that this could be a challenge for the school year. GETTING OUT OF BED, but they did it. After dropping Daddy off and getting back home, we scurried to get our morning chores done, get dressed and take the first day of school pictures. When time to go Ethan AND Addison grabbed their backpacks. Addison had her best friend Mickey Mouse and Ethan tried and wished he could take his blankie but should he was grown up and left it behind. We get to the school and little early but eventually we get to enter the playground and play. Yes, even Addison played on the playground with the other kindergartners. Thank goodness they have a separate kindergarten playground. The bell rings and we show Ethan were to line up. This is where we have some problems but now with Ethan. Since Ethan was little and going to nursery, he has been one that says love you Mommy but in the same breath says see you later. He has always been good about moving on and going with the flow. Addison on the other hand felt that she needed to get in line and go to kindergarten. Thank goodness she wasn't as bad as I thought she would be. I pictured having to drag a screaming girl to the car, yelling that she wanted to go to school and let me go, don't touch me. At first she resisted and wanted to line up with Ethan but then I told her we were going shopping and that we would pick Ethan up later and then she came willing with me. She did ask a hundred times that morning, "Where's Ethan?"  "Where's Daddy?" Poor girl, stuck with Mommy. 

      When we picked up Ethan around lunch time (Ethan has half a day of kindergarten, which we love), the first thing he says before I could even speak is, "Mommy I don't remember what I did today." He said this in the attitude of "so don't even ask." Does he know his Mommy or what, because, I was just about to ask him what he did in school. Later when talking to Daddy he remembered a few more things like he sat on the rug and not at the desks that day. He also got a sticker for being good. Mommy has to say that she wasn't sure about the teacher though because there was only homework for the parents and not for the students. (wink, wink). Ethan thought this was great but I told him to just wait, he would get his homework soon enough.

       On Tuesday, we had to again drop Daddy off to school, so we could have the car to take Ethan to school. We hadn't heard about the bus situation yet. So that morning we went to the office before school started and asked about the school bus. Then we talked to his teacher to tell her that he would ride the bus tomorrow. While Ethan was playing on the playground the teacher and I had a chat and she said he was so funny the other day because he gave her the books back and said, they were just way to easy. She talked to me about other resource she would be using and how I could use some of them at home as well. Addison was a little harder at leaving today because she wanted to play on the playground again at school but they weren't letting adults or other kids through the gates today. The only way I could get her to calm down was to promise to take her to the playground at home and play. She didn't like the idea that much because she wanted to play with the other kids but she decided it was a good compromise. Again, when picking up Ethan that day, he came out saying, Mommy I don't remember what I did today. What a memory he has. 

        On Wednesday, was his first day on the school bus. Both Mommy and Ethan were nervous. We dropped Daddy off again to school, just because Mommy was that nervous and decided she needed the car just in case something happened with the first day on the bus). We did the usual morning chores and got ready for school. Then we all walked to the bus stop. When the bus came Ethan requested that I give him a hug and a kiss before getting on the bus. That touched my heart. Then Addison and I waved until the bus drove out of sight. Addison then asked right away, "Where's Ethan?" and I reminded her that we just put him on the bus to go to school. We went and played on the playground for a few minutes and then went home. Now the part that I was most nervous about. Ethan coming home on the bus. 

         Ethan coming home from the bus made Mommy super nervous. Addison and I walked to the bus stop and waited. At around noon, when the bus still hadn't shown, Mommy was panicking a little. Then we saw a bus but it turned into our gated community and stopped at each gate to drop them off. This made me doubt myself, so Addison and I walked back to our gate thinking that they would drop Ethan off their. No Ethan though. At around 12:15 I decided that it was okay to call the school. They said that it does take the bus a little while to get to each stop and our was probably the last one, so to stay at the bus stop and we would probably see it shortly. They also wrote my sons name down and reassured me he was okay, that the bus driver would not let them off the bus unless there was a parent there to get them. Addison and I went back to the bus stop and waited. At 12:30 I again called the school saying that Ethan still had not showed up. They said that the bus driver did not see me there at the bus stop (probably when I was chasing the other bus to the gate) and so they brought Ethan back to the school, but to wait their because the bus driver was coming back to our bus stop to drop him off. Finally at 12:40 Ethan's bus shows up with Ethan. I had a little chat with the bus driver to confirm the location of drop off and pick up and the times. Thank goodness, Ethan didn't seem to upset. He said it was a long bus ride and he didn't like being on the bus by himself. Later he also asked if I could just drive him to school but I told him that from her on out Mommy will be there to get him at the bus stop and it won't be so long. 
       On Thursday and Friday we again walked to the bus stop, this time not having to drop Daddy off. Ethan still said the same thing every day. Mom, I don't remember anything, except later on Thursday he remembered that he went to the library for the first time and the librarian read them a pigeon book. He also got stickers both these days for being good again. The teacher is still giving the parents homework (papers to sign) and not the student. I teased Ethan saying that the teacher must be confused and I might have to talk to his teacher. Even though Ethan doesn't say much and can't remember what he does in school, he must be liking it because he still wants to go everyday. he said he hasn't made any friends yet and can't remember any of the other kids names except one that is also named Ethan. So far it's hard to tell how the school year will be but it seems that he has a great teacher and he is going to a great school so we are all excited.

Ethan's Friday School Shirt