First Day Recaps

Dylan-

During Open House we discovered that Dylan's teacher (who is wonderful) is also 37 weeks pregnant!! As a parent this is a little concerning.  He could have a substitute for 3+ months!  Dylan is oblivious to this upcoming change.  I've tried to explain it but he doesn't seem to be concerned at all!  So, the first day is really his first-first day because there will be a second-first day with Teacher #2 in a few short weeks!

As for the first-first day, Dylan did awesome!  He didn't want us to walk him in, and strutted out of the car like the big first-grader that he is.  When I picked him up that afternoon, a semi-grownup little man got into my car.  I started with my usual battery of questions (how was your day, who did you eat lunch with, what did you learn, how was your class), and he politely interrupted me with, "Mommy, excuse me.  But, I want to hear about Olivia's first day in VPK first.  Ladies first...remember?"  After Olivia shared her day, Dylan told me the following:

- Teacher was good

- Class was fine

- No idea who he ate lunch with

- Green dot for behavior

- No more questions, Mom!

When John got home around 6:30, he asked Dylan the same (obviously annoying) questions, and Dylan responded with an exasperated, "It was horrible.  I don't want to talk about it."  Someone was obviously a little tired.....Early bedtime was in the works, have no fear.  Then, in the quiet moments before bed, Dylan said to me, "You know what's cool about being in first grade?  The teacher doesn't walk you to the car-rider line.  You walk with your class, without a teacher like a big kid.  But, you know what wasn't great....the teacher screamed louder than I thought she would."  That made me frown a little, but I also know that I need to filter a little bit of what Dylan tells me to find the 100% truth.  But, the woman is 37 weeks pregnant after all, and 18 six year old's can probably be a little unnerving. 

Olivia-
Oh, Olivia here goes my best effort at capturing your first 3 hours in formal school... As with Dylan, clothes were set out and bags were packed the night before.  You were dressed and ready in no time.  When Daddy left with Dylan, we loaded up in the van with Grayson and headed to Kiddie Academy for VPK.  You were squealing and giggling as soon as the car was parked.  There wasn't an ounce of fear or hesitation in your little body.  I tried taking pics of you in the parking lot on the way in, and you were irritated by me slowing down your pace...you were just DYING to get into the building.  Once in your classroom, you didn't look back at all.  I had to hunt you down for a kiss goodbye.  Grayson was heartbroken that his best friend wasn't going to be hanging out with us.  You noticed that he was sad and gave him a heartwarming kiss goodbye.  We were outta there in no time.  That was the easy part, the drop off.  It's supposed to be the challenging part, but not with you. You are so independent and excited about new experiences.

Pick up was a different story!!!  I showed up and the remainder of your class was sitting down for lunch.  For now, you don't stay past noon, so you don't get to eat with your class.  You were absolutely 100% beyond pissed at me for taking you away from your friends (and lunch).  You crossed your arms, looked over your eyebrows at me, and stomped your feet while screaming, "NO! I'm NOT going with you!!!"  I was a little shocked, but was able to get you out of the classroom without too much more of a scene.  Then, in the hallway, you threw your backpack on the ground and refused to follow me.  Then started the screaming, "You are a bad mommy.  I'm not leaving.  You need to go back to work so I can stay all day with my friends."  Somehow we got out of the building and into the car where you refused to speak to me for quite a while.  In the car I told you that I missed you and that you were making me sad by not being nice.  To which you told me, "Well, I didn't miss you.  I didn't even think about you at all until you came back.  I'm not like Llama Llama in the book about school.  I don't need you there."
After Dylan got home from school, you had forgotten a little about how mad you were.  (though intermittently you kept asking if you could stay later and eat lunch with friends)  You started a little dance with your brothers and called it your 'Africa' dance.  You told me this long story about how you learned about Africa in school and that your teacher has a daughter named Olivia who lives in Africa.  I bought it hook, line, and sinker.  Then, you looked at me dead-pan, chuckled, and said, "Haha.  You believed me.  I made that whole story up in my brain."

It's going to be an interesting year ladies and gentleman!