First Day of Kindergarten

The day after Ryker turned four, we sent Brecken off for his first day of Kindergarten! He has been so excited to get to school - big kid school, and not preschool. We started a little countdown at least a month prior and started making bedtime earlier and earlier until we got to about two weeks before the big day and an 8:00 bedtime was working out wonderfully. A few weeks before school started i asked him if he was excited to go to school..and of course he was-what kid isnt excited for such a big milestone in their life?! I asked if he was nervous at all and he said yeah. He said he was nervous for music class. I dont blame him! I hated music class as well! How do i try to convince my five year old that music class is fun when i was the one getting sent to the hallway for not singing or pulled in front of the group to sing my scales in jr. high and i was so embarrased that i just acted out and wouldn't do it right because i knew i couldn't carry a tune- nor did i care to let the rest of my classmates hear my horrendous singing voice either... so i get stuck singing Alto with the guys for an entire year, and i'm pretty sure my parents got a phone call about my disrespect for music class as well.

Well, just as i thought, he told me that he was nervous because he cant sing very well and that makes him not like it. I tried to emphasize the cool xylophones, drums, tamborines and other fun aspects of music that he will be learning about. I told him it doesn't matter what he sounds like when he sings...i asked him if i was a good singer and he chuckled and said 'no'. and i said, 'well, i sing all the time and dont even care that i suck, right? as long as you enjoy the music and have fun trying, it doesn't matter what you sound like'. He just sat there..still not convinced that music class would be enjoyable. So I said..'you know what? now that i think about it..you rarely even sing in music class in kindergarten..just play instruments. (shhhhhhhhh! ). That worked..he was now ready for kindergarten! :)

Our countdown grew closer to the end and before we knew it, August 18th was here! We got up at 7:00 a.m.. (that is not a time of day that i enjoy being awake! working overnights puts 7am about right in the middle of my REM state of sleep. thank goodness i am not the one bringing him to school on a daily basis-but of course i had to be there for the first day). He sat up in bed and hopped in the shower before he could even open his eyes..anxiously got ready, ate breakfast, grabbed his lunch bag and backpack and stopped for a few pictures outside the front door as we headed up the street toward school. (It just wouldn't be like Brecken to smile normally for a picture either). Ryker was excited for Brecken to go to school too and grabbed his hand as we walked up the street. We live so close to the school..its going to be so nice not having to drive there and fight the traffic, mini vans, SUV's and lack of parking just to get my child the 2 blocks to and from school.

We found his teacher and his class 'line' with the rest of the nervous little kindergartners and their parents outside their door of the building, lined up to go inside and found his classroom. He's in one of the two brand new kindergarten classrooms which is really neat..it just got finished a few days ago actually! So we found his locker/cubby (not sure what they refer to it as) and his chair and i went over the other kids names with him that he'll be sharing a table with. We gave our hugs and kisses and i didn't even cry! I knew he was so excited for school and that made me ok with it. I've been so lucky to be able to stay home with both the boys ever since they were born..we've never had to use daycare except for the 8 weeks i was in training for work, so I was ready for school too-just unsure how i'd handle having him gone all day long!

Ben left for work and Ryker and I kept busy all day. We had his 4 year checkup, went to lunch and then stopped by Anita's house and sat on her deck overlooking the pond for a good hour, just enjoying the beautiful day. The first day of school was great! I was definitely enjoying it!! :) Ryker continuously asked if Brecken was coming home yet, but absolutely loved the 'mommy and me' time! We threw some bags out front, played with some his new birthday presents, read some books, and went on a big wheel ride...before we knew it, it was 2:40. time to get Brecken! School is over already?! no!!!!!!! the day flew by, but i was soooo excited to hear all about his first day! We walked up to get him and he greeted me and Ryker outside the school with a big running hug and a 'moooommmmmmmm!'. he gave me a huge hug and i told him how much i missed him and asked how the first day was. he said, 'THAT...was SO fun. it was AWESOME! ...how long WAS that mom? WOW!!!' i laughed and hugged him again and said, 'you were gone from 8 until 2:45!!' he said another 'WOW' and was pumped that he had 3 recesses in that long day! he was so happy and proud of himself..he said he wasn't nervous the whole day. i did it..i choked up and cried for just a second, out of pure happiness as i grabbed his hand and walked home. He talked about his day and showed me his burn blister on his hand from sliding down the pole on the playground too fast..told me how he got lost in that' big ole school' with another kid from his class and had to ask a teacher for directions how to get outside, and explained to me how the lunchroom is filled with way too many loud kids! hahaha! They had library and music class on the first day of school..and guess what? music class was FUN! ;)

Brecken's First day of Kindergarten

5 1/2 yrs old --- August 18, 2008