Preschool!

The day has finally arrived! It has been 4+ months since Hannah last went to school (at the Dupree Center) and today marked the start of her official schooling (really, last year was a warm-up of pre-preschool). She has been anxiously waiting all summer to go to school, especially since last week, when we went and met the teacher and other kids. When we came home, we made a paper chain (you know, like what you do before Christmas to count down the days) to help Hannah wait patiently, although for the last week we've fielded the same question: "how many more days till I go to preschool?"

For those wondering if she had any hesitation, let me put your minds at ease. The kid was born ready. This morning, the first thing she said to Kevin as he got her up was "today I get to go to preschool!" and then she ran out and ripped off the last chain. Breakfast was a challenge because she was bouncing off the walls. She, of course, had to wear the new shirt she picked out last week at Gymborre, even though it is about 10 degrees warmer than I thought it would be. Abby too needed to go along with the plans and wear her new shirt that went with Hannah's.

When we got there, Hannah marched right in. She wandered for awhile, trying to find something to do, checking out the kids she didn't know. She got really excited when her friend Aehsley showed up and went into her mothering mode, showing Aehsley all around the classroom, explaining what stuff was (Aehsley probably didn't need it, but Hannah had fun with it). At one point she turned to me and said "when are you going to leave?" which pretty much told me she was done having me around. When I said good bye she didn't look up from her drawing but just mumbled "bye" to me. So, my kid had no qualms and seems to be feeling quite comfortable, even in this brand new setting.

Hannah and Aehsley coloring

Some more kids joined in the coloring -- these are actually all the kids Hannah knew before starting.

Because the preschool is a co-op, parents get to help out in the classroom twice a month. Next Tuesday will be my first time, but today, Aehsley's mom Raehanne helped out and I watched Emery, the little brother who is 6 months old. Emery is really Abby's first friend in this post-CRW world and she gets super excited when she sees him. When I put him in his car seat next to hers she squealed and then tried to hold his hand for the whole ride home, but, alas, they were separated by the middle seat and his arm doesn't reach as far as Hannah's (whose hand Abby frequently holds). Still, pretty darn cute that she tried.

By the way, did anyone else realize yesterday that in 1 month Abby will have her first birthday!?! How the heck did that happen?!