First Day of School!

Today was Marin's first day of school! We survived without managing to be effected by the blizzard that has just begun. For a minute there, I thought we might have had a snow day on her first day!

We've been talking a lot with Marin about her first day of school. But I don't think she understood anything that we said about school (to share, be kind to other children, say please and thank you to her teachers) except that she was going to get to play. And since its a play/craft based pre-preschool, that was just fine.

We kicked the day off with her favorite breakfast- peach yogurt followed by waffles and "Minnie Milk" (milk served from her Minnie Mouse cup). I packed her little lunch box up today with exactly what we would have had at home. My mom had the good idea to practice eating from the lunch box before she actually had to do it at school, so we had a practice round yesterday at home. Of course I put a little note in her lunch box for her. Given her age, I'm guessing this didn't embarrass her. (Full disclosure: my mom wrote on my napkin until I was well into high school and it didn't embarrass me even then.)

Jason and I both went to drop her off together and we got there extra early so that we could meet her teachers and the director and learn the ropes. Marin hit the ground running, literally- as soon as we got there she ran over to the toys and immediately started playing. When another little girl showed up I told Marin, "There is a little girl here, you could go play with her." Marin very happily shined up and me and said, "Okay, Mommy!" as if it was the best idea she had ever heard. The teachers joked to Jason and me, "Boy, you really don't have worry about socializing her, do you?"

When we left we were warned that she might get a little upset after she said goodbye, but not to worry- that they deal with that all the time, and she'd be just fine. Jason and I went to give her hugs and told her we loved her, and that we were going to leave and she just gave us each a big hug back and said, "Bye-bye Daddy! Bye-bye Mommy!" and ran off to play again. Guess I'm no one special. :)

When I came back to pick her up three hours later, she came running out to meet me with a huge smile on her face. Her teachers said that she did fantastic her first day! And, she made a new friend! Her new friend's name is Leah, and the two of them came running elbow to elbow towards the moms waiting to pick up. Leah excitedly told her mom, "Mommy! I played with her!" pointing to Marin.

When we got home, Marin got a special treat- chocolate milk- and a first day of school present. The present was Minnie Mouse socks and a Minnie Mouse bracelet. She loves them, and put them on immediately. We go back to school on Friday, and I think Marin is excited already!