Two Things go to School

I am absolutely bursting with pride today. Bursting almost seems like an understatement because it's more like, exploding, really. My two little boy Things are official school-goers! And starting school this September truly went off without a hitch.

Many of you know that Thing 1 has had a long history with pretty serious separation anxiety. Although things had been improving in that aspect for the past year, I still felt pangs of nervousness as I put my first little Thing on the school bus today.

Did I say SCHOOL BUS?

I sure did!! My little four-year-old Pete got on the big yellow school bus today at 12:15. It whisked him away to Junior Kindergarten, where he will spend his time between 12:20 and 3:00 for the next ten months. He had a few short visits last week, but the *actual* first day of school wasn't until today. Much to my initial dismay, he was placed in the afternoon kindergarten class. I'm quickly realizing that one more year of not having to rush around in the mornings might be just what this family of Three Things needs right now. While we do have some timing issues and need to fine-tune getting Thing 3 to the bus on time (the bus stop is not at the front of our home, it is up the street and around the corner . . . far enough that I certainly need to drag Things 2 and 3 with me each jaunt), things are most definitely going well.

Here is Thing 3 last week on his first day going into school for an hour:

And here he is today waiting for the school bus:

I tried so hard to get a picture of him waving goodbye to me, but you can barely see his tiny little head!

He had no issues getting on the bus, just hopped up those gigantic black steps and slipped down the aisle and into a big, green seat. School seems to be exactly what Thing 3 needed . . . he is excited and happy and motivated and really likes his teacher.

I was worried about Pete coming home on the bus today, because I found out that he is actually at the end of the bus route on the way home. His kindergarten teacher puts him on the bus at school, but then the bus detours through another neighbourhood and several other streets before coming to our house. (Which seems totally odd because we actually live fairly close to the school.) I wondered how he would handle being on a busy bus with lots of older kids, but he did a fantastic job and seemed very happy when the bus dropped him off.

Luckily I have enough pride oozing today to extend some to Thing 2. My little wee Thing 2 - not three-years-old until next month - has started preschool and is attending the same school Thing 1 went to last year. He is in the same class AND has the same two teachers (who I adore). After an initial day of staying with him, I subsequently dropped him off last Thursday and then again this morning. As I turned to leave, he waved "bye" and went off to play on the play structure with the other kids in his class.

I was almost stunned, having gone through a much longer drop-off process last fall with Pete. I gripped my cell phone for the next two and a half hours, waiting for that call from the preschool telling me David had been crying for me, was hysterical and upset, that he was just too young to attend preschool yet.

Not the case. I picked up him up on both occasions and was greeted with smiles and happy vibes. His teachers called him "a joy to have in the classroom" and said they are enjoying his "laid back personality". He has even gone to the bathroom on his own and has not had one accident! I don't think I can find words to describe how excited, happy, and proud I am of my little guy.

Here he is on the first morning of preschool.

Way to go my two Things . . . I admire you more and more every single day.