The Mommy Memoirs: Our Kindergartener

Monday, August 22

Our Kindergartener

Today was a BIG day in our house. Just like the other thousands of students in our little town, but this year, it just happened to be happening to us.

For the first time we experienced one of those rite of passages we call: Kindergarten.

Our baby, who somehow over the last couple of days or so, turned 5 earlier this year and all of a sudden got big enough to go to school. What? Shut-up!

I'm not going to fill this space with stories about me. I tend to do that often on this blog, but not today. This one is about Her. Our Kindergartener.

Her new school requires uniforms. She was hesitant at first about wearing them, but after a really cool shopping trip with mommy and her brother that doesn't talk back yet, she was stoked about wearing the special clothes she had picked out. There were no twirly dresses, but I'm starting to get the feeling that we might be growing out of them.

She really liked the idea of picking out new shoes.

She already knew where her classroom was, because she's sat in there every Sunday for Children's Church.

She's familiar with the playground and campus for the same reason.

She was a trooper when practicing getting up early last week and getting dressed and ready.

She enjoyed practicing the car line route last week and me explaining how she'd eventually get out on her own without me walking in with her.

She was excited about packing a lunch last night with Daddy's help.

She shyly answered 'Yes' to people's questions about being excited or ready to start school.

She was preoccupied with Daddy's IPad on the way there this morning.

She confidently got out of the car with her whole family there supporting her on her big day.

She walked up to the building, through the doors, down the hallway and up to the classroom with no incident. No hesitation, tears or quivering lips.

She helped me put her bag inside her cubby and we admired how her teacher had prepared her pencil box with just the right items in it.

She coyly waved to a church friend who's in her class.

Then I encouraged her to sit down in her chair, the spot in the room labeled just for her, and that wasn't what was right in her world. The reality of what was about to happen started to settle in her mind. I had done everything I could have possibly done to prepare her for this day, except the one thing I couldn't have done. The actual leaving part was one we couldn't ever practice. It had to be unrehearsed and fresh.

She got hugged and kissed and reassured and had her cheeks stroked and reassured and then had her arms gently pried from around her mother's neck. Forcefully prying her arms away from mama just made it worse, as learned from previous attempts. So, when the teacher and teacher's assistant didn't respond because they were busy with 17 other students and their families, mama turned for daddy and asked for help.

I'm not exactly sure what he said to her or her teacher, because I was in the hallway hoping she wouldn't see me, but it worked. We were the last to leave the empty hallway and the last image I have of her was one of the teacher gently placing her hands on Katherine's shoulders, pointing to the paper for her to color.

We remembered her through the day by keeping up with her schedule posted on our bulletin board. When she had reading group, her lunch time, her rest time, etc.

We loaded back up, her personal entourage for the day, made the trek back to school and parked the car. The boys stayed in the car while Mama patiently waited outside under the covered walkway for our big girl to be released.

One by one by one, children from K3-4th grade were released.

And Mama patiently waited. Anxiously waited. Proudly waited.

And there she came, carrying her Hello Kitty bag. A bag almost big enough for her to fit in.

She walked very controlled and lady like up to Mama, who was on one knee, ready to hug our sweet baby girl. Mama had to be careful not to squeeze too tight. It was a real concern.

Then Mama whispered in her ear, "Did you have fun today, baby?"

She said, "Yes."

Then mama whispered, "Would you like to come back tomorrow?"

And she said, "Yes."

Mama's heart all of a sudden weighed about 10 pounds lighter.

We almost skipped back to the car, like a bunch of schoolgirls. Mama and Dada did the best we could to listen to her tell us about her day over the Atomic Fart app her brother was playing with on the IPad.

We decided to celebrate by going out to eat supper @ Moe's with our neighbors, Mr. J and Mrs. P.

Congratulations Katherine. Your daddy and I could NOT be more proud of you, our beautiful, big, smart, kind, gentle and tender girl. Our Kindergartener.

1.5 weeks