Caleb Heads to Preschool

Caleb's preschool Open House was on Thursday, August 30. Mamaw came to stay with Ryan & Joshua (THANKS so much!). I put all the required paperwork in Caleb's backpack and snapped a couple photos before we headed out the door.

Since we were there in plenty of time, I took a few pictures of my little handsome man in front of the preschool. He was excited!

 I loved this one of him in front of the doors with the sign.

And just like Joshua did at this exact age, Caleb will be starting Soccer Shots on Wednesday, September 12.

We got through the paperwork line quickly and I heard another family asking where Mrs. Hurlbert's classroom was. I volunteered to take them since Caleb & their daughter were going to be in the same class. This little girl was outgoing and said hello, and at that moment, Caleb hid behind my legs and didn't say a word to anyone the rest of the day that I could see.

The first thing we did upon entering the room was grab Caleb's name tag. Then the teacher asked to take our picture together for a parent board outside the room. I asked her to get one with our camera, too, and I thought it turned out nice. I asked if I could get one of the teacher with him as well. Below you'll see Mrs. Hurlbert and Caleb on the first day.

Then we looked at where to hang up Caleb's backpack, where his pocket was for paperwork, where he will put an "ice cream scoop" in the container for attendance each morning, where to wash hands, etc. We completed the entire checklist. I asked the teacher aide Mrs. Piehl if I could get a picture of the two of them together.

The coolest area of the room was the "writing tree house." The tree had apples with each letter of the alphabet. On the table was a ziploc bag with paint in it where children could trace letters (and Caleb traced his name into the bag). It was neat-o!

Caleb wanted to play with the food in the kitchen. But, another rough little boy (the sibling of Caleb's classmate) came over and shoved him out of the way. I was surprise that Caleb didn't push back but simply walked away. I felt bad that he wasn't having fun playing with other children. He was so shy that he didn't say hi or smile at anyone, even his teacher.

Eventually he agreed to color a picture, but I felt bad looking at his sad little face. He's not one to go color off on his own. Then the teacher asked us to sit in circle time (and the same rough kids were SO bad that it was hard to even hear the teacher). She explained a few things about the year and how she's there to nurture and not just teach and asked that we pray that she be sensitive to the children's needs. Then she read a book about a little hedgehog missing his mommy on the first day of school and the mommy giving her little one a kiss on his hand that he could feel any time of the day - it wouldn't wash off when he washed his hands or get sticky when he ate his lunch. Then the little hedgehog kissed the mommy's hand in case she would miss him. I seriously had tears in my eyes. All the sudden I looked at Caleb Luke and thought of him as the precious baby I brought home from the hospital not all that many years ago. How was he old enough for school? Would he be okay with how shy he is?

We left for our parent meeting and I was choked up. But he seemed happy enough when I came back to get him.

The teacher sent home a piece of brown felt that we were to trace and cut our hand and our child's hand. We get to keep his hand at home for when we miss him (with the heart "kiss" in the middle) and Caleb gets to take my hand to school. If he ever needs to feel love, he can pull out my hand and hold it in his. Here's what I tucked in his backpack. I also made him and Joshua each a note before school that I put in their backpacks as well with a picture of our family. It said that "This is the day that the Lord has made; we will REJOICE and be glad in it." I also said how much we love them and miss them and hope they are having a good day and learning lots. I promised to pick them up right after school. Even though Caleb can't read his yet, he'll see his name and our family and if he was really feeling badly some day, this teacher strikes me as the type to read it to him if he needed it.

So, on Tuesday, September 4, as Joshua was getting ready for his open house, Caleb was getting ready for his first full day of preschool. He dressed himself in the outfit he helped me choose the night before and ate his french toast sticks breakfast. I snapped a quick picture of him and we were off to school!

Before he walked into his classroom, he told me he had to go potty (DOH!) so we made a quick pit stop and he washed his hands. Then we hung up his backpack, I gave him a kiss, he got his name tag, and I snapped a quick photo before he headed in to his first day. I got in my car and headed home to take Joshua to his Open House. It was a busy, exciting day!