The First Day of First Grade

Joshua's first day of first grade was Monday, August 26, 2013. This was going to be the first day ever that we didn't eat lunch together after school and that he didn't come home after a half day in the morning. His school goes late (in my opinion) and he doesn't come home until 4 pm. Even though I knew we were going to miss him, I was excited for his school experience. I had picked out a new outfit for him and had all his school things labeled and ready to go in in his back pack.

We took a couple pictures before breakfast. But, he spilled syrup from his french toast all over him at breakfast. He didn't want to change his outfit, but even though I tried to clean it up, we didn't have time to wash and dry his shirt. So, I insisted that he changed. He was HIGHLY upset. I was frustrated and didn't conceal it. He wanted a packed lunch, so I got it all ready for him as he changed. I urged him to GET MOVING! He didn't want to be late! And we rushed out the door. He wasn't the first kid to school, but he wasn't late either.

I literally cried all day. Not only did I miss him, I felt bad how our morning had went. Should I have let him wear his syrup covered outfit rather than insisting that he change? Was it worth starting his day off on a bad note, making him almost late and a little frantic? I felt downright awful. I couldn't WAIT to pick him up after school. When he got home, I took new pictures of him in his outfit that he had changed into.

He had his brand new Mario lunch box that we had ordered the week before, his new sneakers, a new shirt (although not the one he wanted to wear), a bottle of water since they're supposed to take them on hot days, and his backpack filled with school supplies and a snack since he has a late lunch time.

I realized I didn't know where to pick him up. The school didn't tell me where walkers went, and the year before we had picked up where the buses normally go because of morning kindergarten (and I knew that wasn't right). So, I called the secretary, who asked and got back to me that we indeed pick up in a different spot than we drop off. The kids cross the street by themselves to get back into our neighborhood. I was waiting there (and found my neighbors there, too). The sight of him running toward me was the best thing I had seen all day! I was SO EXCITED to see him and hear about his day.

I apologized for our rough morning. He said it was no big deal. He wasn't the last one in class! In fact, most of the buses were obnoxiously late that morning, so he was still one of the first kids in the room. He highly enjoyed lunch and recess and phys. ed. He told me some highlights from his day and then went off to play with his brothers. I had a ton of paperwork to fill out that came home with him that day, so I did my homework. :) :) :) But, I was so glad he enjoyed school.

I had told him that he could wear his other outfit the next day after I washed it. I had it all clean and ready to go. But, alas, the first grade class was doing "color days" for the next 2-3 weeks. Each day the kids were to wear a specific color. The next day was red, not orange. But, he was fine wearing his colors. We ended up buying him a purple angry birds shirt for purple day because he didn't own anything that color. And then Mamaw bought him a pink shirt for pink day that said "TOUGH GUYS WEAR PINK" and had a little muscle man on the shirt (thanks, Mom!). He wore red, blue, yellow, green, black, brown, white, purple, pink, orange, rainbow and American flag colors to school for the next few weeks.

I was a little bummed at color days since we had new clothes to wear to school and instead were wearing specific colored things (even if they were older things). But, it didn't really matter. And it was tough to spot him on the playground because everyone was wearing the same color! But, now he's been wearing whatever he wants to to school.

On Thursday, August 29, it was the back-to-school ice cream social. Joshua & I went over (Shawn kept the other kids at home) and we ate Friendly's ice cream (yum!) and got to talk with his teacher and I saw other families and he played with other kids on the playground. But, many were in yellow (the color of that day) so it was hard to find him!

So, I officially have a first grader! He's doing great in school, which I'll post about later.