1st Day of 1st Grade

You think I'd know by know to expect that completely calm reply when I ask "are you ready?" Will there ever be a time Meredith gets nervous or anxious for something? Today is the first day of school. REAL school. All-day school. With lunch! True, it is only until 12:30 today, but still. So yesterday we did all the necessary prep work for today. We picked out an outfit, took a shower to make sure her hair looks nice, packed a lunch and went to bed early. Now, I have memories of lying in bed the night before the first day of school, and they aren't pleasant memories. I always had trouble sleeping and my nervous stomach sure didn't help. I was ready with the pep talk, but it was not necessary. I tucked Meredith in and asked if she was excited. "Yep!" Are you nervous at all? "Um, no. Just excited!" Perfect.

This morning at 6:40 she walked in to my room, a giant smile on her face. She gave me an extra tight hug and we talked for a bit. She wanted to know how much longer today would be than last year. She wanted to know what they would do first today. She asked about the pick-up procedure. But she took each answer in stride, just nodding. Then she was off to watch cartoons.

We took a few super-smiley pictures...

...and we were off. We found some friends outside. That's Jackson on the left and Garrett on the right.

We decided to walk Meredith to her classroom, just to make sure she was settled.

This was the first time I saw her smile fade a little, but only because she was so focused on what she was supposed to be doing and where she needed to be.

She got her backpack and lunchbox hung on her hook and headed to her spot. Ms. Henley gave her a big welcome and it was our time to leave.

I have such a hard time with the leaving part...like the minute I'm out the door she'll need something. But I know better, she'll be fine. We peeked in the window as we were leaving, trying to wave one last time (in true Horine fashion), but she didn't notice. She was too busy saying 'hi' to friends and doing some serious coloring. She's got a big day ahead...and she was ready.

...and so it ends.

Could it really be true? An entire school year is over already? Weren't we just walking in for the first day of school? Wasn't Meredith just a little 5-year-old with a mouth full of baby teeth ready to start "real school?" Look at us now, nine short months later. She's a graduate!

What a year. I mean, really. As much as I anticipated this year and all that would happen, I don't think I could have hoped for anything better. She had an amazing teacher who loved her and whom she loved. She had a class full of wonderful kids who (for the most part) all have wonderful parents. She lost 4 teeth, cut 11 inches off her hair, grew a dozen (give or take) inches, found her future husband (Jackson), learned to read, held a mouse, became a Daisy Scout, joined a T-ball team, ate lunch in the school cafeteria (but there wasn't any singing or choreography, a la High School Musical), took the obligatory field trip to Kaleidoscope, oh - and got to ride a school bus, ate green eggs (and ham), made some amazing masterpieces in art class, learned to play the xylophone (whatever that means, really), hibernated and migrated, made all kinds of treasures at the Creation Station, learned all the days and months and on and on and on.

It is a little bittersweet, really. I'm so sad to see the year go. Sad to think that our great little group of kids will possibly be split up and she won't have her bestest friends and her future husband in her classroom every day. Sad to know that she'll be in school 4 extra hours next year. Sad to know that this is just the beginning...this IS real school. Sad to see just how big she's getting. Though that leads me to the happy side. She is an even more amazing kid than she was just nine months ago. She has learned so much, and taught us even more. She can make friends without even blinking. She took this year head on and came out on top. (I knew she would.)

So here's to Meredith, aka Cindersmella. My first-grader! I'm as proud as could be and I can't wait to see what happens next. Thanks for letting us share the ride...

That chair stepped on my toe.

That's what I heard Olivia saying through her tears. She's walking out of the playroom just hysterical. "That chair stepped on my toe and it huuuuuurt." After she calms down I asked her which toe got hurt, you know, just in case it needs a get-better kiss. She says "the one that looks like my thumb."

Fresh Eyes

On Friday after school, Olivia climbed into the car and started her usual commentary about what she had learned / played with / snacked on at school. After hearing all about the rainbow-colored goldfish snack she started telling me that they learned all about how sometimes people have different skin. I waited, wanting to see what was coming next. She told me how her skin was different from everyone in her class, "even Miss Susan's!" She told me that doesn't matter, we're all just people on the inside. I was impressed. Then she says, "Dr. Martin Lou the King taught us that. He's the King you know." Aha, lesson learned.

Yesterday we had a conversation about today's significance: the inauguration. Meredith seemed to understand how important it was, I'm guessing partly because of how involved she was in the election. She told me that "it is the day Rock Obama turns into the President." Like there's a flash of lightning and puff of smoke...tada!

So as I sit here listening to the inauguration coverage, I am grateful that my girls have a chance to see things with their fresh, unbiased eyes. And I'm hopeful for our new president, Rock Obama.