Welcome Mrs. Bailey

Evan has been very anxious for Mrs. Bailey to return from maternity leave. Her first day was yesterday and Evan was so excited! After he got home, we were asking him about his day, and he said that Mrs. Bailey was sweeter and meaner than Mrs. Willis. :-) It was so cute! He thinks she is so special already...maybe it's because she's a Hodges. ;-)

Monday was a very special day for him. Other than it being Mrs. Bailey's first day, it was his show and tell day, and he was Star Student. For Show and Tell, he took Russian Money. As Star Student, he was asked to bring in his favorite book, favorite stuffed animal, and something special that told about him, he chose to take a photo book that we took to court with us to show the judge photos of us interacting with him. Part of being Star Student, means he gets to be the line leader all week and the best part of all...he gets to nap in the tree house!

That child!! He is so proud of his story, Man do I love that!!!

Evan's 1st day

Here's a quick post about Evan's first day...



Evan seemed to have a good day at school but did get upset a few times. His teacher said that he cried when they read The Kissing Hand, which is one of the books that we read together the night before. He left school with a family picture of us and a kissing hand in his pocket so the story really reminded his Mommy. Mrs. Willis said that he used his picture a lot. He said that he cried when it was time to go night-night because he missed us so today he went to school with a small stuffed lion with fuzzy hair to help. He seemed happy for the most part but Sunday night didn't want to go to school. It's a big adjustment, one that we will all get used to soon. This morning he didn't want to "sleep there" but seemed to be in a good mood.

Kindergarten...Here I Come!

Look Out Kindergarten, Here I come!

Hand on the door, ready to go! We take this picture every year

and I can't believe how much taller he is this year.

Evan with his teachers, Mrs Willis (l) and Mrs. Tanner (r)

Mrs. Willis will be teaching while Mrs. Bailey in on Maternity Leave with her twins.




Busy getting started on his morning work.



Open House, yesterday...

Man, I can't believe that my sweet baby boy started Kindergarten today! I've cried for days whenever I would think about it and balled like a baby all the way home from dropping him off. I had to quickly grab a tissue without Evan noticing as I walked out of the room. I felt like an idiot crying through the halls, I mean big tears, the ones that you can't hide from people. Yes, everyone who I passed in the halls knew I was a first time Kindergarten Mommy. As I passed the ones whom I knew they smiled and gave encouragement, since they each have older children. It's just that I'm going to miss him so much. We've been home together since he was home and he only went to school for half of a day last year. Plus, I have all of these images in my head, like him caring his lunch tray of pizza and corn very carefully, clenching it tightly with both hands, worried that he might drop it as he walks back to his table (why is it that corn is always served with pizza at school? Yuck). And, him walking down the hallway all by myself to get to his classroom and fears of him getting lost and scared. Fears of him being shy, even though I know he makes friends easily. Okay, I know my baby is tough, but his Mommy isn't nor does she ever claim to be. I mean, this is big school, a "real" school, not the small Private Christian school that's he's been at since he was two, where I knew everyone and everyone knew Evan as my baby. We dropped him off at carpool in the morning knowing that he sat with his class in the hallway and then was walked to class, plus last year, his Mimi was there. Whereas now, he'll be dropped off in the car rider line to walk down the long halls with twists and turns to get there all by himself, oh my! At least for a while, his Daddy will be walking to class, quizzing him on how to get there alone.

Okay, maybe you think I'm overreacting a bit but I don't think you understand the magnitude of this event! This is our baby, who God sent here all the way across the globe to be my son, my very, very special son, the one who made me what I am today and what I always wanted to be...A Mommy!

I do find solace in knowing that his teacher is Mrs. Bailey. (for those of you who don't know she is Clay's cousin, she also just had adorable twins) even though she isn't there yet, she will be soon and this I prayed for. Also, the para pro in Evan's class is Cathy Tanner, who has been friends with my Mom for years. I also find comfort and have confidence in knowing that Mansfield is one the top elementary schools in our county, we now have 12. It's also one of the county's smaller schools which also gives me peace.

To get ready for today, we read Look Out Kindergarten, Here I come by Nancy Carlson.

We also read an old favorite of ours, The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn and Evan went to school with a Kissing Hand in his Pocket.

Sorry Alonda, I promise we (okay...I) will do better before you get there. LOL!!