Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Kindergarten!

It's really a good thing that I didn't get around to writing this post until a day later, because Day 2 went much better than Day 1.  No tears at drop-off on Day 2 -- woohoo!  That is major!

Georgia's first day went fine, but it always feels like we've all been put through the wringer emotionally.  A washing machine of emotion, set to extra agitation.  You'll see from the pictures how confident she looked beforehand.  The pictures may make this all a bit hard to understand, because what happens is that she seizes up and is gripped by anxiety at the very last second.  That is when the crying and "tree-frogging" (where she becomes human velcro) occurs.  All I can say is that everything is getting better.  We are more practiced at dealing with this, and the distance in time between the seize up and the actual event in question is shortening all the time, which I think is a good thing.  It means she's learning to overcome her worries and shrink them down to size.

I was a bit teary-eyed myself after dropping Georgia off, not so much because I was having nostalgic "oh, my baby is growing up" feelings as because I was just overwrought from getting her through the experience.  A gluttonous adult lunch out with Mexican food and several Margaritas was in order, but instead I settled for a twenty minute playdate with June and Waylon at my friend Maggie's house. : )
      
Not that I wasn't also feeling the bitter-sweetness of our firstborn growing up, too.  In my high strung state, I found myself privately choking up to the Okee Dokee Brothers children's song "Along for the Ride" on the way to school.  Good Lord, what is happening to me? 
Because that river is deep and that river is wide
And I’m a gonna need you child to be my guide
And if we’re gonna make it – to the other side
It’s gonna take more than just coming along for ride

When Odysseus sailed to sea
He left behind Penelope
She waited years, patiently
For him to come back from his Odyssey
But I would rather have you sittin’ here next to me
Lookin’ at the map and tellin’ us where we oughta’ to be
I promise, it's more compelling when you can hear the music.  So anyway....

It was really funny listening to Georgia describe her first day to various relatives on the phone yesterday, calling it as "awesome" and "one hour long" (not true).  I guess once she pushed through the initial difficulty of walking in the room, I think she really had a good time.  Despite her enthusiasm, I was expecting more tears on Day 2, so I was beyond thrilled when she was able to waltz in with no problems this morning.

In some ways this week has been a new beginning for me, too.  If we are to be happy in Downers Grove, I need to make new friends and connections myself.  The kindergarteners all got name tags pinned to them, but sometimes I wish the moms did, too.  This whole business of forcing myself to make introductions on the playground is not my forte, but I'm trying my best.

Enough talk.  On to the pictures.  June's first day isn't until next week, but she definitely wanted in on the action, as you'll see.

June wanted to be in a picture, too! Georgia's first day of kindergarten at Puffer DSC_Georgia's first day of kindergarten at Puffer First day of Puffer kindergarten Hold on tight, baby! First day of kindergarten, take two.
I re-created her class year poster as best I could. Here's hoping the kid gets a good laugh a few decades from now when she looks back on these things.

DSC_Georgia's first day of kindergarten at Puffer DSC_Georgia's first day of kindergarten at Puffer DSCGeorgia's first day of kindergarten at Puffer0039 Untitled
The dress she chose was made with love by Nana.

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...and now the Sockasaurus is out to help.

How adorable is her class? Untitled

Here they are waiting to be picked up afterwards. DSC_Georgia's first day of kindergarten at Puffer DSCGeorgia's first day of kindergarten at Puffer0035
Reunited, and it feels so good!

One more for good measure, because I happen to be in love with June's new cat shoes. : ) Georgia's first day of kindergarten at Puffer_0027

This may be our second stab at kindergarten, but it sure feels a lot more "real" this year.  Last year it was kindergarten in name only, but in fact was the same Montessori mixed ages classroom that she'd already been in the year before, with the same two teachers and nothing new to adjust to but the schedule.  Last year the occasion was momentous to me as a mom only because I let the kindergarten label carry import in my mind, but now Georgia's off to the races at the school where I expect she'll spend the next seven years.  Her little Montessori school didn't care if you skipped or even make you call in to report it, which felt a lot more like preschool to me, but now we're in the public system, and I had better get my ducks in a row.  Or my cat feet in line.  Heh heh.  Sorry, lame attempt to somehow tie this all together.  Ta ta now!
      

2 comments:

Susan said...

This is the first time I've noticed how much June looks like you and Georgia like Joe!

I went to a newcomers wine & cheese event tonight for the church I've been visiting. I felt my stomach knot up as I drove up to the cheese shop. I feel Georgia's pain and realize just how normal her anxiety is!! There really aren't many people who would say they actually like to walk into a room full of strangers. Glad she was able to enjoy her day anyway and feel more at ease on day 2!

TomT said...

Good job, Georgia! A huge milestone.

(Great photos, Mom!)