Monday, August 25, 2014
"Happy 5th Birthday Nattie Grace and First Day of Kindergarten"
It was 6:15 AM and I opened the door to Natalie's bedroom to find her sound asleep and sprawled out across her bed. I started singing "Happy Birthday" to help her wake up and to remind her that while today was a very BIG day, being her 1st day of kindergarten and all, it was still her birthday. She was 5 and going on 15. She finally got up after a few hugs and snuggles and we got ready for the long day ahead of us.
We came downstairs to start taking the numerous amount of pictures to document this glorious occasion. I will never forget her reaction as I told her we had to take lots of pictures "Oh my goodness, not again"! We had spent the entire previous weekend taking pictures at her birthday party and at church during promotion Sunday. Finally, about 30-40 pictures later we got our bags and headed out the door towards school.
Happy Birthday Natalie!
1st Day of Kindergarten!
It was so hard to take pictures as the tears were rolling down my face!
Class of 2027!
Once we arrived at school we started to pass out the "First Day of School" treats we got for the administration and other teachers on my team. Natalie loved being Santa Claus and delivering these morning treats to everyone.
But inevitably, the time had come for mommy to drop her baby off in her classroom. We walked from my classroom to hers where she immediately walked right in and put her backpack on her chair. She went over and gave her teacher, who was a long term sub until her real teacher returns from maternity leave, a hug and said good morning. She also made sure he knew it was her birthday. I in the meantime was taking more and more pictures and wiping away my tears the massive cart full of school supply tissues.
Natalie walking to her class!
Class of 2027!
My music All-Star! I cannot wait to have her in class!
Natalie opened her orange juice and chocolate milk and began drinking them as I was greeted by returning student asking why I was crying. Natalie started talking to some students in her class as I began to creep closer and closer to the door to leave and go back to my "day job" which was greeting the rest of the school as they arrived for the 1st day.
Her area of the kidney table!
She was so excited to just be in class!
She is ready... I am NOT!
I eventually left her in her classroom and so began the rest of her life. The era of "my little girl" came to a screeching halt and she started her new chapter in life as a student. I knew it was going to be a rough transition for me as I did not want my little girl to grow up at all but I had no idea it would be this hard.
The rest of her 1st week of school was an unusual one to say the least and NOT AT ALL how I would have pictured it. I am writing a separate blog about this week and will have sequential posts about her 6 weeks academic journeys throughout this year. But this is a lesson in trust for both her and I as she starts this new chapter. Who knew letting go would be this difficult!
I love you Natalie Grace and no matter what you will ALWAYS BE my little girl!
God is good... all the time!
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