School is Back

At the beginning of this week, Gabe and Ari began their final years of preschool, and Bella began her first (of two) years of preschool.  I can’t even believe how much they’ve all grown since last year!  All three are attending different preschools this year, which makes for busy mornings three days out of the week, but it’s been working so far!

All three of my kiddos have been excited to return to school, but ever since the last few months of school last year, Bella had been begging me to take her to “[her] school”.  This year, even though she’s not quite three yet, I decided would be her time to shine.  She had begun asking me every day in July when school was going to start, and if she was tired or hungry, she’d throw an outright fit if that day wasn’t the day… and it never was.  So, I started a calendar for her, and she crossed helped me cross of each day as we approached the first day of school.  That quelled the impatience until we got closer.  The kids each got to pick out their own big kid backpacks this year.  Gabe picked the camo print, Ari the pink sparkles, and Bella the blue sparkles.  I was shocked when Bella didn’t pick pink, but it was probably time to pause the pink for once in her case.

Gabe felt confident and ready to take school head on.  He didn’t have any worries or anxieties, just a calm, very cool, grown-up air about him.  He loves school so far, and I had no doubt that he would.  He has matured so much lately, and I am just so so SO proud of my little man.

Ari has been going through a rough patch lately.  We don’t know why, but her anxiety around new (and some familiar) faces has been heightened dramatically.  Although she has been telling me that she was excited for school, she broke down at the open house and nearly every morning that I’ve dropped her off so far.  It just breaks my heart.  I keep telling myself (and everyone else) that it will pass, but I don’t really know what I’m talking about.  I know that I can’t reinforce her fears with the removal of the feared stimulus (in this case, new faces), and I know she always does eventually calm down once she rides it out, but it just makes me sad to see the change in her from the past year and the year before that, and what makes it worse is not ever truly understanding what she’s bothered by.  Anyway, she does seem to have improved from the first day.  Familiarity helps a lot, so I keep encouraging the teachers and aides to just treat her as they would a favorite niece, and they’ll get along just fine.  Time will tell how it goes, but I have high hopes, because she is just so loveable and adorable once she feels bonded to someone.  She is my little sweet.

 

Bella was SO enthused about being at school.  She puts on her shy face, but it won’t last long.  She has been ready for this for quite some time, and I am just tickled to death about over how much she’s enjoying it.  She comes home with stories every day, and eagerly plans her outfits with me each night.  It’s a milestone that I can’t believe has snuck up on me so soon, and yet I’m thrilled it’s here!

  

My group shot was a flop, but we were on a tight schedule, and there was no time (or soft lighting) for a redo.  At least it was real.  This is about all I can ask for in the mornings from my crew, and I was pushing the envelope big time.