I realized in Aruba after spending every single waking second with Skylar that she was ready for more stimulation and a more challenging environment than her current preschool was able to provide.
It’s been a fabulous place for her, but all good things run their course and come to an end. Kids grow, they mature; they outgrow certain things and need new challenges.
And today she was off to meet that challenge: she started school at a new school.
She was thrilled.
I have been a basket case.
I’ve been consoling myself with a baking project that involved lots of cream cheese frosting. We have enough desserts and sugar in this house right now to send anyone into a diabetic coma and I surely didn’t need to bake anything.
But I haven’t known what to do with myself and it was stress-relieving for me, a little bit. I didn’t even eat any of it. And I always sample the goods but I’ve been too nervous and anxious wondering how she’s doing which should give you an indication of the state of my nerves.
I’ve been wondering how her day has been, if she’s liking it, if she was able to unscrew the tight lid on her water bottle by herself, if the other kids will be nice, if she’ll miss her friends at her old school.
I have been worried about all the things any mother probably worries about but until you send your precious little bundle of joy off into the big bad world you can’t imagine how basket case-ish you really will be. Trust me, it happens.
She’ll be 5 years old in just a few weeks. Where have five years gone? I don’t even know.
Time flies. Hug your babies because pretty soon they aren’t babies.
They say things like, “Mom, I am waiting for a response. Please don’t ignore me.” when you try to ignore their requests to watch more Nickelodeon.
The school feeds them some snacks but I packed her a lunch that I would have loved to have if I were a kid:
Grapes, carrot sticks with peanut butter to dip them in, an apple, raisins, sugar snap peas
seaweed snacks because she loves those black salty things
and a small No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Square
At first I was thinking, well what if she can’t get the plastic wrap off it because I wrapped it really tightly and then I realized, she’s pretty resourceful when it comes to chocolate and peanut butter.
Just like her mama.
Do you remember starting new schools? Were you nervous? Excited?
If you’re a mom, did you have more first day jitters than your child or do you remember your mom being a bit of a nervous wreck sending you off to school?
I loved school and I was usually a mixture of anxious and excited with the start of a new school year.
I remember going from elementary school into middle school and feeling like that was big stuff.
And then when I was about to enter high school from junior high, that felt really big. I was worried I may get lost in the high school and how could I ever get from one end of the school to the next in a five minute bell period. I moved from a very small school to a high school with over 2000 students and it seemed huge.
Time to go pick up my “baby” pretty soon and hear about her first day.
P.S. Thanks for the NuNaturals Stevia Giveaway entries
I hope she had a fantastic first day! With the lunch you packed, I can’t imagine it being anything but wonderful :) My mom always put carrot sticks and peanut butter in my lunchbox and while I loved school, the highlight was lunch with my friends!
That’s cute your mom did the same thing!
By the way, that sounds like an amazing lunch. I’m sure her classmates will be munching on colored tubes of artificial yogurt and ersatz neon Cheetos– she’s all set! I’ve never tried carrots with peanut butter, it sounds intriguing! Hope Skylar had a great day
Better than celery dipped into peanut butter (with raisins), i.e. ants on a log. I just don’t like celery that much. Carrots..way better!
Aw, I’m sure Skylar is well-prepared and ready for the new school challenges. I can’t imagine she’d have any troubles fitting right in. She just oozes love and joy and FUN. I’d be friends with her in a second. Besides, with those desserts she’s going to be bringing daily, she’ll always have a friend or 18. ;)
Yeah I had no idea what is acceptable to pack and what’s not..I mean, I’d love to give away tons of treats…but I dont want anyone complaining it’s too much sugar. As they go to town on Hi-C juice boxes and chips and Lunchables. But ya know :)
She loved it. Like…an old pro. So that was great :)
Having 3 older sisters I guess my mom was pretty used to sending her kids off to school, though I’m sure she was nervous at first. The only time I switched schools was in the second half of kindergarten– which didn’t really matter in the long run! Being a junior in high school it truly is amazing how time flies. I feel like not many of us appreciate everyday experiences enough.
My little girl is 3 1/2 and I’m totally fearing the day I send her off to kindergarten! Here, they start at 5, and its a full day. Up until last year in Canada…kindergarten was only a half day. At least you have the comfort that she’s loving it. As much as we like when they miss us, its good to know they have some independence.
Good luck when the day comes for you!
Love that picture of Skylar!! What a sweetheart. I hope her first day of school went well!
It did. She loved it. It was so business as usual for her. Polar opposite of how it was for me :)
And thanks for the story of your bowl being a Bday gift. It’s so pretty!
I can’t even imagine what the first day jitters are like, but I am sure she did really well!! Is it a full day preschool?
Full and it’s Montessori so it’s not really preschool per se, but they group kids as an age range within a few year span. You’re a teacher, so I know you know what it is :)
I cry on the 1st day of school every year, even for my 5th grader this year. When my 2nd child went to kindergarten is when I knew I wanted a 3rd baby, just wasn’t ready for that babyhood time to end. So now I have my third baby here and want a 4th!
I bet Skylar had a great day!
Awww, this post is adorable, Averie! I hope Skylar’s day went well (if not, you’re going to need to stock up on cream cheese…)
She loved it. It was so business as usual for her. Whew :)
Aw, this is really sweet. I hope she had a great first day!
She loved it. It was awesome for her. Not so much for me. :) sniff.
Skylar is just so beautiful and I love her expressions … I remember feeling the way you are feeling now … now I am feeling another type of anxious being that my oldest will be 18 in 10 days … and she is a senior … enjoy every minute … I hate to say it … but it is soooo true … they grow up soooo fast!
I can’t even imagine what that will be like when she’s…gulp..18 and leaves home. I wish you nerves of steel and to savor all these moments with your “baby”, too :)
My boys are teenagers now, one in high school and one in junior high, but I home schooled them from K-3 (the oldest one) and K-1 (the younger one). When we went from home school to private school, I dropped them off and then sat in my car and cried for about 3 hours until they got out – that first day was a half day. When I picked them up, they were so eager to tell me about their new friends and all the fun games they played. It really relieved me. It took me a while to feel I could let them go without feeling sorrow, not just at how they were going to do, but how much I was going to miss them. They transitioned from that school into the public charter school they are in now and I still miss them every single day! They love it at their school though, which is a big consolation. I must say, though, I look forward to picking them up, every single day! So, your reaction seems pretty normal to me! :-)
Thanks, my friend, for the sweet story and sharing it.
Sending happy school wishes her way!
Skylar is adorable! I love it when kiddos like healthy things. It’s all about what they are offered. My kids eat anything. And I totally know how you feel about them going to school. It stresses me out!
They DO grow up so fast, i know this too much with Anthony turning 12 this year! YIKES!
Im so glad she likes the new school! She is so cute!
Holy smokes- I can’t believe she’s already in a “big girl” school. :) I can’t imagine what I’m going to be like when the boys go. A basket case may be a bit of an understatement. Yikes. Can’t wait to see your cream cheese frosting creation and to hear about Skylar’s day! :)