First Day of Kindergarten

I'm experiencing technical difficulties with my page here. I guess the trouble is I lack technical abilities. So I will forego the descriptions of each picture and just say that Lainie was the most beautiful and excited kindergartner I've seen. She just completely owned that first day, and she had that look on her face from the moment she woke up. Glowing! I was able to get the morning off to take her with Maren, Brin, and Isaac. Maren and I felt almost silly hanging around after class began. (They allowed the parents to stay awhile for a sort of transition period) It was obvious that some of the children needed that time, but Alaina seemed to be in her element from the moment she sat down at the magna doodle table. In fact, Maren and I walked over to her a few times to say goodbye, and she just responded with a curt "bye" and that was it, back to making friends and doodling. I guess maybe that "transition" time was as much (or more) for the parents than some of those new little students. We were finally able to pull ourselves out the front door (Brin wondered why we were leaving Lainie behind) and make that long two block journey home. Maren and I were both taking long, deep breaths all the way. I definitely understood why she had to push back tears, she was losing her wonderful little friend and helper for half a day, five days a week. Lainie is easy to miss, for sure. I felt silly, though,  that I found myself also wiping the "burn" from my own eyes. I just had this image on repeat in my mind. It was of our little two year old Lainiebugs right after we moved into our new house. The neighbor kids were all congregating on our front yard to see who the new guys were. Alaina was basquing in her newfound popularity and then, out of nowhere, the thought came to her and she felt it important to share with her crowd. "That's my daddy, he is my prince charming!" The image still fills my heart to the brim with warm and fuzzy stuff (the neighbor kids weren't quite sure how to respond).  That image kept running through my mind, with one other thought. Was this the beginning of the end of all that sweet and innocent daddy loving. I know they are, but why do those days have to be numbered?? 

Ok, enough pouting, Lainie is the focus, not her poor dad. The truth is, I know she will always love me and be my sweet little girl, because that's just who she is. I love her soul! And she will be such a great kindergartner. Her mother has prepared her well! Below are pictures of her first day and some of her first day on the bus, too (the next day).  

HAPPY KINDERGARTENERING ALAINA GRACE!!

lainie