Preschool

Kate is starting preschool. I feel like I should be sad in some way but I admit, I was just really excited for her. We bought her a backpack (purple with owls on it), some clothes, I still need to buy her some new sneakers since her feet have grown. I used to love starting each year of school, the fresh new binders and pens, the prospect of new classes and things to learn. Of course she has no school supplies and is too young to really understand what’s coming, but she knows enough that she’s going to school and she thinks that is awesome.

Today was orientation – an hour in her school so she can get to know the setting and teacher while I and the other parents were shown around. They have a classroom with art supplies and alphabet decorations and a throw rug with the solar system on it. They will have swim lessons, music lessons, and physical education, in addition to learning their letters and numbers and colors and such (which Kate already knows). Play time is incorporated every day, some indoors, some on the playground. There will be a winter and spring music concert. They’ll take field trips, including to the pumpkin patch. I mean, seriously, it sounds freaking awesome. I truly think Kate is going to love every minute of it. She ran straight into the classroom and took a seat at the table to color with the others. Nope, no concerns about this one.

I will be able to be the parent helper for some of the swim classes during the year, so I’ll get to watch her progress. They apparently get all the kids swimming independently by the end of the year. Which would be so awesome! Right now Kate can swim with her puddle jumper on, but she’s extremely hesitant and takes a long time every time we go to the pool for her to work herself back up to swimming without holding on to me. And considering I have to have a grip on Ember 100% of the time it’s a little difficult for me to manage both! I would love to see her confidence go up in a few things, really. This time away from me is going to be really good for her, I think. She wants to be independent in that three-year-old I-do-it-myself way, but she is always looking to me.

And of course I’m really excited about having a couple hours where someone else is occupying her. She’s a bright kid, she’s happy and energetic. I do love to watch and listen but man it’s exhausting (especially since she hasn’t been napping except in the car). I don’t want much, but just a couple hours for someone else to handle the reins while I catch my breath, maybe go to a store with just the quiet one.