Second Grade here we come!

Kate had her first day of 2nd Grade .  On Monday last week. they had a back to school night where she was able to meet her teacher and see where her desk is.  Kate has quiet a few changes that have happened for this new school year.  Since we moved this summer, Kate has to move schools from Westfield, which she loved, to Alpine Elementary.  Each school has great things about them.  I think it was more about changing from what she is comfortable with to the brand new school.  Kate has been more nervous this year because of those changes.

Kate's Teacher Mrs. Peterson

Kate at her new desk.

 Another new but exciting change for Kate is the fact that she gets to walk to school, instead of riding the bus.  I know she loved riding the bus, but I think being able to walk to school made all these changes worth it to her. We live only a couple of blocks from the school.  Kate has been bugging me to ride her bike to school, but me being the protective mom insisted that she walk the first week with me. Then after we get the route down and what to do first, then we can see about riding her bike.  We have some great neighbor kids that are a couple of grades older and could really watch out for Kate which makes me feel better.  We live in a good community, but I always want to be sure my kids are super safe.
So we got up and we got dress right away.  Normally this can be a challenge or an ordeal, but I guess there was to much excitement in the air.  She has been planning what she wanted to wear the first day for weeks.  She loves to wear skirts, and she loves it when I make them for her.  So glad I got to practice while I had a break this summer.  Kate loved her green and black butterfly skirt, she looked so cute in it.  As part of the days look we she wore curlers in her hair the night before.  Kate had to have curls for the first day.  The whole outfit and hair I thought looked way cute.  I am still glad she likes to wear dresses on the first day of school.  I know this phase will pass, so I am taking full advantage of it.  After getting dressed we eat breakfast and I made her cold lunch with a special note left in it to cheer her on during the day.

 We headed of to school around 8:45 am.  I wanted to leave early to take pictures of course.  It was a really cool morning.  Kate was so excited the whole way and then it was time to line up with her class and her eyes began to get teary eyed.  I could tell she was super nervous and anxious about everything being all new, not recognizing any old friends.  I had a hard time, fighting back the tears, I did until I walked away.  You see, this is not the normal reaction I have from Kate, she is my super brave, nothing seems to bother me kinda girl.  So her reaction caught me off guard.  It's amazing how fast those feelings and memories of the first day of school can come rushing back to you in just mil-a-seconds,   even from over 25 years ago.   I had a really hard time on all my first days back to school, it was just tough to deal with the changes and not being with my family.It took all I had to not tear up in front of her.  I gave her a hug when the bell rang and then her teacher came out and said hello to her.  I walked home pretty sad because I was just so worried about her.  I know as soon as she got into the classroom she would be fine.  This year was worse then Kindergarten seeing her go, I guess it was more from Kate's different reaction then normal that made it hard for me as a parent to see.

While Kate was at school I made my traditional first day of school homemade cookies.  I figure since my kids are to nervous to eat a big breakfast in the morning on their first day, I would bake cookies to give them something to look forward to after a big day.  It's turned out to be a fun little tradition.  Kate requested chocolate Chip/M&M cookies.  That's a new request from last year.  The cookies turned out to be so yummy.
What felt like forever until 3:30 I walked back to the school to pick her up.  Kate greeted me with a huge hug and said "Today was the best day ever, I had a good time!"   I told her I knew she would have a great day and didn't understand why she got all teary eyed that morning.  She said she was just sad to leave me and that every thing was brand new.  All the way home she talked about playing in the sand box, and the tour of the whole school and how she loved the library the best.

Kate was so excited to have a big glass of cold milk and yummy M&M cookies when she got home,  she very much enjoyed them.  All in all it wasn't to bad for a first day of school, just a few hiccups but nothing to bad.  I am so glad she has a great day.  Later that day she got to Skype with her dad and share her first day with him as well.  I can't believe I have a 2nd grader, were does the time go??  Well here's hope to another great year of school for Kate.