Ellie's Big Day

So we had a countdown to September 2: Ellie's First Day of School.  Only to show up on September 2 and that was the 'Parent Open House' day where you fill out some papers, Ellie writes her name, and then we leave after 10 minutes.  Of course with Ellie it was write your name backwards on purpose, and then the teachers asked her to draw a picture of herself and she decides she doesn't want to do that, so she drew a picture of the temple.  I convinced her to do temple on one side, Ellie on the other.  And she goes at her own pace.  So what should have taken 10 minutes had grown into 30.  I made sure to let her teachers know she operates on "Ellie Time".  Their response?  "Oh, one of those!"  Anyways, the short day was quite the letdown, so we had to apologize and tell Ellie we had to re-start her countdown with the right day.  

And it's all sorts of confusing because this year SD25 moved from half-day every day of Kindergarten to full-day every-other-day Kindergarten.  So Ellie is on the Tuesday/Thursday track with every other Monday.  Yeah, not confusing at all!  So her first, real, full-day was Tuesday, September 2.  We had her go to bed early the night before and let her know she needed a good night's beauty rest.  So of course she's tossing and turning all night and needs cuddles at 2 am and climbs into bed so we ALL tossed and turned all night long.  At 630 we wake up and start breakfast (Ellie requested French toast) and get her cold lunch ready.  

I had Darik help her get dressed while I was cooking.  The night before I'd asked her what she wanted to wear her first day and she said the black dress with blue polka dots and blue shiny bow that Gma Anderson gave her.  She was excited.  Well she walks out wearing her tie-dyed shirt and leggings.  Apparently Ellie had a little panic attack when she realized if she wore the dress she would have a hard time going potty and holding up the skirt so it doesn't get pee on it.  She can do it on her own with skirts but she still needs help in dresses.  She was stressed about it.  Also while back in her room she told Darik she can't go to school because every time she tries to draw a straight line her arm moves and it is NOT straight!!!!

All of a sudden I start stressing out because her lunch has two things in Tupperware and I realize Ellie can't open Tupperware by herself!  So now Ellie's mom starts worrying . . . aye-aye-aye!  We're finally ready to go after mom does Ellie's hair while she eats and we have about 5 minutes to take pictures before we have to leave.  I have found the solution to getting Ellie to let me take her picture:  I remind her if she wants to remember this day and have it in the blog-book for her to remember she's got to let me take the pics.  It's been working so far.

So after we take pictures we hustle down the street two blocks to the school.  She was SO SO tiny compared to all those big kids on the playground!  We got a picture with Mrs. Marley, her teacher, and then she had to line up on the yellow line and wait til the big kids went inside before her teacher began leading the kids inside like a momma duck leading the baby ducks.  I must admit I didn't cry until the 'walking away from mom, I don't need you anymore' point.  And then I started getting choked up, and then started crying, and then I was bawling.  And we watch her walk inside and it's so scary!  Have I done everything I should in this last 5 years to prepare her for this?  Is she ready?  I only have one so I don't get a second chance to fix my mistakes on the second kid . . . .

We turn around to leave and walk home (Darik went in a little late for work so he could be there for it) and I'm crying across the crosswalk and the crossing guard says, "Oh mom!  She'll be fine!"  Which I think I know that but I don't know if I'm going to be fine!!  We get home and it's SILENT, which is strange.  I looked down at Buttercup and even he seemed sad she was gone!!!   I went into work for a few hours and then tried cleaning the house (tried being the key word in that sentence).  By the time 215 rolled around I was ready to get my baby.  She ran to me and I asked her if she liked school (yes), and if she loved school (yes), and she said she wanted to go back RIGHT NOW!  Also on the way home she tattled that Mrs. May had thrown away her juice box!!  Can you believe it?  Only to find out later because she had told her she was saving it for when she got home to finish (heh).  Since Ellie's our only we decided to make it a super-special day and go out to eat to celebrate her "Growing Up Day".  So we ended our day at Ruby Tuesday.  

What a crazy crazy day.