Carter's First Day of Preschool!

Monday was Carter's first day of preschool! He will be going on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:00-2:30 at our church, and then we will have bible study on Fridays.  Lots of driving to and from church, but it will be so good for both of us.

I was really worried about preschool this summer.  The cutoff date for attendance is 15 months as of September 1 which makes Carter the youngest student in the school.  His class goes up to 21 months (and even has one 24-month old) so he is the youngest, but not smallest, in his class.  I worried all summer about him walking, not eating enough real food, still taking two naps, etc.  But everything went great yesterday!  I stayed up all Sunday night praying and worrying for nothing!

We had Meet the Teacher last Thursday and Carter seemed to jump right into playing with the toys in his classroom.  We came home with homework that was due on Monday:

Yesterday I dropped him off and he played for awhile when I was there.  He even seems to have a little crush on one of the two girls in his class, Amy (she has the pigtails.)  I kissed him goodbye and walked out, but he was too busy to notice.  I hung around and watched from the window and he realized a few seconds later that I was gone and started crying.  I left and had coffee with some of the other moms from class and called up later to check on him and they said he was doing great!

When I picked him up at 2:20 this is what I found:

Worn out!  It even took awhile to wake him up!! We get a report each day and his said that he loved the playground, especially the slide.  He was "happy" "chatty" and "smiled" (better than the other two options, "teary" and "quiet.")  He ate most of his lunch and slept for an hour and a half! On a nap mat!  I swore that wouldn't happen, but I guess he was too tired to object!

The teachers warned us that the Wednesday drop-off could be harder, since they tend to know whats coming.  I have a full day of errands booked for tomorrow so I'm going to drop-off and run, but I pray that he has another good day.  And that he starts to look forward to going to school each week and that he makes some friends.  I pray that he loves his teachers, Ms. Flo and Ms. Kelly, and is kind to the other students.  But mostly I pray that he learns about and has a heart for Jesus...maybe a little bit too much to ask for his toddler class, but something I know will build as the years go on.  

This poem was included in our parent handbook and is perfect for this first day of school.

Going to School

Dear Lord Jesus take my hand,

I'm going to a foreign land, 

One not ruled by king or preacher,

But someone with the name of teacher.

My mommy says that I'll have fun:

I'll sing and skip and play and run.

But I am scared 'cause I don't know

Just what to do or where to go.

So please Lord Jesus hug me tight

And keep me in your loving sight.

For with you by my side today,

I know that I will be okay.

-Margaret Kennedy