On September 4th, Ella started her third year at Garden of Hope and Lily started her first! My baby went to school! I didn’t even cry. With Ella, I cried a lot the day of and the days leading up to her first day of school three years ago. However, while I am sad to lose my little buddy during the mornings, I now know all the fun she will have. I see how ready she is for school and we are now so close to the staff that I feel like we are leaving the girls with family. It’s a great feeling.
The girls were so excited for school. The backpacks were packed, the outfits picked out, everyone bathed, combed, fed and paperwork filled out. Loran had the morning with us as he was leaving for Seattle mid-morning. There was a lot of excitement. The girls were even cooperative for the mandatory first day of school photo session.
The school uses a phase-in schedule. On the first two days, Lily only went to school for 25 minutes. Ella for 55 minutes. However, the youngest students go first, then the older ones after. Tomorrow, a week into school they will share the same space. It’s a great way to get the new friends comfortable with the environment and let them find their way without the larger, more experienced children rushing around them. Lily had zero reservations about going into school. She was one week old the first time she entered the doors and her she was, two and a half years later, entering as a student. We couldn’t even get her to pause for a photo at the door, Ms. Debbie opened the door and that was it, she charged in. Deb asked Lily if she wanted to wave to Mom and Dad…Lily slowed down briefly and looked back, but that was it. She was in school mode. No tears from her! We did have tears the second day of school from Lily. Only because she wanted to play at the playground, no actual sadness over school itself. As I’ve done before with Ella, I plopped a screaming Lily inside the door and walked away. She was fine seconds later.
Since Lily’s day was so short, Ella, Loran and I just waited around. Ella wanted to use the bathroom and rather than interrupt the young ones, Loran walked her to Normandy Park where she saw many familiar faces. Before we knew it, Lily was done and it was Ella’s turn. Lily was all smiles! She had worked on a puzzle several times, successfully used the bathroom (she was afraid she’d fall in) and put her shoes on all by herself! It was then Ella’s turn. No worries from this one either. Ella was ready.
Ella dug right into her work. When she came out the door, one of the first things she told me was that she needed to finish two sewing cards and then she’d be able to start a bookmark! She was just beaming! The bookmark is a big deal. You get to use a real needle and thread to stitch on plastic netting to make your bookmark. Oh the excitement! Since she’s been back, she’s been sewing, working on beading, doing water work (her favorite) and today got out the movable alphabet. As of today, she is going 2 hours and Lily for 1 hour.
Once Ella was finished with her day at 10:30, we carried on our traditional first day of school zoo visit at Como Zoo. Once again, not very busy! It was a beautiful day to walk around and see the animals. We enjoyed lunch and the girls especially enjoyed seeing Sparky again. No show this time since it was after Labor Day, but seeing her up close, swimming around was certainly fun! There was also a sea lion swimming around Seal Island that was showing off for the crowd, who would then cheer, which would incite more sea lion shenanigans. The only downside of our trip was the utter lack of stroller etiquette. I’m starting to think that stroller users should get licensed or at least have to take classes. Seriously! It’s so rude to leave your empty stroller in the middle of a busy walking path, or worse, in front of an animal exhibit that other people are trying to see. I also am not a fan of pushing the sleeping baby in a stroller right up to a prime animal viewing spot. Really, the sleeper doesn’t care. Furthermore, don’t just stop in the middle of the path, pull over to the side…after looking to make sure you don’t run anyone down! Maybe I’m overly cautious with our stroller, but I really try not to cut people off, leave it in the way of others and just try to avoid being a general nuisance with it. Apparently like-minded people were not visiting the zoo on the first day of school.
Tomorrow should be an interesting change, Lily will have to go 15 minutes earlier than normal. The little ones will have fifteen minutes to get in and settled and then, the big kids arrive. This will be their first time as an entire class. As of tomorrow, the big kids are done with their phase-in schedule. The little kids will be picked up early at 10. By Thursday, all students will go for the fully scheduled school day! Fridays, I have both girls signed up to stay for lunch until 2:30. What will I do with myself?! I think Ella will have the most adjustment to have Lily in class with her. On Friday, Lily came out of school after her hour and Ella pushed her towards me saying, “It’s my turn now!” What a shock it will be come tomorrow when Lily doesn’t leave.Tomorrow also marks the start of Ella’s bussing to the other school. So I will start picking up Lily, but not Ella. That will also be interesting to see how each reacts to the other leaving/staying. Lily will be excited to start staying the entire time. She has been a bit put out to have to leave so early. One day I actually had to carry her to the car kicking and screaming because she wanted to stay. I’d rather have her kicking and screaming coming out than going in!
Ella’s excited to start up at Normandy Park too. Her teacher came to our house last week to meet her. Then later that day, we went to meet the teacher night. She’ll have a new teacher, new speech teacher and new OT. Her PT stays the same and she will have her favorite Para, Ms. Terry again, so she is very excited!
So far, the first week of school has been great! Ella is telling me more about her day as soon as she gets in the car. That would mean the amount of information I’m hearing from her has increased about 100%. Lily is also quite a chatterer. And, the girls are talking to one another about school. The day the bell was introduced to Lily’s group, the girls played “Bell” all afternoon! Life is pretty fun right now! I even caught Ella letting Lily sit on her lap to read books this afternoon! It’s taken a lot of blood, sweat and tears (literal) to get to this point, but we’ve made it!
Hard to believe this photo was taken the first day Lily went to Garden of Hope!
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