Little Girl, Big School

Yesterday was a wake-up call of sorts.

My alarm went off early, the baby slept late, I scurried around the house to get tired children screaming the word “NO!” ready for school, and then ran Everett and Hazeline to daycare across town before driving Greenleigh to our local elementary school for Kindergarten Round Up.  It was a preview drill, preparing us for what is going to happen come August – a new school, new friends, a new schedule…complete with early wake-up times that no one in my house is quite prepared for (as evidenced by the fact that we were 17 minutes late for the whole affair, missing about two-thirds of the program).

As Greenleigh and I sat in the school cafeteria on little benches – intended for little bodies – listening to what was left of the presentations by the guidance counselor, vice principal, and reading specialist, it was clear just how different next year is going to be.  Then we toured the classrooms, saw the fields and playground, and met a couple of teachers before landing in the cafeteria for cookies and milk, which if you ask me, is how all tours should end.  I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t get a little choked up about the whole thing (though the cookies did ease the pain).  How did she get so big?

Of course, I’ve known this whole kindergarten thing was coming…I’ve just been in denial, I guess.  But yesterday was a wake-up call that could not be ignored.  It was clear that in 4 months there will be no more 9:30am school drop offs, the girls will be in different schools for the first time ever, and I will be working around the school’s vacation schedule, not the other way around.  And while her new school may have a playground, but there are no toys.  This is BIG kid stuff.  My kid is a big kid.

As I posted on Facebook – “I’m. So. Not. Ready.”

But Greenleigh?  Well, she couldn’t be more excited.

She practically begged me to go back to kindergarten this morning.  But lucky for me, kindergarten doesn’t start until August.  Yesterday may have been a wake-up call, but I can still press the snooze button on this one and keep her little just a while longer.

There’s no doubt I’ll be a basket case on that first official day of school in August.