The Time Has Come - For 1st Grade!!

Yesterday was the first day back to school.  I officially have a 1st grader!!  And since I have not been allowed to call Jocelyn a 1st grader all summer, it really is official!!
We've had a really fun summer and I'm going to miss my little shadow, but she's so ready to get back to school!

Jocelyn has a tendency to bring up important subjects right before she's supposed to go to sleep.  I am sometimes torn between not wanting to shut down something that is really important for me to address, and my desire for her to just go to sleep!!!  

This week I knew she was stressing a bit about school because for a number of nights she would bring up this new school year and her worries -- Will I see my friends?  Will I like the teacher?  How will I know how to find my classroom? -- So much of her worry was about the unknowns of the first day.

But Friday we went in to the open house so she could meet her teacher and see her classroom and desk, and yesterday morning when she got off the bus, her teacher was there to greet her.  

Her school has a really fun routine for the first day.  Parents put their kids on the bus and race to the school to be there when they get off.  Hundreds of parents cheer on the kids and follow them to class to help them start the day.   I love this event.  Last year it was so hard not to cry!!  This year, I knew it meant security to her.  She thrives on routine and predictability and this was the start of that for her.

By the time we said our goodbyes, 45 minutes later, I knew she was ready to go.

Being the helicopter parent that I am, I've already had a number of emails sent back and forth with her new teacher.  I am thrilled that she welcomes parent volunteers (Happy Dance!!) and she is so receptive to my ramblings about Jocelyn's belly issues, and my need to be overprotective.  I'm sure she's seen it before...  

With Mrs. Rutan Jocelyn's 1st grade teacher

At the end of the day, I couldn't wait to get down to the bus stop to see her again and hear about her day.  At 4:05 she bounded off the bus and declared "I HAD A GREAT DAY!!"  I could not have asked for better than that.  So as much as I would like to stop my baby girl from growing another day older, I am one proud Mommy today.  My sweet girl is a 1st grader -- off to new adventures, out to solve new mysteries, and ready to take on the world.  I love you my girl.