Only 14 More Years To Go...

Iris started two half-day/week preschool this week. She doesn't know the long road of school ahead of her. Or does with that sly look?

This was her first time being somewhere without us and not with people (i.e.,family) she knows. She was all excited until it really hit her that we weren't going in with her. So we were one of three of the fourteen parents that went with to the classroom. We stayed about half an hour then had to walk home to get Miles to bed and Jeff to start work even though she was upset. Then I walked back over just to check in and see how she was doing. As I peeked in the little window trying to spot her while not being seen I heard from behind me her unmistakable cry. Sigh. She was coming down the hall with one of the aides.

So I went back in with her and she was fine. I just hung out for about 40 minutes as a spectator to the chaos of all these little beings navigating a new world. I'm kind of glad I got to. When she was happily engrossed in a group activity I exited again. Came back to pick her up and she was all smiles and the teacher said she did great the rest of the class. The second day she still wanted Jeff to go with to the classroom but there was no crying and he only stayed about 20 minutes and then left. So yeah, progress.

Waiting to go in:
The first thing I saw when I came back to pick her up was her holding hands with this cute little boy, Max. They had to hold hands while they walked from the classroom to the benches to wait but they were the only kids still holding hands there. Ahhh!

I love the fact that the school is only four blocks away since we will be going there at least twice a day for about ten years! Here's a video of some of our conversations en route:

BTW, when asked, Iris said she likes being at school with the other kids more than being at home with just Miles and me. Makes me happy and sad at the same time.