Jillian had the funniest stream of consciousness tonight that I wanted to record it before I forget. She started out by saying that today on the bus she say this yard that was "clear, and huge, and nicely mowed." She had more descriptors but I was distracted by those and don't remember the others. I interrupted to ask if her older friend on the bus, Nicole, had told her the lawn was nicely mowed. She looked at me confused as if to say, "Well, I think it was nicely mowed. Why, don't you?" It struck me as such a grown-up thing to observe, and then comment on. And then she didn't understand that I didn't understand her grown-up language. Is this indicative of many things to come? Well, apparently she likes her lawns nicely mowed. I'll have to get on that because our lawn is pretty long and scraggly. Maybe it was a hint. In which case her comment goes so much deeper.

She kept right on going after that and started singing a song that her music teacher, Miss Godfreid, had taught them. From what I was able to gather, she had a student teacher with her. Jillian said, "I don't know. Maybe it was her cousin with her?" Then she told us play by play how Miss Goddfreid's Mom, and then sister and then Dad had all tried to wake her up this morning. The song was very cute about a walk down the street, playing with a yo-yo, and then Jillian stops mid-sentence and says "I don't remember the worm's name." I love listening to her process her world. Everything is so fun, and there are no rules of normal and not in which to box oneself, in the eyes of a child!

Peter sometimes flashes the funniest smile. He'll be doing something and then, somehow knowing I'm looking at him, look up and give the biggest grin possible for his face. I wish I could keep that little grin in my pocket for when he is grown and lives far away. I love him so very much.

This sweet boy had his first day of preschool today! Dad is working in Fayetteville so I knew it would be a hectic morning trying to get everyone up and out the door, and have time to take pictures with the traditional "First day of school" sign. I made chocolate chip pancakes, which Peter usually loves. I think he was a little bit nervous, even though he wasn't saying so, becaue he ate literally two bites of one pancake and drank a sip of milk. He wore his Adidas basketball shirt and shorts that Grandma Zimmerman gave to him for his birthday with his Nike "running shoes." He wore his owl backpack. His teachers are Miss Stephanie and Miss Lisa, and they are both super friendly. They had a schoolhouse outside of the classroom with a bunch of buses that each had a child's name on them. The kids got to find their name and drive the bus into the schoolhouse and then ring the bell on top. Peter hugged my leg for less than a minute but then, when they invited him in, he ran right in without looking back. And that was that. Lucy and I were left in the hallway wondering what had happened. Well, then I had to have the director pull Miss Stephanie out because I forgot to tell her that Grandma was going to pick Peter up at the end of the day, I went to an orientation for giving flu shots, and that he had some bites from some red ants on his fingers that had caused his hand to swell but not to worry.

Grandma picked him up and she gave me the full report about how he got to play on the playground and that someone had chased him. He loved playing with the dinosaurs and also with the Mr. Potato Head. It was so funny because when I asked him about what he did that day he wouldn't say anything except "nuffing." Then Hadley called later, without realizing it was his first day, and he started chattering all about his class totally unsolicited.

Tonight Dad came home from Fayetteville so he can work at UNC tomorrow so he made us a special dinner of Navajo tacos. Then we got some celebratory ice cream from Maple View Farms to close out Peter's first official day of preschool in the three's classs at University United Methodist Preschool. He's going to have a great year!

A letter from Jill's Kindergarten Teacher

Dearest Kindergarten Parent,
Here is a little "gift" for you as you leave your precious one with me on the first day of school. As you hold this cotton ball in your hand, the softness will help you to remember the gentle spirit of your child. After you've gone home and dried your tears, make yourself a cup of hot tea. Put your feet up and relax. Remember that together you and I will work for your child to be the best they can be. Thank you for entrusting your child to me for the coming school year. I will do my best every day to be your child's guide in learning and exploring this bright, new world they have just stepped into.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Graves and Mrs. Warren

Heard recently around here...

Peter to Jillian while discussing their upcoming viewing of the Disney movie Spirit: Jill, I'll protect you from the bad parts.

Jillian totally out of the blue, but after Dad told her she was beautiful: I might get a boyfriend really easy. ????????

I tried to keep this day from coming, but it came...well, that sounds doom and gloom...how about...KINDERGARTEN! Yeah! She went, she did, she conquered! She was a little apprehensive the day or two leading up to her first day. She would say "I'm nervous" when asked how she felt about it. When we asked her what that meant, she replied "It means I don't know anyone in my class." Which was true, but only lasted for a little bit of her first day. She came home telling us she had made some girl friends, Lily, Mackenzie, Becca and Claire. It is a little scary for a kid if you think about it. I was trying to think to what it would be equivalent for an adult? Starting a really intense job in a completely foreign environment? Your first day in the mission field with all new rules and no one who knows you well? Well, kids are amazing and resilient and this super kid is no exception! She reported her teacher, Mrs. Graves, was very nice, as was her assistant, Mrs. Warren.

The whole clan

Before her first day of school, Jillian kept forgetting who her teachers were. She'd ask us "What are their names again?" We'd tell her and she'd repeat again and again under her breath "Warren, Graves, Warren, Graves, Warren, Graves." After a few times of this, Peter got it down so when she'd ask, he would respond "Ms. Warren and Ms. Graves." And what bus is she on, Peter? "The brown bus," exasperated as if he couldn't fathom why she couldn't rememeber.

I have this exact picture of me and my dad on my first day of kindergarten. For some reason I remember our blue pram in there too but Katie wasn't born yet so that doesn't add up. Maybe that was first grade? Kevin ended up having this day off without even asking for it! It was a neat to have him there to share the morning with us, and to morally support us all. I think we were all a little on edge. We kept thinking she had missed the bus, even though we had gotten there ten minutes early. We were all just stressed, I guess.

Her sign is covering up her adorable outfit from Grandma G in all these pictures, but trust me, it is adorable, and very grown-up. Perfect for kindergarten!

Peter misses his pal while she's gone all day. Thankfully Kevin was there that first day to keep us company so Peter didn't ask TOO many times "When is Jill going to be home?" I think it will be great for him to start his own school this week.

There she goes, walking out of our lives forever. Dramatic? Maybe. We did have a good cry though after she was gone. It's hard to grapple with the fact that now we have to wait until summertime to have her with us all day again. I keep reminding myself that it's going to be great because Peter and Lucy will have the chance to get closer and I will have a little one on one time with each of them every day. Peter will be our new fearless leader, until Big Sister gets home in the afternoon. He's such an energetic guy, I think the undivided attention will be great for him. Every day when she gets home though I feel like "Geez, I haven't seen you ALL day!"

The first day her bus got here 45 minutes late, so she didn't get home until 5 p.m.! She was beaming though and had loved the bus ride and getting to ride home with her friend, Brooklyn. She did tell us "I missed home. I was gone a long time." And when we were trying to get ready to go out for dinner, she started bawling over which shoes she was to wear. I think she was feeling so good and bad, relieved that her first day went okay and stressed that this is the new normal, that she just burst. We can't blame her though. We were feeling the same way. I had wanted to do a big fancy dinner, with the picture perfect meal and fresh flowers, of course, and between Kevin being gone the days previous, RS meeting one night, a RS activity the next night, getting her supplies, and on and on, it just didn't happen. Maybe I'll try again, with lowered expectations, for when Peter starts as well. He needs some hype too!
We did make it to Cinco de Mayo, and that was a fun memory. Kevin peppered her with pertinent questions that only he would know to ask (this is one of my very favorite things about him...his ability to remember what it was like to be a kid in specific situations, his emotions and all the details, and then apply it to our kids. it's awesome! ) He asked if she got to sit wherever she wanted in the cafeteria, she can. He asked who she sat next to on the bus ride home, Brooklyn. He asked where she sat in her classroom, we're still not 100% sure on this one. He asked where the bathroom was, it's right off of the classroom and her teacher has them do the sign language for toilet during class to communicate their need to go to her (which I think is brilliant). Who did she meet that day? Lily, Mackenzie, and someone else whose name she couldn't recall. Do they have a rest time? Yes, but she just lays her head down on the desk and doesn't need a blanket. I'll ask him later for more of their Q&A but he's drifted off.

I would say, over all, she's thriving. And her teacher seems great. What more can we ask for?

(I totally copied the title of this post from Amy's blog but I liked it. Props to her for her cleverity.)