Just took Deidra to her first day of kindergarten...

I was up shortly before the alarm was supposed to go off at 6:30 am. The next thing I know Deidra was running down the hall "Is it time for me to get up for school, Mommy?" We read her letter from her teacher, Mrs. Morgan, to open on the morning of the first day of school and I started getting choked up while reading it to her. I didn't want to let her see though as I didn't want her to get scared of going. Then, I read her the letter that Daddy left for her. I went and got dressed and picked out her outfit to wear and she ate her breakfast. She didn't eat much though. We went over the classroom rules again to see if she could remember and she asked me to tell her about when I went to kindergarten. She isn't allowed to bring toys or anything from home unless we have permission first to do so, so she had to go to school without her precious soft blanket today and that was a little hard for her. She smuggled with it this morning for awhile and then she wanted to sit on my lap for a little bit. We went outside and took some pictures outside (I have better ones on my regular camera, but here's a couple I took with the digital) to document the day. Then, it was time to go. I told her again where her snack was and that she had the folder for her teacher in her backpack and we went and got in the car.

When we got to school, it looked like the whole city of Waxahachie (then again maybe they were since that school just holds kindergarten and pre-k classes, so anybody with a kindergartener living in Waxahachie would be there today) was there and we had to park a ways from the school. I walked her up to the school and we had to wait for awhile before they would let us in. She was starting to get a little apprehensive, but she was excited too. I was excited for her too, but I started getting teary eyed watching her. She certainly isn't a baby anymore and I'm so proud of her and the little person that she's becoming. Pretty soon, the bell sounded and it was time to go in. She got scared because she couldn't remember where her class was and she didn't want to get lost. I told her that I was going to walk her to class and that's why she also had a name tag on with her class number on it too, so people would always know where she belongs. She's nervous about going to the cafeteria for lunch as well, but I kept reassuring her that she was going to be just fine.

We got to her classroom and Mrs. Morgan gave her a big hug and wished her a happy 1st day of school and my eyes welled up with tears again. We got her inside and I helped her put her lunch box and her backpack in her little cupboard and I helped her to find her seat. Her teacher already had her school box all ready to go for her with her pencils and crayons and her name written on top for her. She thought that was pretty cool. Then, I gave her a hug and told her that she was going to have such a good day and to have lots of fun and Daddy and I wanted to hear all about it when she came home. She asked me if I was going to leave her then and I told her that it was time for me to go. She got nervous then about how she was going to know where to go when it was time to leave and I told her that I would go find out where I needed to be to pick her up today, but that it would all work out. She gave me another hug and the little girl sitting across from her was feeling a bit sad too, so Deidra waved shyly at her and said hello. I left and said good-bye to Mrs. Morgan. She mentioned that she needed volunteers for the classroom and I said I'd be glad to help out any way that I can. I signed up to be either the room mother or the room mother's helper and I plan to be as active in her classroom as I can. She was happy to hear that. I left her classroom and went down to the gym to ask where I'm supposed to go to pick her up and they told me and then I left to come home to call Daddy to tell her that she was doing just fine.

I had myself a big old cry in the car once I got in. I know she's going to do fine today and I know that she's going to have fun and I knew that I was going to be emotional on her first day of school. It's a huge milestone and I am so very proud of that little girl and yet I worry about her too. I told Andy that it's a step in letting her go and gaining some more independance and I shouldn't be so sad about it, but it's hard. I am excited for her though and I know that she's going to do well.

Deidra and I wanted to say thank you to everyone who sent e-mails to wish her well today. She had fun getting her own mail and reading what everyone said. I'll update on how her first day went once she's home. :-)