Our first big news in 2014 was that Little Miss, my baby (who will always be my baby no matter how many babies I have) started school. Her enthusiasm for this endeavor can be illustrated by a line graph of housing market prices since 2006 (when we so cleverly purchased our town home) accompanied by the sound of a Wile E. Coyote film, just after he freezes in mid-air and then looks down.
Beee-oooooooooooooooooo-PSHBLAM!
By the time we had only a week to go, Miss was most definitely, absolutely, obstinately, vehemently opposed to going to school. She was sit-down, cross-armed, frowny-faced, glowering, foot-stomping NOT GOING TO GO STAYING WITH MOMMY.
Well, in an effort to save Her enthusiasm from the fate of our mortgage, I kept talking it up. I took Her on a special Mommy-Missy date to pick out Her new lunch box and house shoes.
I got Her coveted backpack ready, and let Her pick out Her own outfit- and Her sister's, since She was adamant that they be "matchies" on the first day.
I think these things helped.
But the real credit for the sudden spike on Missy's metaphorical graph goes to Little One. In Montessori school, the classes are mixed-age from 3-6, so Missy and Little One are in the same class. Little One talked on and on about how great the teachers are, how nice the kids are, how fun the work is. On the way to school, She was a salesman making the pitch of Her life, effervescently describing the many wonders of Pre-School and how much Miss was sure to love it. Missy listened raptly. Silently. When we arrived Miss followed Her sister shyly but hopefully, hanging Her jacket, changing Her shoes. In the chaos of the first-day drop-off foyer, the director stopped to ask me a question. I was answering, I was waving to parents, smiling at students. Then I looked for my Littles, who were just there a second ago, and they were missing! After a second of panic, I peeked in the classroom, and there they were.
Little One had an arm around Miss's shoulders; She was introducing Miss to a gaggle of friends. Miss was smiling shyly and saying, "Hi. I'm two." I watched awhile as Little One toured Her around the classroom, the gaggle trailing along.
Missy looked up and I froze- Oh no! She saw me! Now She'll run to me and cry!
But no. She grinned. Ear to ear! Waved conspiratorially. And went back to Her new friends.
I didn't even get a good-by hug, Peanuts! Not a kiss! Not a see-ya-soon.
Afterwards She was all giddy and thrilled and full of stories of adventures. And so, thanks to the cheerfulness and shepherding of a kind, protective older sister, and the brave awesomeness of Little Miss Herself, my baby breezed into Her first day of school and loved it. My baby!
There were tears on Her first day, after all, but all of them were mine.
Beee-oooooooooooooooooo-PSHBLAM!
By the time we had only a week to go, Miss was most definitely, absolutely, obstinately, vehemently opposed to going to school. She was sit-down, cross-armed, frowny-faced, glowering, foot-stomping NOT GOING TO GO STAYING WITH MOMMY.
Well, in an effort to save Her enthusiasm from the fate of our mortgage, I kept talking it up. I took Her on a special Mommy-Missy date to pick out Her new lunch box and house shoes.
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| What's a girl date without (steamed soy milk from) Starbucks? |
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| She was just a little excited. |
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| Big kid lunch box and slippers |
But the real credit for the sudden spike on Missy's metaphorical graph goes to Little One. In Montessori school, the classes are mixed-age from 3-6, so Missy and Little One are in the same class. Little One talked on and on about how great the teachers are, how nice the kids are, how fun the work is. On the way to school, She was a salesman making the pitch of Her life, effervescently describing the many wonders of Pre-School and how much Miss was sure to love it. Missy listened raptly. Silently. When we arrived Miss followed Her sister shyly but hopefully, hanging Her jacket, changing Her shoes. In the chaos of the first-day drop-off foyer, the director stopped to ask me a question. I was answering, I was waving to parents, smiling at students. Then I looked for my Littles, who were just there a second ago, and they were missing! After a second of panic, I peeked in the classroom, and there they were.
Little One had an arm around Miss's shoulders; She was introducing Miss to a gaggle of friends. Miss was smiling shyly and saying, "Hi. I'm two." I watched awhile as Little One toured Her around the classroom, the gaggle trailing along.
Missy looked up and I froze- Oh no! She saw me! Now She'll run to me and cry!
But no. She grinned. Ear to ear! Waved conspiratorially. And went back to Her new friends.
I didn't even get a good-by hug, Peanuts! Not a kiss! Not a see-ya-soon.
Afterwards She was all giddy and thrilled and full of stories of adventures. And so, thanks to the cheerfulness and shepherding of a kind, protective older sister, and the brave awesomeness of Little Miss Herself, my baby breezed into Her first day of school and loved it. My baby!
There were tears on Her first day, after all, but all of them were mine.
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