First Day of School! First Day of School!

So its been 3.5 weeks and Im FINALLY getting around to update about Whitney's FIRST day of Pre-K!

Wasnt this just last week?

And while we cant get over the major physical changes that took place between her 2011 and 2012 school years, we really cant believe how much our preschooler has grown up emotionally in the last year.

Yes, she looks more "big kid" than she did just 12 short months ago, but she really ACTS more big kid, too.  

She still loves to take silly pictures and she still lets me pick her clothes out each day.  But now she brushes her teeth on her own and helps pack her lunch and gives us fewer and fewer glimpses of "toddler/preschool Whitney" and more and more glimpses of "School-aged Whitney". 

It truly seems like this day was just last year.  And yet, as I was pregnant at that time and didnt know it, we have added an entirely new family member, said good-bye to our beloved Bailey, and welcomed a fun fish to our family in the two years since this picture was taken. 

Whitney still loves school more and more each day, and she still loves being "prayer leader" at chapel.  Her prayers are usually a combination of "Thank you for my mommy and my daddy.." and through the years she has added "...and my baby brother and my dog Bailey and my pet fish"...and occasionally she adds in her classmates or other family members.

This year, Grady isnt as portable, so I got to take Whitney to her "Meet the Teacher" night all by myself.  I very rarely get time alone with my girl anymore, so I was eating up all the silliness and pre-school conversations with our talkative princess. :) 

I cant believe this was a YEAR ago.  That was the fastest year EVER.

We got home from our Disney Staycation and headed right to the school to meet Ms. Shannon and Ms. Debbie and see Whitney's Cool Caterpillar classroom!

I love that she hopped right into her seat and got to work! There is ZERO fear or anxiety around school with this girl! 

Her classroom is so happy and colorful and FUN, but has a great mix of "work" and "play".  Regardless of what school she ends up in next year, I know she will be just fine as she adapts to her new settings.  She jumps in feet first and doesnt look back!

It makes me so proud to see my girl so excited about learning and being with friends and making new friends in her larger class.  She has had an AWESOME first month of PreK, and scored super high on all of her beginning-of-the-year assessments.  

After meeting her teacher and spending a little time in her classroom, Whitney and I headed to get some frozen yogurt...just us girls.  And she melted my heart when she said, "This is like a Mommy-Daughter Date!!"

I get so wrapped up in keeping Grady out of trouble and calm that I often take for granted that Whitney is such a GREAT kid.  I VERY rarely have to correct her behavior in public and I am so proud of her manners and the good choices she makes.  Is she perfect? No.  But she is fabulous and FUNNY and insanely smart.  

And it was soooo nice to have her all to myself.  Even if it was just for a few short hours.  It hasnt been easy juggling two young kids, and now that Whitney is in school ALL day, EVERY day, I sorta feel like those "Mommy-Whitney" days are so few and far between.  

I love that she sets such an awesome example for her little brother, and she genuinely LOVES learning and truly LOVES her family and friends.  She had an exciting Summer, learning to swim, playing with friends near and far, spending time with her cousins and grandparents, and just generally loving life at four years old. 

I can NOT believe that next year's first day of school will send our girl off to KINDERGARTEN! Already?!

In keeping with tradition, I used our "First Day of School" candle for her breakfast and she loved it :) 

And then it was time! We got off to a great start with a super morning routine that works for both kids and gets us all out the garage by 8:51am, with a few minutes to spare before her class starts their day. 

Grady was still in his post-ear-tube haze and after a lazy Summer, Im not sure he was ready to jump into 8am start-times. :)

We dropped Whitney off in her classroom and said our "see ya laters" and that was it.  "Bye Mommy!" Thats it.  Done.  :(

She LOVES her teacher, who happens to be the mother of one of Whitney's classmates and friends from the last TWO years at her school.  And I really feel like Whitney is safe and happy and learning when she is at school.  

She has a friend from church, a few friends from last year and two years ago, and a handful of new friends in her class this year.  Grady and I stay for chapel every morning, and Im not sure who loves it more! He loves to dance and watch the big kids, and I love watching Whitney interact with her classmates and teachers.  

After dropping off her tuition check in the office, I tried to sneak one last peek into her classroom before Grady and I headed home for our first morning of "Mother-Son" time!

I love that she smiled and waved at me, but got right back to work, excitedly chattering with all the kids at her table.  Oh, if I could be a fly on the wall in that classroom!!!

So while Whitney is at school, Grady and I have slowly started to get into a routine with our new "alone time".  We stay for chapel and get home around 9:45am.  He gets a snack and we do some puzzles or read some books.  Many mornings we meet Mac for some fun or go to the park, and two mornings a week he has gym class, which he LOVES.  

We havent had too many days spent at home, as there always seems to be something or someplace that we need to visit.  And he is starting to chat more and use more sounds now that Big Sis isnt around singing and chatting and shouting all day.  

When Whitney got home from her first day, Grady laid down for a nap and was soooo excited to see her when he woke up.  He was playfully throwing his monkey blankies at us, and as we pretend to scream in fear, he was belly laughing and cracking himself up!

It is one of my favorite recent memories of these two crazy kids together.  Nothing fancy or excitingly amazing.  Just silliness and belly laughs and happiness.  

Many days, this Dude thinks he can hang with the big kids at school.  I cant believe that they will BOTH be in school next year!! Sniff, sniff. :(