Elyse Goes to School!

It'd be a big fat momma failure if I didn't document one of the biggest changes in Elyse's short little life.  Back in August, she started 2x a week preschool and is absolutely loving it! 

 

We started off the week before with another big first...her first haircut!  Her hair is super fine, and she doesn't have a lot of it so I'd never even trimmed it.  But I knew it was time for just a quick cleanup of the ends and she did so well! 

I couldn't believe how big she looked once they curled her hair!

And then the Thursday before school started, we had open house at the school.  She's going to preschool at a Baptist church here in the area and the program comes very highly recommended from some of our good friends.  She knows a few of the kids, but there will also be plenty of new faces for her to call new friends.  The open house went extremely well and she jumped right in to play with the other children & also encouraged some of the more timid kids to play with her.  It gave me so much confidence as the first day of school came around. 

The night before I packed her backpack and also this cute little free printable for her to hold. 

 

We first attempted pictures outside, but she wasn't having it.  After Momma begged her to take some pictures and Daddy said pretty please...she quickly obliged for a few photos! 

 

We dropped Nora off with my mom, and Elyse was so excited she didn't even want to get out of the car to say hi to Gigi...and that's saying something! 

 

Hubby & I both walked her in, and she acted completely confident the entire way.  I did incredibly well the entire time, except for when I went to leave.  It wasn't so much sadness that caused the tears, but just pride and excitement over what is to come for her.  I gave her a hug, and reassured her that we'd be there to pick her up in time for lunch.  I practically sprinted out of the room, so she wouldn't see the tears start to flow. 

We still don't hear a lot of daily details, as she prefers to tell us..."I'll tell you later." But we get just enough to know that she's having a great time, learning lots, and is making lots of new friends.  We've also had a few "learning lessons" when she becomes the teacher & Hubby & I are the students.  We learn lots this way about how her class works and the routines they go through each day.  She's even got the teacher book hold down as she reads us stories just like Ms. Bailey does.   

Overall I'm just so excited that we decided to send her this year.  This will give her two years of preschool before Kindergarten and it's also giving my mom some one-on-one time with Nora while Elyse goes to school.  And honestly...Momma isn't losing any time with her because she's going to preschool while I'm at work.  I just hope she loves to learn as much as I did...but regardless I know she's going to leave her loving, encouraging mark on so many new friends!