Friday, August 24, 2012

Project 52 {34}

My favorite thing about you:
Is that you're off to Kindergarten!

f/2.8 1/1000 ISO-100

A quick observation, having now gone through two first days of kindergarten:  The book "The Kissing Hand" was written for the express purpose of being read on the first day of kindergarten, in front of the parents to make the poor emotionally fragile mothers cry.  It's fact.  

I have a kindergartner.  Am I old enough for that?  Yeah, probably.  Seeing as how I'm a few years older than my mom was when I started, and if you've ever watched MTV, then you'd know that you can be far younger than I, and have a kindergartner.  But still.  My first baby, my smart little girl, is (officially) starting her educational career.  How have 5 and a half years already gone by?  I swear she's going to be running the world next week (though, if you know Haley, you'd know that starting kindergarten or not, that's still a completely viable possibility).  13 years till I send her off to college. 

Long, long ago, we parents here in Colorado Springs, began planning our children's schooling (or at least those of us living in District 49) as though where they head off to Kindergarten determines whether they matriculate to an ivy league college (or at least a nice service academy - wink, wink).  Here in Colorado Springs, we have good neighborhood schools, but we also have charter schools.  Charter schools that you need to get on the wait list for pretty much at birth (okay, so Kale got on at 9 months, but still...).  Haley was number 700 something.  They take 250 kids.  We were kind of a long shot.  However, we got the e-mail that she'd received a spot in this school the afternoon after her first day at the neighborhood school.  

So.  Like I mentioned last week, Haley is on her second first day of Kindergarten.  As you can see, the new school has uniforms (although according to a Charlie & Lola book, and thus Haley too, they're Schooliforms).  I love this, the type A in me that lives for organizational systems, had a hay day.  Sunday night I ironed and hung up all of her outfits.  I hole punched a gallon size ziplock, to hang on her hanger to include all of her accessories:  socks, undershirt, hair accessory and shoe card (a laminated picture of the shoes she's supposed to wear with the outfit).  Each bag is labeled with the day of the week and what "special" she has for the day.  The night before school, we hang it on her hook and there's absolutely no discussion about what she's wearing for the day; she just puts the outfit on.  Perfect!  One week of school down, and the system is working out quite nicely. Ask me about it in December.  

Here's the thing.  At this new school, since we were lucky to get a spot, beggars couldn't be choosers.  We're afternoon kindergarten.  If you know one thing about my kids it's that they're morning people, and they still take naps.  Yes, my 5 1/2 year old still takes a nap.  This is a wrench in our routine to say the least.  But we're making it work.  Kale seems to be napping about 2 of the 4 days that she's at school (quiet time the other 2), and Haley has dropped them all together (oh, she's so tired by 7:00).  Does this mean she's sleeping in?  Nope, not a chance.  I still see her bright and early at 6:00. Morning people, I'm telling you.  I need to teach them how to make Mommy's coffee.  But I digress (again).  

Haley's new school is a great fit for her.  Each day she gets in the car is the BEST. DAY. EVER! And that makes me happy.  I loved school, and I pray that my kids do too.  So far, I have no reason to think otherwise and the little boy who brought in Red Velvet cupcakes for his birthday on the 2nd day certainly boosted my cause.  

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?
Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.

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