The School Year Has Begun

It is hard for me to believe that the summer is really over.  It came and went too quickly for me, on the other hand my children were all really excited for the school year to begin this past Monday.  It is a big year for us, Johnny started kindergarten at McNeil Elementary, Ben is a big 3rd grader at McNeil, and my sweet little girl Natalie started preschool.  You can just imagine all the anxious energy at our house the few days leading up to the first day of school.


Here are Johnny and Ben ready for their first day.  They both woke right up, ate breakfast, brushed their teeth and got dressed with no arguments.  They were excited!!

This is Ben and Johnny walking up to the school.  This was way cute for me.  This is the first year I have two going to elementary and it touched me how kind they were being to one another; Ben making sure Johnny understood where and what he should be doing and Johnny just adoring and looking up to the great role model Ben is.  I am a lucky Mom.  I have two wonderful little guys.

Ben at his locker.  Funny, but this year he really didn't want any photos once we were in the school.  I couldn't have been embarrassing him?  Okay, I was, but it really isn't too much to ask for right?  He knew I had the camera and he was forewarned.  I only took three and they all pretty much look like this.  I guess 3rd grade is when stuff like this isn't cool anymore.  Last year he didn't seem too put out by it, he even wanted photos with his siblings.  This year was a different story.

My Johnny.  What can I say, but that I can't believe the little, frail baby I brought home from the hospital is now this big, strong little man (however, he still is a sweet, considerate, sensitive little guy).  He told me that he was a little nervous about kindergarten, so before we left for school I drew a little heart with a smile face on his hand.  I told him that every time he started to feel nervous, scared or sad to squeeze his hand in a fist and it would be like giving me a hug and that my heart would feel it.  It would be our little secret.  This seemed to help.  When it was time for me to leave, I peaked back into his classroom to see if he was okay.  He was sitting there squeezing his hand.  It touched my heart and I had to work really hard not to tear up and run back in there to give him a hug.  He is such a cute, sweet little boy.

And here is my Natalie.

She is a funny little girl. As you can see, she was a wee bit done with the picture taking.

I just love her (and all my kiddos)!

Here she is walking up to her preschool.

And, this is her with her teacher Mrs. Tamra.

She had a great first day. Her teacher gave her a cupcake when we picked her up that had a little note attached reading "The first day of school was a piece of cake." Natalie LOVED it :)

I can't believe that they are all in some type of school this year. They are all doing great - so far so good. Johnny seems to be adapting to kindergarten well and wants to go everyday, Ben loves school as always, and Natalie loves going to preschool. Seems like the only one crying is me - I miss them.