The First Day of a New Age

Today was Kate's first day of Kindergarten.

Kate's First Day

Maggie's first day was actually last Wednesday, and let me tell you, it's been a rough week in between - and not because Maggie hasn't loved second grade, because she has. It's been rough because Kate has been a total grouch about not getting to start school, too. She was absolutely chomping at the bit!

Maggie's First Day

Maggie was also extremely excited for school to start again. (Yes, we are successfully raising a couple of nerds over here. We're very proud!) She has one of the best teachers in the school and there are a few good friends in her class, so I think she's going to have a fantastic year. And even though they had homework on the very first day of school, she seems to be loving everything so far.

Pink and purple animal print backpack! Kate's is rainbow animal print. They're a couple of Wild Things.

In addition to Maggie's first day, last week also included a student orientation for Kate, a separate Kindergarten orientation (which involved spending just an hour in her classroom getting to know everyone), and an assessment "test" with her teacher. So honestly, it wasn't just a wasted week of sitting around pining for cafeteria lunch. Plus, she's already just about the Queen of the Campus because she's spent the last two years hanging around dropping off/picking up Maggie and playing after school on the playground. She knows half the kids, where the bathrooms are, how to get to the gym, she has Maggie's Kindergarten teacher so she's comfortable with that classroom already, and she's buddies with the principal. She's Kate! Everyone already loves her. She was ready - why were we all holding her back?!

Let's Go Already!

This is what they always look like in the car on the way to school - Minecraft crazy!

When I went to pick her up this afternoon, she was super jazzed. Everything was mega fun! She saw Maggie once in the hall and on the playground! She ate two lunches! (She had a lunch box, out of which she ate her cookies and some crackers before noticing that the cafeteria was serving pizza, so she got in line and got a hot lunch and a chocolate milk!! Maggie thought this was HILARIOUS.) They played a game with a "talking drum" in music class! They played a clapping game with all the kids' names in her regular class! Over dinner, she told Mike, "It was WONDERFUL!"

Kindergarten Queen

I also am feeling pretty good. I haven't shed any tears or moped around today. I generally feel thrilled to see the girls grow and progress and become new versions of themselves rather than feel mournful at the loss of their baby-selves. However, I have had a few moments of panic over the last few weeks about how an era of our lives is truly at an end. I've been a mother, professionally, for the last 7 1/2 years, and as of today, I'm not really that anymore. I have no babies, no toddlers, no teeny-tinies. Just two giant school girls over here... and their mom, who is a... housewife? Uh, hmm. I have much to do in the next year and I'm excited to see where life will take me, but it's always a little nerve wracking not to have a clear idea of where I'm headed. Exciting. Terrifying. Thrilling. Anxious. Hopeful. Even though our paths are diverging, my girls and I are still headed off on some big adventures. Wish us luck!