Preschool Boy

 Ryan had his first day of preschool this week. He goes Monday-Thursday, 1:00-3:30pm. He was super excited and ready to go. I've decided he is the best kind of first child to have because the things that stress me out and make me nervous (i.e. the first day of preschool) don't seem to phase him at all. So I can digest myself over these milestones without the added stress of knowing he is stressed (Are you stressed yet?).

 I made my inner pinterest mom proud and actually pulled it together enough that morning to have Ryan write his name and take a picture of him. I'm hoping to do this every year so you can see the progression in his hand writing. Did I mention he was excited?

 Here he is at the school yard. We got there about five minutes early so we hung around with a few of the other neurotic moms who got there early too. We were in good company. There are two afternoon classes and they have a little STOP sign hanging on the door that they turn to a green GO sign when they are ready for the kids to come in. The other classroom was ready for the kids first. When the teacher stuck her head out and sweetly said, "Who's ready for preschool?" Ryan went running for the door. Never mind that it wasn't his classroom or even that it wasn't his teacher- he was READY for preschool! I had to call him back and, luckily, in a couple minutes his teacher was ready for the kids to come in.

 Zach and I headed straight to Wendys. He hadn't eaten lunch yet and I hadn't eaten my feelings yet. Frostys seem to do the trick. This smile is pre-Frosty. I've decided I don't hide the crazy very well. As I was sitting there eating my stress of the day away I realized this is what I do. When I think back to Ryan's first set of baby shots, an experience that should have been stressful for him but ended up far more traumatic for me- I ate an ice cream cone. I don't want to know how I'll cope with sending him to college for the first time. This mother stuff is no joke.

The best part of my day was when I finally got to pick Ryan up from his first day. He loved it (no surprise there!) and was excited to go back the next day. He even made a new friend, Spencer, who he talks about constantly. It will be great to have a few Ryan-free hours during my week to get things done and he will enjoy a few mom-free hours during his week to play and be independent. Preschool will be awesome.