Ring the bell, mama's getting a break!

Yesterday was what all our little fun things were leading up to...the start of school and Levi's first day of kindergarten. When we put the kids to bed at night and Tim is done giving everyone a drink, something mommy is too mean to do, I will sometimes make my way back through all the rooms to sit on each of the kids' beds to talk with them for a couple of minutes without all the other kids around. Levi has really seemed to like this (note to self), so I could tell his excitement when Tuesday night as we were saying goodnight, he said, "mommy, will you come talk to me?" Well, doggone it (how do you spell that?), I couldn't refuse. I went to his bed and sat there with him rubbing his arm and hair and told him I couldn't believe tomorrow was finally here. I asked if he was nervous and he took a deep breath and through his teeth said "no" but clearly there was a bit of apprehension. I asked what was wrong and he said, "well, I don't know my whole address yet." Like any good mother would do, I compared him to other kids not as "advanced" as he and said very calmly, "well you know, Levi, there are kids who don't even know their phone number yet." He just smiled and relaxed a bit because when Elijah was in kindergarten 2 years ago, he had to learn his address and phone number and so Levi learned right along with him. Levi smiled because a kid not knowing his phone number?!?! Is there such a thing? It was cute.

Here is the motley crew on the first day of school. These are Elijah and Levi's favorite people, Landry, Bryce, Peyton and Ty Carr. Elijah and Bryce have known each other since they were 1 or so, and they have been in the same class since our former youth pastor's wife had a preschool in her basement. We have done so much together and our kids are the same ages that our families have become good friends. They had to stop for a photo shoot before moving on to their classes.I'm not too sure why Levi wasn't smiling...trepidation, I suppose, but doesn't he look so handsome with his cowboy boots??? Plus he has the over the shoulder back pack that he picked out because even though the color was wrong, the style was "just like Jones" (Indiana Jones, that is).
Levi didn't take too long to find his name on his table. He found out that he is number 19. Elijah was 18 when he had Mrs. Wolfe, so they wondered what Levi would get. One up isn't bad.

Once he got his stuff unloaded, I was ready to let him alone and move on to taking Elijah to his class. I know he was a bit nervous but he ended up having a great day and doing well. Can't wait for day 2!!!

We took so long dropping Levi off at his class that Elijah was the last one to make it to his class. Handsome little devil! I can't believe he's already a second grader. No problems smiling for this pro.

Yes, I was the only parent in the classroom waiting for my son to unpack his back pack so I could get some action shots. It was so quiet in there you could have heard a mouse brap (love that word, eh Olsen's?!?).

It was only a half day for the boys, but there was so much to talk about once I picked them up. Today was even better. Today they got to sport their lunch boxes! Is it bad to wish we could afford to send my little 4, going on 14 year old to preschool??? She would do SO well!!! Just one more year and she gets to hit the big time.