Curran Goes to Kindergarten

We are a few weeks into "big school" around here so I thought it was time for an update on the blog. I have posted most of these pictures on Instagram, so I apologize if you are seeing these twice.

One of the things that drew us to our current community is the wonderful elementary school. So even though I was really nervous about C starting school and was actually pretty much dreading it, I felt blessed that she would be going to this school. Curran was very excited about going to "big school", starting back in the Spring when they first started having things for incoming kindergarteners. Actually, they had a play group once a month for all the incoming kindergarteners this whole past year, but we never made it to one of those. Whoops. Anyway, they had orientation in April, and she loved getting to see the classrooms and meet some teachers.

The day of orientation, they hung fish {the theme was A Cool "School" and everything was fish themed} and signs on all of the kindergarteners' mailboxes. {Most of the local schools here do something similar, and the kids love it!}

Then we headed up to the school. I was pretty emotional about the whole thing. :)

We had a few other get togethers in the Spring: story time with the principal, and they invited all the incoming kindergarteners to attend their big Spring Carnival. 

Curran was super excited about starting school and never said anything negative until her last day of school at her old preschool. I think that's when it hit her that she was leaving her friends and teachers that she had known for nearly 5 years. At that point she started to get a little nervous about kindergarten. 

We had Meet the Teacher the day before school started. 

Maybe a tad nervous :)

With her sweet teacher!

The night before school, we had a "Back to School" night dinner. My mom used to do that some when we were little, so I always thought it would be fun to do it for my kids one day. I decorated in C's school colors and cooked her favorite supper {lemony chicken kabobs, rice and asparagus}.

I got her a few books about going to kindergarten and some new Brain Quest cards {she loves those things}. And I got SC a book too because I didn't want her to feel left out. :)

I was so excited to pack C's lunch for the first time. Too bad she did not eat a bite of her sandwich! Sister is still trying to figure out how to eat in 25 minutes. Hashtag slowest eater ever. I have resorted to cutting her PB sandwiches into fun shapes every day, and now she gets very excited to see what will be in her lunch each day. {She still doesn't always eat it all, though, and I am OVER all that extra work.}

She woke up in a great mood on the first day and didn't seem nervous at all! She was very excited about her backpack and lunch box.

Couldn't get them both to cooperate for a photo with Daddy.

On the first day, the kindergarten parents all met in the auditorium, and then all the classes lined up and off they went! I held the tears in for the most part. I cried more the day before at meet the teacher. The saddest thing was that on the way back to the car, Sallie Cate kept saying "I need to say bye to Sister. I need to give Sister a hug. We need to go get her!" 

I took the day off work, so John took SC to school and I headed to a "Sip and Sob" for the kindergarten moms. We had coffee and breakfast at someone's house, and I really enjoyed meeting some new people. The kindergarteners got out at 2pm for the first whole week in order to get them used to the chaos that is carpool without the rest of the school present. The day flew by, and I was so excited to go get my girl!

I took her to get frozen yogurt and cried on the inside when she would not divulge any details about her day! :)

Overall, Curran has loved it! She has made lots of sweet friends {and a few who she is not too fond of because they called her bossy--those were boys :) }. She comes home excited and completely and utterly worn out every day. It's funny to me because she was at her old school from 7:30-5:30, and she was never this worn out, but it was only 3 days a week and they also still had a nap. 

She has bought her lunch a few times and did great learning her lunch code that they have to punch into a keypad. She quickly learned her carpool number, but listening for them to call it was another thing! She did better this week with hearing it the first time, but it took a while. 

We went to her first birthday party for a classmate today, so it was fun seeing her run around with new friends. We have another one coming up in a few weeks. 

She is dying for homework, but so far she has only had one real assignment. They had to make About Me posters, and she was very excited about that. 

In case you can't read it, it asks her favorite color: pink, favorite food: bread, favorite toy: princesses, and for the ultimate kiss up, favorite thing to do at school: see my teacher. :)

SC has been missing having her sister with her at school. Every day when we drop C off, SC says "Where Sister go?" I tell her she went to kindergarten, and SC says "I need to go to kindergarten too. I go when I 5!" She is dying to be a big girl. 

I am praying that Curran has the best year, and it's already off to a great start! We are so proud of our kindergartener!