Brave

We anticipated Nathan's first day of school for a long time. The funny thing about time is it keeps going. Events happen even when it feels forever away. So the big day came and Nathan said the best thing that morning. "I'm ready Mommy." Yay! He said he was excited and practically dragged us out the door. We were all excited I guess. We were among the first to arrive. We went right to his classroom where the wonderful teachers there took control right away. He has his name written on a little orange shark attached to a magnet on the door frame. The kids grab their own and put it in the basket in the classroom as a sort of attendance. I helped him find his, then Ms. Christy came over and told him to say goodbye. It was then he got that look in his eye. His little mouth turned down and doubt set in. I kissed him first, Daddy bent down with Benny, then Daddy got a quick kiss too. I think. I had turned away by then so he didn't see my own tears. Even Daddy got misty. But even though he started to get sad and nervous, he was so brave. He still said goodbye to us and went with his teacher. Leo and I went to another room for parent orientation, otherwise we would have just dropped him off like today. We waited in the drop off line then unloaded him when the teacher came to the car. Again, he had that little frown start to form but he bravely said "bye Mommy" and off he went.

When he came home from the first day, he was all smiles. Sweaty from running around outside and hungry! He talked about a couple things that he did but it will never be enough detail for me. I'm used to overseeing his every minute and now I'm missing three hours of his life! This is when the flashbacks begin but from a different point of view. I'm in the car with my mom and she's asking "How was your day?" and I say with little enthusiasm, "Fine." The tables are turned and now it's me asking all the annoying questions to squeeze any detail I can out of the kid. It came out a little at a time but the main thing is he likes it. He's happy and even excited to go back again. I expect a little backsliding when he realizes this is a long term thing (like for the next 15 years!) but he will be fine. He's my big brave boy.