School Days...

Let me begin this little post by saying, I think Kael is so small.  He's too little to be going to preschool, right?  He'll always be too little as far as I'm concerned... I know we call him "Big K" but he is still our perfectly tiny big brother.

OK, now that we all agree on that, let's move on.  One of my fears regarding the boys is that my little men will be codependent and will struggle when "real school" time comes rolling around.  Which will always be way too soon for me, I'm afraid.  I mean, remember when your newbie was brand spankin' new and school seemed SO very far off in the distance? NOT.SO.

Anyway, I digress... the littles are besties, y'all.  Like they usually always adore one another, take care of one another, play with one another even in a crowd of other playmate options.  Nine times out of ten, Kaelster will opt to play with Dax Man or alone.  He loves his little brother.  Dax is a bit more of a social butterfly and will flit from friend to friend momentarily, but always, he comes back to his big brother to do what they do best.  I love that they love to be with one another so much.  I love to watch them together and see them buoy one another up and burst into giggle fits over one another's antics.  But I know that they need to branch out, meet new people, and have friends independent of one another.  

And so, in planning for another year, we talked about Preschool.  And the culmination of two events... Kael's total love of swim lessons and his teachers there, and my neighbor telling me about Ms. Cindy, made it was an easy decision.  Kaelster is going to learn and play at Ms. Cindy's house twice a week for two hours.  The focus at Ms. Cindy's is on play and fun and socializing and manners.  The program is not academically rigorous and Ms. Cindy strongly believes that the best learning at this age is done through active play; which I love.

Well, Tuesday was the big event, the first day, the day our Kaelster took a giant step into kid-hood.  We are so proud of our big little man!  He was so brave and so very composed.  He'll do awesome at his little play preschool and he'll make new friends who will love him in a big way, because, what's not to love?  And we will miss him every time he goes to learn big things.

And if I'm being completely honest, you should know that I stayed up late the night before to look at his new shirt and backpack together, hanging there in the laundry room.  And I printed out a "First day of Preschool" sign.  And I rubbed my fingers over the little blue collar that would be hugging his perfectly adorable little neck for two whole hours away from home and I was nervous.

And if you want to hear more brutal honesty, listen up.  You would have laughed at me as I anxiously walked him in and put his little puppy backpack and his shoes in the cubby.  Oui.... my heart hurt big time.  But it was a "hurt so good" hurt - just the kind Big K likes.  So that made me smile.  I was more on edge than he was.  He walked right down to the basement classroom and started his "work" with blocks and climbed the ladder to the reading nook and I proudly slipped away to let him do his thing.  I thought I would be a blubbery, blotchy, teary mess, but turns out, he rocked it, so I didn't feel the need to be sad.  And Ms. Cindy said that Kael did great until after about an hour or so when he began to ask for Mom and Dad and Daxi and Baby Ace and told her it was "time to go home".   

Knowing that big brotha missed Dax would really do little Daximus' heart good since Tuesday was probably the worst day of his life.  Dax man had obviously heard us talking to Kael about school and coloring and playing with the kids and he was certain that he, too, would be going to Miss Cindy's with Kael.  I mean, I'm telling you, they are two peas in a pod!  Well... turns out that when I drive away with just Big K in the car, Dax Man smooshes his tear streaked face to the playroom window and howls that he "Wants ta go to schoow wif Ka-ow at Miss Cimi's house!".  It was so sad.  I had to come back and have a heart-to-heart with Dax over McDonald's juice and hash browns.  Geez, I didn't even think how hard their first big day apart would be on little bro.  You are a sweet little friend and brother, Daximus, and your turn will come soon enough.

After preschool, Kael and I went for a celebratory lunch where we made "Cheers" with our chocolate milks and talked about all the fun things he did at school.  I can't believe how much knowledge is contained in such a little body.  My boy... a preschooler.  Wow.

And we visited the local bakery later in the afternoon to really focus on some "sweet growing pains" all together... a first for Kael, a first for Dax, a first for me... and we all survived.  :)

Growing up is tough stuff, but watching your little loves grow up may be tougher. I mean really, I didn't know I could survive if my heart was walking around outside of my chest at Ms. Cindy's playing with Play Doh, you know?  Sheesh.

I tell you what... I am beginning to think that parenting is not for the faint of heart.  :)

Kaelster... you're the cutest little preschooler on the planet.

We love you "all the way" Mister Smartie Pants.