First Day of Preschool

Luke started preschool!  What a big kid he is, I can't believe it.  He is going to Kinderhaven Preschool Academy, which is a Reggio inspired program offered by the Lake Forest Park & Rec Dept.  (You may recall my post back in January which described Matt's 5am camp out to get him enrolled.) Anyway, it is just 2 hours, 2 days a week for the whole school year and is just a stone's throw away from our house, which is convenient.  And, since we already go to the school's playground all the time, Luke is familiar with the place.  He was soooo excited for his first day.  We had gone to the school the week before for an ice cream social, so he knew where we were going and all the fun toys and kids that would be there.  I took him for his first day, and thought I better be early just in case (those who know me well know that this is a rare occasion that I would be early for something).  So I get Luke all jazzed up with his big boy backpack, we get there around 8:45 and get unloaded....then we waited outside the school at the locked double doors until exactly 9:00 when the doors opened.  Luke was like "can we go in now? can we go in now? can we go in now?" for the entire 15 minutes.  He couldn't wait to get in there and LEARN!!  Once the doors opened, he shot in like a bullet and literally before I could even sign him in he had put his backpack on the hook in the correct cubby (from remembering where it was from it being pointed out to him at the ice cream social one time), gone to wash his hands with the teacher, and then was playing with blocks.  I guess I should feel good that there was no separation anxiety, as there were a few kids there crying and clinging to their Moms' necks, but it all felt very fast.  My imagination had played it out a little differently:  Luke holding my hand sweetly, me gently ushering him into his first classroom and encouraging him to play with the other children, him tentatively joining them after receiving a final tender hug and kiss.  Then a long look and reassuring smile before a mutually agreeable departure.  So yea, didn't really play out that way, but still - I take solace in the fact that he at least looked up and waved at me before I left.  He had an awesome time for the whole two hours, he could tell us the names of some of his new friends and the activities he did and seemed to love it all.  But Isolene told me that he was very upset when she came to pick him up because he was expecting me to.  I had forgotten to tell him I was only dropping him off, not picking him up, since I had to go to work.  I felt guilty that his wonderful first day was marred in any way, but I think the good definitely outweighed that little hiccup.  Here's to a long road of academia ahead of him!