Kindergarten

With kindergarten comes all sorts of emotions and feelings. For Olyvia and I it was nothing but excitment.

I took pictures of her at home before we left for school and then we headed out to Poulsbo Elementary to start her educational career. The whole drive there she was talking about how excited she was. Ellie too was excited and wanting to go. You could tell she was a little sad that she didn't get to go to kindergarten also. Once there we parked and headed into the school, seeing many new friends along the way to the classroom. Olyvia's teacher, Mrs. Smallbeck, seems really great. She has shoulder length dark brown hair and an infectious smile. Seems to be a truely wonderful woman. I am excited to get to know her more as the year progresses.

Once at her classroom I helped her find a hook for her coat and back pack and then gave a hug and kiss and stepped out of the classroom with Ellie. I secretly watched her for a couple minutes as she (with the help of Mrs. Smallbeck) found a seat and started drawing and writing stuff on a blank piece of paper. She glanced toward the door, blew a kiss and gave me a wave. I winked at her and then Ellie and I left. I am so proud of her independence and excitment to experience new things. I hope she has this same attitude as she embarks upon all the many adventures in her life.

When I got there to pick her up I had Ellie and Button with me - an experience in itself. Those two are wild on their own, but you get them together and it is practically unmanageable. While I am trying to get Button to remain next to my side and not pull me over onto the ground (yes for some unknown reason I thought it would be a good idea to wear 3" heels today), Ellie is hanging upside down from the bike rack. Now I can't just go over to Ellie and lift her off the bars and carry her back over to where I am waiting for Olyvia because I have Button and since Button isn't listening to me and would never just sit in one spot and not go anywhere, the possibility of leaving her to go and get Ellie is out of the question. So, I stand there like a tree, trying to root myself in the ground so I don't get dragged across the yard while at the same time quietly trying to firmly call Ellie over to where I am at so that we can watch for her sissy. It didn't work. However, showing her the lovely flower garden that was closer to me then the concrete hovering bike rack prooved to be wonderfully effective and before I could even finish my sentence she was over walking around the flower bed. ( I could see the wheels turning in her head as she contemplated running through the flowers and picking them to sniff because she couldn't possibly sniff them while they are still in the ground.)

Just as she was about to leap full force into the flowers I saw Olyvia's teacher exit the building and behind her Olyvia and the rest of the class. YAY! I yelled out to Ellie - "Look Ellie, your sister." As if struck by lightening she instantly stopped and looked and forgot about the flowers.

Her teacher excused her to me and she came running across the grass bypassing Button (something never done) and flung herself into my arms for a huge hug exclaiming "Mom, it was great. I am a kindergartner now." I couldn't help but smile, both inside and out. After my huge hug, Ellie grabbed her and hugged her and then the two of them tackled Button. We went off to the car and we talked all the way home about her great day.