Chandler Koehn, Kindergartener

Stop now.  If you didn't read "Twas the Night Before Kindergarten" post from this morning, do that first.  Yes, now.

Okay, here we go...Success!  First day of kindergarten completed!  My kid owned it.

We prepared last night by reading seven bedtime stories about kindergarten/back to school.  Here is Chan with our top three favorites.  Froggy Goes to School was a very close fourth...he thought it was hilarious that Froggy went to school in his unders (in a dream).  I told him that going to school in just your unders is completely unacceptable.  (Because if anyone would try it, it would be this kid.)

This morning, as nervous as I was about how the events of kindergarten drop-off might play out, I got him up and got breakfast started.  He was super excited.  Okay, good sign!!  Breakfast was hard to force down...we don't normally eat at 6:15 in the morning.  Teeth brushed, got dressed quickly, fixed hair like a rockstar, got backpack on within five minutes.  Record time compared to last year.  And, first day front porch shot went smoothly.

We had new shoes for school, too...but they didn't match this outfit, so the trusty Chucks it is

I was amazed about how excited he was!  Didn't seem nervous at all, until we pulled into the parking spot.  Most people wouldn't have even noticed, but I did.  One tiny little look in his eye told me that he was a little nervous.  But, he got off the car like a champ, backpack on and when we began walking we heard this crazy lady on the street yelling "CHANDLER!  CHANDLER!" OMG.  He couldn't have been more excited to see Mrs. Wendy and his buddy Maddox driving up for car rider line!!!  Boy, those feet started moving then!  (Thanks, Wen!!)

We will do this every year, whether he likes it or not :)

By the time we got in the door, he had already met the librarian's assistant and fist bumped the principal, Mr. Bannach.  (He was pretty impressed that Daddy knew just about every adult we met along the way...that really came in handy.)  After stopping to purchase a couple of new Lakeview Eagles t-shirts (he chose a royal blue one and a gold one, because the gold one looked like Daddy's Predators shirts).  He wanted to show Daddy how to get to his classroom on his own.  My kid proudly walked straight through that gym (thanking a little girl for her compliment about his shirt), down the hallyway, turned right at the corner, and went straight into his classroom.  ROCK ON!!  Such a big boy!  Here he is going through the next few steps we'd talked about:

Found his own cubby: #8

Unpacked his rest towel, lunch box, and snack.  Hung up backpack.

Found his chair at the table.  Put on his name tag.  ("Why is it sooo long??")

My big boy at his table!  (BONUS: he recited his lunch number from memory!  Thanks, Mrs. Susan!)

Proud parents!!  So happy that he was this excited!

Chandler with Mrs. Capley, who I've known since I was teeny.  So thankful he got her!!

Gave Mommy & Daddy a hug & kiss, said "Bye" and got busy!  And look at that perfect crayon grip! (Thanks, Mrs. Susan!)

Boy, was this house quiet today!  When I started blogging it really hit me.  No tears this morning, but boy they came when we got home.  But, 1:45 finally rolled around and it was time to go retrieve the Chan Man.  I was hoping and praying that he would have a super, great day.  (Okay, I knew that he had one because his teacher emailed me before the end of the day. Thanks, Mrs. Capley!)  I couldn't wait to hear what he had to say about it though!

He had a lovely lady (PE teacher I believe) escort him to the car; he totally wasn't paying attention when we passed :)

This is the face of a happy kindergartener!  Thanks, Mrs. Capley!!

Did he have a great day?  Yes!!  "Mommy, kindergarten was awesome!" He answered a few questions for me before telling me "I'm done, Mommy...you're asking too many questions."  What can I say?  I like details!!  He did tell me this: he did make new friends, but he doesn't remember their names; he went to the library he "finks" but they didn't read any books; he played on the playground with lots of new friends and it was awesome, they played Jake & the Neverland Pirates; he ate his lunch and his favorite part was the foot-long fruit rollup which he squished into a ball and crammed in his mouth; he went to music class, but they didn't get to play the keyboards; he really likes his teacher but he is not sure if she likes chocolate as much as Mrs. Susan; he rested at rest time, but didn't sleep; he played in centers.  All in all...he had a great first day!!  Then he told me, and I quote: "Mommy, stop now.  I have to go rest me-self cause I'm tired."

Yay!  This is one happy Momma.

Oh, and incidentally (again), Liam finished Chandler's lunch as soon as we got home:

 "The important thing is not so much that every child should be taught, as that every child should be given the wish to learn."

~John Lubbock~

Till next week friends!

Brittany :)