First Day of School

Today was the First Day of “The New School” (as we’ve been fondly referring to it in the Johnson-McCormick home for the past few weeks!). Today Kyle and Owen started Nursery School at the River Valley Waldorf School. This is a big deal because it is just a big deal. It is also a big deal for our family because it marks a huge transition for us. This summer Braydon and I made the decision to pull K & O out of the Lehigh University Childcare Center (where they had been in daycare from age 12 months – age 3 years). We spent much of the summer thinking, researching, conversing, and generally obsessing over what to do for childcare/pre-school/daycare for the 2007-2008 school year for our precious boys. I know every parent feels their child is the most precious. We are no exception. These decisions feel huge. On so many levels. We finally (after much agonizing) made the decision to apply to the River Valley Waldorf School for K & O. And they were accepted. The school is 15 minutes from our house. It is on 7 acres of land. It is a beautiful Waldorf school. We like the philosophies. The Nursery School runs from 8:30-1:00 Monday through Friday. Alex will pick them up 3 days a week and I will pick them up the other two. It will mean lots of late nights working for me (but what else is new?!) and a crazy-chaotic schedule for us to all manage (but what else is new?!), but we feel really strongly that this is a good decision for Kyle and Owen. Today they were very excited and a little bit nervous to go to “The New School.” We had visited there twice with them recently, but still… it is a lot for a 3 year old (and a lot for parents of TWO 3 year olds!). From all I can gather, the boys had a good first day. The head teacher of the “Acorn Room” (the name of their classroom) reported to me today that K & O had a “good day” and that they were “crazy– like, kind of all over the place and off the walls” (ha! no surprise there!!!), and that they “ate really well” (ha! no surprise there!!!), and that they “are very, very social” (ha! no surprise there either!). I was pretty impressed– she’s got them pegged after only one day! K & O said school was “good.” Owen said he “waited and waited” for me to pick him up, but he also said (when I was there picking him up) that he wanted “to stay at New School.” Kyle said he “likes the New School” and that he “helped his teachers cook rice.” From what I can tell they spent most of their time there today playing outside. Which is one of the main reasons we decided to go this route: the boys will get to play outside a lot at “The New School.” So, the day is ending well. I am emotionally drained. I broke into a hysteric meltdown of tears right outside the door to the Acorn Room after dropping them off this morning. Braydon was hugging me. I’m sure all the other parents thought this was my first time ever leaving my babies — little do they know that K & O have been in daycare since they were 12 months old!!! LOL! Anyway, a new year has begun. We’re off and running and off to a good start. And I know I’m biased, but as the mama I’ve just got to say that I sincerely believe my bambinos were the cutest little First-Day-of-Schoolers-That-Ever-Lived. God, how I love them.