Abbie: The Start of Preschool

Dear Abbie,

The day has finally come and gone. The day you finally started Preschool. Oh be still my heart. How is this possible?! Let's face it, I knew you were ready a long time ago. Although you have so much fun at Mom and Abuelo's house every day, I knew you needed to be challenged more, make some friends and learn something new every day. That was never a doubt in my mind. It was our heart, your daddy's and my own, that needed some time to get used to the idea of you being with strangers all day long. I loved having you in the safety of Mom and Abuelo's house. I could call you anytime I wanted, I knew you were clean, well fed and happy there. Now, with school starting, no one is going to spoon feed you in order to make sure you ate all your meals, no one is going to wipe your face or your hands as often as Mom and I do to make sure you're always kept clean, no one there will love you as fiercely as we do.

But alas, we decided the start of the Fall season was the right time to start. We took the safest route we could and started you two days a week to make sure you got used to it and to make sure your daddy and I could get used to the new schedule. So, we prepped you mentally, I bought your lunch box and backpack and we even took you a few days before school started so you could familiarize yourself with the school grounds and the faces that you would see every day. So finally, on Tuesday, September 1, Mommy woke you up at 5:50 in the morning and we got your ready for school. Your daddy and I took the entire day off that day and I took off the following two days too. I wanted to make sure I was available and close enough to the school to pick you up earlier and slowly ease you into the long days there you would be having. You were beyond excited. You didn't eat much breakfast that morning. I figured you wouldn't with such an early start to the day. We left and got there at 7:00am. You were the second one to arrive. You immediately started playing with MacKenzie, a sweet little girl you've befriended since that day. You two are always the first to arrive in the morning so you always have some time to play with her before she leaves to her classroom across the way since she's a bit older than you.

After shedding some tears with your teacher and her assuring me that she would take care of you as if you were her own granddaughter (O M G - who wouldn't cry?!), we were on our way. When it was time to leave, you simply waved goodbye and couldn't care less. You were too busy playing. That's when my heart knew we had made the right decision. I was also proud of myself for preparing you as well as I did. I know you so well. You just need to know what to expect and you do just fine with change. My big girl. I couldn't be more proud of you sweetheart. Your daddy needed a moment in the car (he's a sensitive one - that's one of the reasons why we love him so much) and then the three of us went to go grab some breakfast in Seal Beach. My heart also hurt for your sister. I knew she would miss you. But at the same time, it gave us the time to give her the attention she's never had since we've never been without you. It was bittersweet.

Your first morning was great but as I hear it, it started to get a little tougher come Nap time. You've never been one to nap so easily so that's when the tears started that day. By the time we picked you up 3:00, we would've never known you were crying. You were so happy and ran right past us as you went with your class to the playground.

We took your sister to Gymboree while you were still at school.

Day 2 went even better. You napped, you played, you didn't cry all day. We picked you up at 4:00 that day. Your second week was wonderful too. Tuesday was your first official long day since I went back to work. You did great and you were SO excited to see me when I got there. Thursday was also great. You have never shed one tear at drop off. Oh my Abbie. What can I say to you sweetie...stop growing up so fast!

One thing Mommy needs to get used to is seeing you SO dirty come pick-up time. You can say I'm sort of a clean freak when it comes to you girls. You are always clean and you smell good pretty much 99.9% of the time. You leave to school looking and smelling your best. But come pick up time, oh boy, you are the same child I dressed that morning. LOL! You have dirt on your clothes, your legs and your FACE. I'm working on being ok with that. I know you being dirty simply means that you had fun all day. But I still can't help but bathe you the minute we get home.

Your first Art Project! My heart can't handle it!

With you pretty much being the first one there and the last one to leave all day, Mommy has been feeling extremely guilty lately. I hate that you are there 10.5 hours. I hate that my job isn't flexible enough where I can leave early once in a while and pick you up at a decent hour. I feel so terrible Abbie. But, it seems that you are really enjoying yourself and you totally ok with being there that long. So let's keep telling my heart that. Your daddy has been good about reminding me that too. So here we are, adjusting to a new routine. We seem to have it down already...thankfully. Yesterday, after I picked you from school and you told me that you loved me, you also said "Mommy, I love my school so much." My heart is full. I love you my Abigail. We are so proud of you my little student.