Ben's first day of Kindergarten!

 

Benjamin had his first day of Kindergarten on September 8th. This is what I wrote in his journal that day:

On Tuesday, the night before Ben’s first day of Kindergarten, we set out his clothes, his backpack, and his lunch and he went to bed very excited about school the next day. Wednesday morning, I was downstairs finishing up Benjamin’s lunch and I heard him coming down the stairs. I went to greet him and he said, in a just-woke-up groggy voice, “I’m ready.  – I just need to get dressed…”  I sat next to him on the stairs and gave him a hug. Then, the excitement hit him and he fully woke up and said, “I’m so excited! I don’t know what it will feel like to be sitting on the bus! I will be sitting by a new friend – I will make him a new friend to me!”

He got dressed and we ate breakfast. Then as we were at the door to go to the bus stop he said, “So, is it right next to the Hendricks old driveway?”  I said, “No, it’s a different bus stop.  But I’ll walk you there.” He said, “Oh,” and opened the door. I thought to myself, did he think he was on his own at this point? My word, if so, he didn’t seem too ruffled by the thought.  

We waited for the bus and I took a few pictures of him. When it pulled up, he was about to follow the others onto the bus, but I held him up so I could take another picture of him. He waited patiently and cooperated, let me give him a kiss and a hug, and then boarded the bus without a pause or a glance backward!  I had to peek my head in and remind him to sit at the front – he was too excited to remember what I had just said to him about sitting at the front. :)   He was off on an adventure and anxious to get to school and begin!

I held Eliza and together we watched his bus drive away. She said, “Will we see Ben?” I told her he would come back in the afternoon.” Then I got a lump in my throat. She said, “When I see Ben I will be so happy!” When I didn’t respond, she pointed to the retreating bus and said, “There it goes!”  Then we walked slowly home and I thought, “it’s going to be a long morning…”  I thought about him all day, and sent up many prayers that he would be happy and comfortable there.

When 4:00pm finally rolled around, Jed and I took Sam in the stroller to the bus stop and waited there. I felt so excited I was actually jittery. I just couldn’t wait to see my little boy and find out how his first day of Kindergarten went! After a few minutes the bus came round the corner, and we were right there when the kids were let off. Benjamin was the second one off the bus and he came bounding down the steps, with a huge grin, and into my outstretched arms saying, “I loved it, Mom! I loved it!” I felt so happy! I gave him the biggest hug; I just couldn’t get enough of him!  He was so cute!  It was such a happy reunion!  Jed and I then sat outside with him and asked him all kinds of questions about his first day of Kindergarten, while he ate all his lunch leftovers. :)  It was so fun to hear snippets about his day, and he was pretty cooperative and talkative, so that was great!

I can’t believe my sweet little five year old is going to Kindergarten. And ‘all-day’ Kindergarten, too - from 8:15am until 4:10pm.  What a long day!  Anyway, he is his own little man now. He is so ready for Kindergarten, I just knew he would blossom in that environment. He is smart, mature, cooperative, capable, enthusiastic, friendly, and fun-loving. I think he just loves going to school, having a teacher, meeting new friends, having his own seat and his own backpack, eating lunch with his peers…. He is completely ready for this step. I’m happy for him!  

 
(While Jed and I were asking him all about his day, he was being so funny and cute that I decided to grab the video camera. After awhile, he wanted a turn videotaping us talking about our day! :) So here he is videotaping Jed talk about what he did that day. :) )