KINDERGARTEN

Ughhhh....how did my little baby get to be old enough for Kindergarten??  I am already teary about this transition.  Not only do we have to get up one hour earlier b/c Zach's school starts at 8am instead of 9am like the neighborhood schools, but I am going to miss him so much!  No lunch with Zach!  Aack!

Zachary got in (through a lottery) to one of the 2 magnet schools in the district: Martin Luther King Jr. Laboratory School - or King Lab for short.  It is a Literary and Fine Arts magnet school.  He is most looking forward to 1) being in the same class as David, and 2) riding the bus in a few weeks.  Our close date is Sept 9, so he can start riding the bus on Sept 12.  THE BUS!!  Isn't he much too tiny to ride the bus?? :)

Here is he on his first day.  The whole family took him to school, minus Dexter

Charming Wyatt with his big bro Zachary on the first day of kindergarten - look at that backpack!

Nice photo-op outside Mrs. Soverinsky's classroom

All the parents saying goodbye and making sure their kids are settled.

Zachary at his table, getting ready for "morning work", sitting next to his pal, and soon-to-be neighbor, David C.

Yes, there were tears after dropping him off.  NOT from Zach though, he was "a little bit nervous, but mostly excited", but from ME!  I was able to hold it together during the little meet-and-greet, taking Art to work, and then tear city.  Luckily for me (but NOT for Poppi), I had to take a trip to the airport to pick up Dad's left behind laptop.  Gave me a good job to do.  I enlisted the help of Laila B. to come with me.  She was home alone as her youngest just started Kindergarten today.  Helped quell the saddy.  

I picked up Art on the way to pick Zachary up from school, so we could hear about his first day.  As usual, it is anti-climactic bc Z is terrible about wanting to talk about school ever.  So we didn't get much out of him.  Took Art back to work, and Zach and Wyatt went down for a nap - Zach exhausted, slept 2 hours!  

And so it begins.  Heavy-hearted I tread into the world of all-day school.  I know he is ready for it, but boy do I wish I had more time with him at home.  In Wilmette, their kindergarten is 1/2 day, and they go full day in 1st grade.  Sigh.

Congrats Zach, you are a really big boy now - in Kindergarten!