Emma's Big Week!

After many months of waiting and waiting and waiting some more it finally got here- Emma's preschool started! (We have year-round school here in the Vail School District.) Ever since we got word that she was accepted into this program, she's been harrassing me daily to let her start school. So it was with great relief (& sadness) that I helped her take this first big step into the world beyond our home.

Emma is attending the preschool at our local school district office. They have 6 classrooms that run both AM and PM classes, but the competition is surprisingly stiff to get in! We even had to switch teachers more than once, but now that it's all said and done, I absolutely know that she's in the perfect class for her with the perfect people to guide her. And bonus- I LOVE the teachers in her classroom. They even have a dog that resides in Emma's class, and one of the male teachers plays the guitar for all of their music time. Yea!

Here's my little- sorry, BIG- girl all ready for her first day of school. I really don't think that she knows how to take a picture without posing.

I was surprised to find that one of the biggest challenges of starting school was finding this little girl a backpack! My mom bought her one, too small for what the school wanted. Daddy bought her one, also too small. But have you looked at the size of backpacks at the store? Most of them literally banged against the back of her knees when she tried them on! I felt like the bear family in Goldilocks. This one's too small, those ones are too big- but finally, we found one that was just right! And it's a Disney Princess bag, so what could be more perfect for my little girl?

Taking the big walk into the building to start school was very exciting! But I honestly thought that at any minute Andrew was going to grab her and run back to the car. He's had such a hard time coping with the knowledge that his little girl is actually growing up. Poor guy actually asked me if we could withdraw her from school and keep her home forever. And he asked me this when we were in the car, on the way to the district office to drop her off for the first time! Daddy does love his little girl.

Gotta get the backpack just right. I love the tongue sticking out to just the precise angle!

Emma adores her teachers, and here's something really interesting. When I ask her what her favorite thing about school is, she replies that it's Circle Time! My little girl that can hardly sit still long enough to get shoes on, and thinks that Primary is absolute torture because you have to sit and listen LOVES to sit and listen in Circle Time. It's just another testament to me that the people in that classroom are giving her exactly what she needs, and that she's soaking it up and wanting more. You know, it's hard to see my little one grow up, but the fact that she's so happy, and that this is so obviously a perfect fit for her makes it a pleasure to take her to the district office and drop her off every day!

We love you big girl!