Almost the big day

There are those certain iconic photos that every parent should take, if for no other reason than to post it as part of a montage of embarrassing pictures at your child's high school graduation party. One of the big ones: the child with his backpack on the first day of kindergarten.

As we headed into AJ's school for an open house last night, to which we were told to bring all his school supplies, (I suppose that simplifies the chaos on the first day of class) it suddenly occurred to me that if AJ left his backpack in his classroom, then this was my last chance to take the shot.

And so he stopped. And posed. And made me wonder how many more years he'll be this accommodating to my blog photo needs.

The open house was nice, once we finally found AJ's classroom, which is upstairs from the rest of the kindergarten rooms. (Hmmm... how soon should we expect a referendum, do you suppose, for a new, larger school?) We also got a school lunch account set up for him (with an online payment option) and stopped in to visit Cool Kids, where he will only have to go after school two days a week.

It was interesting to watch the future politician navigate the halls of the big school. After a year in the preschool program, he knows his way around and happily greets everyone he recognizes.

At the end of the night, after sorting his notebooks, folders, gym shoes and other supplies into their appropriate bins, we at last headed home: with the emptry backpack, which he does get to carry on the first day of class.