First day excitement

She's been asking for weeks, "Tomorrow do I get to go to Miss Tina's class?"

And at last, the big day arrived!

As we pulled up to the building, Sydney enthusiastically pointed, "There's AJ's school!"

"Honey, now it's your school too."

She held my hand as we walked through the parking lot, excited to go to the room with all the toys and make new friends. But clearly a little nervous, too. "Mommy, you're going to stay with me today at Miss Tina's"

"Yes, but just today."

We made it right on time, and walked in and found her cubby hole. After hanging up her backpack, which she is so excited to carry, (she wore it even while seatbelted in her booster seat) she found a table where puzzles had been set out.

As other moms snapped photos galore, (a close of up a name tag? Must be a scrapbooker.) Sydney renewed acquaintances with "Little Jayce", the son of AJ's hockey coach, who she's chased around the warming house numerous times. I also recognized a girl from Sunday School, but other than that, these will be all new friends.

And then the fire alarm started blaring.

Seriously.

The kids seemed slightly perturbed by the loud sound as they tried to play. Miss Tina had an expression on her face that clearly said, "You have got to be kidding me!"

But there's no time like the present to learn this important drill, so she got all the kids in line and out the door they went, with parents trailing behind. As we walked, the kids must have been told to hold hands, because I saw Sydney, pigtails bobbing, reach for the hand of the little girl next to her.

Out on the playground they gathered, along with dozens of other classes. (We didn't see AJ. The closest exit for his class takes him out the front door.)

And that's why the very first time the teacher took attendance, it was out on the playground. some of the kids were too shy to raise their hand when their name was called. But not Sydney. She raised her hand and said loudly, "Here." 

I was quite proud of how well she handled it all. There were more than a few kids in tears. Even when the teacher surprised the parents with the news we weren't supposed to stay this first day, and I had to tell Sydney I had to leave, she didn't seem overly upset. She gave me a hug and, as I walked away, called out "I love you, Mom!"

I had to run back into the school to drop off a schedule for the daycare program there. By the time I left, Sydney was happily climbing on the playground.

When I picked her up two hours later, she filled me in on what I'd missed. "We saw a movie, and we went on a bus that took us away from here."

"You did? What was the movie about?"

"Um, don't walk by the bus and don't go under the bus."

An important first lesson. Let's hope day two is just as fun, though maybe with a few less surprises.