1st Day of Preschool!

Oh yes, you read that right.  Caden P is old enough for preschool.  How did that happen?

Back in January, I enrolled CP at a nearby preschool, assuming Ms. Amber (where Caden excelled last year) would want to fill her program with full time students.  Since I was going to be home, I did not want him to go full days (ok, I did not want to pay for him to nap some place else...).  After talking with Amber, I learned that she did have room for CP for just the mornings!  I debated long and hard to myself - Where would he be the most loved?  Where would he learn the most?  Which place would prepare him the most for kindergarten?  

And then I slapped myself on the head and said, "HE'S THREE!!"  

And I enrolled him in a place where he and his little quirks are loved by teachers who helped him through the hardest, most transitional year of his little life.  With nice, sweet, kind children (it's a tough world out there, you know) that he loves to play with.  Where he learns things I didn't think he was even ready for ("Mommy, at Ms. Amber's house you DON'T have to be four to use scissors!").  

Jeremy never had any question about where to send CP.  He'd have Ms. Amber and Ms. Brie home school Caden if they'd be willing! I asked Caden where he was going to go to college.  He said, "Ms. Amber's."  We love it there.

So fast forward to this week.  I stopped ignoring the fact that my baby was big enough for preschool and starting getting him ready!  The first order of business was a new backpack and lunch box.  So, CP, Asher, Gaga and I headed out to the mall to find the *perfect* backpack.  I had done a little pre-shopping and knew the best place to find the backpack of choice was the Disney Store.  He walked in and, just like a man, picked up the first one he saw and said, "Let's go play now!"  

He picked the backpack I knew he'd want - he's on a huge Buzz kick right now!

Caden:  "Can this Buzz come home with me?  Mine bwoke."
Me:  "No, maybe for Christmas or your birthday."
C:  "I'll just pway with him in the box."

Wednesday morning we packed his lunch and backpack, took the first of many more first day of school pictures...

...and we were off!

He was thrilled to see his "fwiends" again and wasn't the least bit scared for me to leave.  In fact, I had to chase him down to get a hug and kiss!

He's going 3 mornings a week for 4 hours.  He eats lunch there around 11 and then I pick him up at 12.      Let's just call this "after"...

And what am I planning on doing while CP is gone?  Well, I plan on sitting on the couch making a lot of silly faces at Asher, getting the laundry folded and the dishwasher unloaded, blogging, showering, drying my hair AND putting on make up with fewer interruptions.  Don't worry, I'll still be wearing t-shirts with spit-up on them!

When I told Caden that I couldn't believe how big he was getting, he asked, "Are you sad, Mommy?  Just a little bit?"

I am a little bit sad Caden, but mostly I am so happy that you are growing up to be a smart, nice, polite, kind little boy.  I want you to work hard, learn a lot, and become a good friend so you can be anything you want to be when you are an adult (currently, a recycle truck driver).  I am so proud of you, I love you!!