Ella's First Day of 4 Year-Old Preschool

Last year I was a bad mommy and forgot my camera on the first day of school...and subsequently every occasion after that. This year I wanted to make up for it. So...Once I had buckled Addie in I made Ella go stand on the front porch. Well we start taking pictures and all the sudden I start hearing, "Click, Click, Click." Then I quickly realize I had left my keys in Addie's car seat...OH YES you guessed it. She was repeatedly locking the car door. So of course I run up and start frantically pulling the handle trying to coax Addie into unlocking the door, but all she would do is laugh at me. I just imagined it to be like a scene from Look Who's Talking. I know what she was thinking, "Oh look at that poor pitiful mommy out there at my mercy for once. I am so cute and innocent in here in this carseat. Oh I can act like I have no clue what she is talking about. Click...Click...Click. Yeah that is what I will do. Let her just sweat this one out. That will teach her!"

So then I start panicking thinking poor Ella is going to miss her first day of school, and this is a memory we will never get back. So of course I run to call Matt to hurry home. As soon as I get off the phone with him I happen to go to the drivers side door...and what do you know...it opened. Don't know how in the world all other doors were locked and not the drivers side, but it was a pleasant surprise. Crises averted...heart placed back in proper position...continue with day.

Here is the pic as the clicks began:

Ella has a new teacher this year, Ms. Emily, but she is in the same classroom as last year. I was so very proud of her. She went right in and sat down at her chair and started playing. Then little Alyssa came in so she wanted to move to sit by her.

She loves Alyssa, and when I ask her if she played with her friends at school she always says Alyssa. Alyssa's mommy told me Friday that Alyssa told her, "I just loves Ella, but Ella doesn't really say alot." Her mommy told her that was okay, and to just keep talking to Ella and she would eventually open up.

Here is Ella with her new teacher Ms. Emily.

Here is a full-circle moment in my life...One of Ella's little classmates is a girl named Laila. Laila's mommy was Amanda, a girl I went to school with from kindergarten through high school. She looks sooo much like her mommy. It was just one of those moments in life where you start to realize how old you are getting. That should still be us in those little chairs, but instead we are the ones dropping off our babies. Now we know how sad our parents must have felt to let us go.

Here is (L-R) Alyssa, Ella, & Laila right before school began. Ella is doing just wonderfully. Both days she walked right in and sat down like she owned the place.