Isabelle's Turn

Even though I knew it was coming, it still blows my mind that it is here. Today was Isabelle's turn to start school. How can my little girl, my little baby, be in pre-school already? Where is time going???

Isabelle is going to the same pre-school that Gavin attended, so she has been "practicing" for this day for the last two years. She walked into her future classroom on several occasions last year, only to be dragged out and reminded that it wasn't her turn yet. And now, finally, she is getting her chance. She has been looking forward to school, trying on all her new clothes, wearing her back pack around the house, for a few weeks now. But no matter how excited she seemed, Donna and I remained skeptical as to whether Isabelle would really to allow us to walk out the classroom door, and have the teacher take over. Isabelle has been a "Mommy's Girl" since birth, and does not enjoy being away from Donna. Pre-school was going to be the first time in Izzy's life that Donna and I were going to leave her with people she really didn't know. We were not very optimistic.
This morning we got our answer. Isabelle was excited and chatty (big surprise) all the way to school. She was bouncing with anticipation in the hall outside her classroom door, waiting for her time to go in. When the door opened she raced in, and greeted her teacher with a smile, then headed right for the toys. She gave Donna and I a hug, and a kiss, and said good-bye. We could not have been more excited, surprised, and relieved. Out the door we went.

Then, we heard a kid screaming. Loud. I poked my head around the corner to see who it was, and it was Isabelle. Tears. Screams. Calling for us. Doing everything in her power to get by the teacher, and out the door. Sigh.....how do you walk away from your terrified child?? It goes against the parental fabric. But, with the support of the other parents in the hallway, out the door we went.

I saw Izzy after school today, and she had this to report. "Daddy, I cried. But I had fun!" And then she gave me a big hug. Gotta love 'em. Can't wait to see how we all do on Tuesday.