The REAL First Day of Preschool!

Well...today was the Big Day!

Elizabeth started her first day of preschool! And she handled it like a pro! After a special First Day of School Breakfast with the Family (a tradition borrowed from Auntie P), she got dressed in her brand new school outfit (courtesy of Grammy & PopPop) and posed for pictures out in the front yard.

Got some great photos due to Elizabeth being a little silly and cracking herself up!

Thanks to a quick shutter, I was able to capture the naturally giggly moments on camera!

When we arrived at school, I parked along the street and we got out of the car and went to the other side to get Ashley out. I told E, "Let me get Ashley out of the car and I'll help you with your backpack." But Little Miss Independent responded, "That's okay...I can do it myself!" And she slipped her arms into the straps with confidence! :-)

We then crossed the street where she posed in front of the doors for another picture.

Then, we made our way down the hall, and I followed her into the classroom. She found the cubbies and cheerfully hung her own backpack on a hook!

She turned around to survey the room as if she were wondering, "Now...what should I do first?"

...and then, after a brief goodbye, she was off to play!

With Ashley in my arms, I slipped out the room, down the hall, exited the building, and made it all the way to the car before I let loose with buckets of tears!!!!

My baby is not a baby anymore...and today marks her first day of school...for the rest of her life!! (Drama Queen much? I think, yes! But then Dad calmed me down with his reassurance that "One of the most important parts of the being a parent is letting go just a little at a time. You're doing a good thing." Thanks, Dad-O!)

When I picked her up, she was all smiles! Had nothing but great things to say about school, and seemed to really enjoy herself! Throughout the rest of the day, she would give me more and more little details about the days happenings. I learned that she listened to three stories (one was about monkeys!), she rode the elevator to the playground(!), and she got to pass out cups at snack!

As I put her to bed tonight, she spontaneously announced, "I'm really excited to go back to school tomorrow!"...and I had to break it to her that, in reality, her next school day is not until Tuesday---which, in the mind of a 3-year-old, is about 100 "tomorrows" away!