First First

When children are younger, they go to At-Home CARE, or DayCARE, or Nursery. Then they go to Pre-School, Pre-K, and Kindergarten. Who CARES for them after that? What happens when the grade that your child is in becomes a number, and not just a word anymore?

Monday was Jaydon's first day of FIRST grade.

Unlike most elementary school children, he was not excited about starting school again. (I don't remember hating going back to school until I was in high school.)
Jaydon says to me on Monday morning, "Mom, this isn't the right Monday. School starts on another Monday." To which I laughed out loud.

We went through the routine - breakfast (bottle of Ensure because he won't eat anything), brush teeth, fix hair, get dressed.
Just when I think he is looking all perfect, he says, "Mom, you forgot something." He sniffs his shirt and opens the medicine cabinet to put on some of Jeremy's cologne. Jaydon - this is FIRST grade, not high school! (So if you don't know what to buy Jaydon for his next birthday, I'll bet he would be ecstatic to receive cologne!)

We get there at 7:50, (tardy bell is at 8:00) and he is the second one in the room. His teacher is SUPER sweet, and allowed me to take a picture of the two of them. Jaydon went over to his desk and got excited as soon as he saw a book called "I See" waiting for him. That's all it took - a book for him to get excited about being back in school. (I was just excited to see that there was still a restroom inside of the classroom. It's the little things, right?)

There were a few other kids from his Kindergarten class in there. He didn't care, he had his book. (God bless my little nerd!)

I looked around and no one was hugging their boys. It was "Hey dude - have a good day!", or "Are you ready for this, bubba?"
I looked at Jaydon and told him to behave and focus. I leaned down to give him a hug and he says, "Mom, you can hug me. That is what mommy's are supposed to do." Swoon!

As I walked out, I saw a little boy who will one day become a man.
Honestly, that can happen later rather than sooner.

...and this year, I didn't lose it like last year.
This year was different, but only because I knew that his teacher and everyone there would CARE for him.

This year, as hard as it was, I had to let go. My boy has wings, and he must learn to use them on his own. We have worked long and hard to get him ready, and he is there.
That $45 pair of Adidas will get you there, son. Make sure that they last all year!

Welcome to first grade, Jaydon Cole!

He won't smile because he is missing a few teeth up top - where did he get that vain trait from?

Click to enlarge this shot. Lighting is bad, but he is SO GQ...and not just because he is my kiddo!

Land's End rocks! Same backpack and lunch box from last year, with monogrammed initials on the backpack, and monogrammed name on the lunchbox. Two best investments EVER!

Does he look miserable or what?Mid sneeze...
Take Two...the excitement begins!

PS: Jeremy continued his tradition...He brought Jaydon a "goodie" bag just like he did last year. This year, it contained a bag of Doritos, a bag of Cheetos, a Thomas & Friends DVD, and a book. What a sweet, sweet Daddy to remember his best boy.