Good Play DNA: Well We Survived

Well it’s true we survived the first day of Pre-K!!!!! Only took us the whole weekend to recover but we survived lol. Friday was not only a big day for Leighton... it was for Mommy too. Emotions were running on high but ended with big smiles! Friday I woke up my little girl singing the same School Days song my Mom sang to us every year on the first day of school. Even if I was away for college she would call just to sing it to me. Leighton started giggling the quickly looked at me and asked if I was going to stay with her at big girl school? I tried to explain how it would work but she still insisted she thought I would wait in the car in the parking lot for her all day just in case. And I decided to not tell her that wasn’t the plan. After she was dressed Maw Maw & Pepa showed up with donuts for her big day! Maw Maw almost started the crying party then but we held it together as we gave Leighton lots of praise on how big she was getting. Next up was pictures of course; we can’t forget to document every minute right!!!! Leighton posed and looked like she knew it was all about her today. As we loaded her up in the car she began to get quiet and I think it was starting to set in that this was go time. Brent followed us their so he could head to work after drop off, so Leighton and I headed to school. I had already informed her that no movies were allowed on the way to big girl school; we would say a morning prayer and talk about what the day would bring from now on. About half way there she asked to hold my hand but didn’t want to engage in anything I tried to discuss with her. So as we held hands with one arm and I drove with the other the radio began to play Braxton’s song. Well that started the tears and then there was no going back for this Mommy. As I looked back at her she asked me to turn it up loud. Once we got to school Brent and I unloaded our little girl in her perfectly ironed uniform and she immediately clung to my leg. I knew then that this wasn’t going to be easy on either of us. The big smile she had on all morning slowly turned to a look of fear and confusion. We tried to act normal as we escorted out baby into her class. She proudly showed her Daddy her cubby and how to hang her bag and nap mat but as we headed to her seat she started to cry. She refused to sit in her chair as she hung onto my leg. Her assistant teacher quickly caught eye of her struggling and tried to welcome her . Leighton wasn’t t budging. Finally we had to hand her off and dart for the door. I didn’t get to say hi to any of the other parents I knew because I had to keep walking. If I stopped I would lose it, I just knew I would crumble. I almost sprinted to the car where Brent hugged me and assured me she would be ok. Which I knew, but it didn’t make it any easier. As he drove away I sat there and began looking through the pictures of the morning because I needed a few more minutes to gather the strength to drive off. Next thing I knew my Mom and Dad were parked beside me, and that’s when the tears fell like a waterfall. Apparently they had parked across the street where they could watch Leighton walk in on her first day of school too lol. But secretly I think they knew I would need them too. So after hugs and tears they took me to breakfast to get my mind off of the tears. After breakfast I must admit the crazy Mom in me drove back by the school to see if maybe they were outside where I could catch a glimpse of my little girl. Of course they weren’t so then I decided to head over to visit Braxton so I could feel peace. Let’s just say 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM seemed like a year that day! So once it was time to head to school to get her I couldn’t wait. My Mom met me to ride and get her and when I saw her waiting in the line to be picked up she looked so tiny, to tiny to be starting school lol. They quickly loaded her in as we pulled out and I looked back at her and said “Well how was your first day!” I saw the tears welling up in her eyes and I thought oh no she didn’t have a good day and my heart started to hurt. But she just looked at me and said “I forgot to potty.” Poor thing either was scared to ask or just didn’t go when time was allowed but she had to go bad. I pulled in at the grocery store and ran her in to the bathroom. I think she peed for a minute straight poor girl. After that was taken care of it was off to celebrate! And how does my girl celebrate..... with chips and dip of course lol. Slowly she began to share bits and pieces of her big day.

This is what her highlights were:

- Nobody cried once all the Mommy and Daddy’s left

- They got to watch a movie

- She walked around the school in a line

- There are two dinosaurs on the playground not one

- She got to run on playground 2 times

- Pink milk and juice was her favorite part about lunch

- You have to hold your lunch tray with 2 hands

- At nap time she got to pick where she wanted to lay

- Her nap mat is soooooooooo soft

- You can’t hit, be mean, yell or push any of your friends, but you can tag them on the playground

- Goldfish and gingerbread cookie was their snack