Our Little Preschooler!!!

First I must apologize for the lack of blogs, we are so behind, but we will catch up. For starters we have Ava's first day of preschool in September. She was so excited. She couldn't wait to play with her friends. (She didn't know any of them but she just knew they were going to be her friends.) Her school is every Tues. and Thurs. for two and 1/2 hours. It just so happens that it falls at the same time as Paige's morning nap, I have to say I am definitely appreciating that time!!!
I know you probably won't believe me but this picture wasn't posed by us. Darrick just had her by the door as we were getting ready to leave and she struck this sassy pose all on her own. I love every thing about this picture...the knee up, the plaid pants, the hello-kitty lunch pail, the sun hitting her soft curls. She is three and ready for all that preschool has to offer.
Every morning her teacher Mrs. Fox greets her at the door. Ava just loves Mrs. Fox, which is really fun to see. Things didn't exactly start out that way. Ava had been looking forward to school since it's open house last May when we took her to see the school. Since then she had been talking about it constantly in anticipation for her her first day. Her teacher sent her a little note the week before school started to invite her to a meet the teacher day, a few days before school started. I read her the note which ended with, love Mrs. Fox. Ava didn't say anything then but soon lost all enthusiasm for starting school. She started saying she didn't want to go to school, she didn't want to play with friends, etc. I didn't really get it but she kept it up even after my encouragement that she was going to love it. Finally, Darrick said, I think that she is afraid that her teacher is a Fox. Sure enough she was terrified of meeting the huge FOX waiting to eat her at her school. I very calmly explained to her that Mrs. Fox was a gilrl just like mommy and she was so nice. She was a little relieved but still nervous. So that day we are on our way to the school when Ava asks if Mrs. Fox has big teeth and again reassured her that Mrs. Fox's teeth were just like mommy's and that she had nothing to worry about. Once she saw for her own eyes that she was not a fox she decided that she was really nice and she just adores her.

On her first day of school we took all of these pictures and then Daddy, Mommy and Paige went to drop her off. When I walked her up to the door she didn't even look back. She walked in with such confidence and was ready to face this new, exciting stage of her life. I was so proud of her, yet a little sad that my baby is growing up and doesn't need me quite as much. (Although she still likes to snuggle.)