First day of 1st grade

Today was bittersweet... Grandma left this morning- very early in the morning (5am)- and Deacon started 1st grade.  Deacon has always had a very difficult time with Grandma leaving... his relationship with her is so special and so sweet- it's very hard for him to watch her go back to Ohio.  So he woke up about 5 minutes after I left to take my mom to the airport... around 5am.  He got into bed with Damien and for the next 2 hours he would cry, fall back to sleep and then wake himself up again crying.  It was quite pathetic and clearly not restful at all.  Thankfully things got better for him as the morning went on.

I watched my 6 year old put on his little Carden School uniform and I couldn't help but tear up... I feel like these 6 years have flown by- and as much as I wouldn't ever want to bring back those baby days (I don't do well with newborns), I can't help but wish I had stopped and enjoyed his younger years a bit more.  No joke- I started to have a mini panic attack thinking that before I know it he'll be going to college...  If these 6 years flew by so quickly what will the next 6 be like?

So anyway, he was very excited to be off to Carden... he kept talking about the "big kid playground" and seeing all his new friends- and then he was trying to figure out when he would get to go to PE and French.  It was sweet.  We drove up to campus and it was such a great feeling... we were one of the first to arrive since we brought breakfast for the staff- but as all the parents and students started filling in I got so excited... I think Deacon and I were equally as excited this morning.  I've said it so many times before, but I just adore this school so much that it brings tears to my eyes how happy it makes me.

This year was so different than last... when it was time to go, I was excited for Deacon- no tears for either of us... just pure happiness to be back at Carden.

This is probably my favorite picture of these two boys of all time... very typical faces for both of them- Mr. Grumpalump and Fake-Smiley Boy

And here's the "cute" one... with Damien in the background making dumb noises to get them to smile for "real"

Such a big boy... well, not literally- he's actually one of the shorts in his class and the second shortest boy.  Cute boy.

"Mommmmmm! Why do we have to do this AGAIN???  No one else is doing this!!!"- and as he says this there are a handful of other moms who start walking over to do the same thing... thank you very much!  I think it's a GREAT idea!!!

He was SO excited about where Mrs. Facino put his desk- he's in the last row with the seat furthest away from Mrs. Facino's desk (and he's the closest to the door and window that looks out at the playground).  I once told him that if a teacher puts your desk in the back it means she trusts that you will behave and listen in class.

4th grader and 1st grader... unreal

Deacon and his first teacher... Ms. Tanier- she's been with Deacon since he was 5 months old.

The gang is all back... 

 The other parents and I voted that we give them 2 weeks before they start getting in trouble again... and we also put bets on who would start the trouble.  I'm pleased to say that every single parent said Deacon would either be the last one to join in or the second to last one.  LOL.