Boys Will Be Boys

5 years old….this cannot be!  Kindergarten approached us way too quick.  It seems like not long ago I was just cuddling with this dark eyed sweet little baby boy.  Some things don’t change, he still loves to cuddle and sneaks in nearly every morning to yelling, “Cuddles” and then curls up next to me.  On weekends that entails both of us sleeping in.  Patrick & Merrick are my early risers whereas Braysen likes his sleep.   I know that someday he won’t like to cuddle in the morning with mom so it’s hard to resist enjoying all the morning cuddles I can get.

The week before Kindergarten started we had an assessment day where Braysen met his teacher and they had some one-on-one time to assess his skills.   That night was also Orientation night to bring in his school supplies and see his classroom again.  He was happily showing Patrick around the classroom, where he hangs his backpack, his apple name on the ground for his line spot and his cubby.

He was incredibly cute and honest about his first day of Kindergarten starting.  He told Patrick the night before that he was “nervous and shy.”  The next morning on our way to the first day of many school drops he says to me, “Mom I’m kind of nervous about school.”  Followed up by, “I’m kind of a shy boy.”  How can  your heart not melt, break and be hopeful for a good day ahead?  I just reassured him that there are going to be lots of other nervous and shy kids too.  Just be yourself and have fun, learns lots and listen to your teacher.

I walked him into the school and he nervously stood in line for greeting the teacher.  They have a paper type mat on the floor with pictures and greetings on it and then the child chooses which one they want to do with the teacher that day.  Braysen likes to do the high fives but they have smile and handshake also.  After the greeting they hang up their backpacks and sit down to start coloring on their first activity sheet of the day while the rest of the class arrives.   He sat down, picked up the green marker and turned around to me than said, “You can go mom.” It was that moment when my eyes started filling with water and I realized, he didn’t need me there anymore.  He was going to be OK.  I walked out to the car and had a small, good cry and made my way into work.

So here’s a few pictures of my growing-up-way-to-fast Kindergartner. (ps. I just love having uniforms…sure makes picking out clothes easy!!)  Braysen on his first day of school! Joined by his little brother that was so eager to go with him that day and wanted in on the pictures!

Some random pictures from his first week.  Greeting his teacher, sitting down at the start of class to work on his activity pages and one with his brother on his 2nd day.