The School Rollercoaster

Evan's first week of big-boy school was a roller coaster, to say the least. It is probably best described in timeline fashion.

First, a little bit of background: Evan attended a Church preschool for the last three years, most recently 5 mornings a week for 3K. This school year, his name was drawn for the Pre-K lottery at Springdale Elementary, the school in our neighborhood. It was a tough decision to send him to a true "big boy school" that meets all day, but honestly -- had he been born 6 weeks earlier, he would have started kindergarten this year! We decided to go for it with Springdale. He was ready.

On Wednesday night, Aug 5, we attended an open house.

Evan was all smiles. Thumbs up!

He met both his teachers (Miss Clegg, above, and Mrs Jones), and he loved the classroom. He looks a little nervous in this picture, but most of the evening, he was smiling ear to ear.

We bought him a Springdale shirt. He put it on the very minute we got home. Plus, he wanted to wear it to his first day of school. So much for the outfit I'd chosen!

Fast forward to 5:00 am on Thursday morning: Evan's first day of Big-Boy School. Evan crawled into our bed, complaining that his "heart hurt." Seconds later, he threw up all over the bed -- and then two more times before we left for school. He didn't have a fever and I was near positive it was nerves. (Who me, anxious? with an anxious, nervous, excited, over-achiever kid? He told me later that he thought he would need to read on his first day of school!! Poor thing.)

A little green, holding his tummy on the way out the door. After this picture he told me, "Mommy, no pictures when I am ill, please."

Modeling his backpack - full of towels for nap time, a change of clothes, and other goodies.

Will, Alex and I took him to school, where he was just not himself. He sat quietly at his table (see below) while all the other kids ran around and met one another. I told the teachers about our morning and they promised to alert me if he was sick at school.

Evan at his spot on "table 2"

At 10:30 am, I got the call. Evan had thrown up two times at school. They knew it was nerves, and they knew he'd be fine since he didn't want to leave -- but what did I want to do? I drove as fast as possible to that school with an indescribable, heavy sense of disappointment. Poor Evan. I picked him up in the main office and deflected as many stares as possible. What kinda parent sends a puking kid to school on the first day back? I wanted to shout, "He is excited! He wants to learn! It is nerves! He is not contagious!" He (then I) cried the whole way home. "I'm missing my first day of schooooooooollllll, Mommy! My first day ever!"

Thumbs down - Evan at home on his first day of school

Will met us at the door with grilled cheese and other favorites. Within 30 minutes of being home, Evan was eating everything in sight and goofing around with his brother. It has been smooth sailing ever since. He really loves school.

What a roller coaster.