The wait is over!

Today was Evan's first day of school. He has been waiting for this day to arrive since his last day of school last May. It seemed like cruel torture for him last week that Dad and Spencer's year of school had started but he still had a whole week to wait. He loves school - everything about it. He has never complained about anything that has to do with school.

At drop off today, he was the first one in. The first one to move his name over to the "at school" side of the board like they practiced on the meet the teacher day. The first one to hang up his back pack on the pegs. The first one to find a seat at the play doh table and start rolling dough and making "cookies".

Like every first day of school, there was the kid that was a complete wreck - crying oceans of tears while clinging to his parents. I feel for them, I really do - Spencer was not far from that on his first day of preschool. Maybe it's because Evan has watched Spencer and he knows what to expect and how school works, but he has never had a problem. I just walked over to him and told him to have fun and be a good boy. He told me okay, gave me a kiss and that was that. When we were in the car after pick up he told me that three of his friends from last year were in his class and he had lots of new friends in his class. That is just the kind of kid he is - he sees everyone as a friend.

I was lucky to be able to get these pictures of Evan. It was raining this morning as we were getting ready to go. The rain started to let up a bit, so we ran out outside and snapped some quick smiles. You can't skip first day of school pictures because of a little rain! It seems like all of Evan's big days lately have included rain in them. Soccer on Saturday and now his first day of school. Something about him makes it OK though - he is such a warm, caring little guy with such genuine enthusiasm. The kid just emits a glow - I swear he can light up a room. He just bubbles over with excitement and positive energy. He can be angry and stubborn but even then, he is completely passionate about his discontentment. It is hard for him not to be happy. It only takes a silly joke or a funny face and in most cases, he is smiling again.

I think he is going to have a great year. He is in the same classroom as last year, but has a new teacher. She is young and full of new ideas and energy. Sometimes with the teachers that have taught for years, once the initial "let's start the year off right" gusto wears off, they just seem like they are doing their best to get the year over with. A teacher in their first years seems to try a lot harder and make things more fun for the kids. That is the kind of environment that he will thrive in. He will love her! I am not trying to "dis" teachers in any way. I think they have the hardest, often times thankless, most important job there is - next to mothers of course! I am married to an "old" teacher and he freely admits that this is most often the case. As in anything, there are always deviations from the norm, so I am sure there are some seasoned teachers out there who have the same attitude on September 1st as they do during that first week of June.

I had to add a picture of Evan's new shoes. These are his dinosaur shoes that Grandma and Grandpa got him for his birthday. They were on back order until late July. It worked out great because they came just in time to be his new shoes for school. He loves them. The eyes light up to flashing red when he walks. Very scary! I think Spence is even a little jealous.

Off to learn my ABC's and 123's