Rachel's Started Preschool!

I've been reminded that I didn't do a post about Rachel starting preschool, and my only excuse is that life has been too crazy to sit down and write much ever since both the girls started back to school! (So much for feeling like I have "so much more time!"). So here's a brief recap of how it's been going so far.

Rachel's first day at preschool was technically Orientation Day, which was September 9. For orientation, the kids get dropped off in their classroom with their teachers and classmates while the parents attend a meeting/paperwork session. I had been POSITIVE that we would have some leg-clinging, or tears, or worse, but Rachel walked bravely right into that classroom, and got down to business playing with playdough and coloring with markers. She barely looked up at us when Bill and I left the room. Painless! Once again my expectations were not met, and my child surprised and amazed me with the way she handled things! It was much the same the following Tuesday (September 14), the first "real" day of school. Rachel got settled in her room playing with the playdough, and I was out the door. I had to scoot out of there quickly so *I* didn't dissolve into a puddle of tears, but thankfully once again, Rachel separated from me with no tears!

It hasn't been all roses, however....flash forward to Tuesday, September 21, and after a long four-day break from school, Rachel was not so eager to be dropped off. When I walked her into the room, her eyes welled up and she got that adorable and pitiful "about to cry" pout on her face, and said, "I don't want you to leave!" I stayed a few more minutes, assuring her that she was going to have so much fun, and was able to break away after one of the teachers came over and sat with her while she colored with markers. Of course, after having finally resigned myself to the fact that she was doing fine, and that three year old preschool was the right decision for her, I had my doubts all over again, and Rachel was not the only one with tears in her eyes as I drove away from school! The next school day, Thursday, went fine, without tears, but then Tuesday the 28th was even worse. This time it was sobbing. It started before we even made it into school. "I don't want you to leave!" Burying her head in my leg. Again, I think it was due to the long weekend break between school days. But once again, her teachers told me that she recovered quickly and did just fine the rest of the day.

Rachel really does seem to like school. I am slowly getting more details out of her each day. I hear her singing lots of the songs she learns when she doesn't realize I'm listening. She talks about other students and "plays school" with herself during "nap" time. She enjoys her teachers, and they tell me that she talks to both of them and to other kids as well. One of my big concerns had been that she wouldn't talk to anyone, since she tends to be painfully shy and reserved around people she doesn't know (and sometimes around those she DOES know well!).

Despite a few rough mornings at drop-off, she has even expressed interest in being dropped off at the curb (a nice option the school provides, where the teachers come to the car and get the kids out and walk them into the building). I want her to be able to do this confidently once the baby comes, and I also figured that since she seems willing, it might be a better transition to separating from me than when I walk her into the classroom. So this past Thursday (September 30), we tried it. Rachel did great! She didn't cry or look back at me, or waver once in her decision to be dropped off at the curb. It really made separating easier for her. Not sure if this is partly because it all happened so fast, before she had a chance to protest, but I'm going with it! Hopefully things will go as well on Tuesday. That will be the test, since Tuesdays seem to be her tough days. My only remaining real concern is whether she will ever be able to go to school in underwear, like she's supposed to be doing. But I guess we'll keep working on that!