Carmella goes to Kindergarten

Today was the first day of school, of KINDERGARTEN, for Carmella. It wasn't a tearful day for anyone--well except for Beau. He was pissed because he didn't get to go to kindergarten. I've already been and so I had no reason to be upset. I, like Carmella, was really excited for her. You get to learn so much cool stuff in kindergarten--like to read and write and add stuff up. It is awesome.

I suppose, I might have been a tad tearful if I had to put her on a school bus but that is because I myself do not have the fondest bus memories. Actually, I have anxiety about all forms of transportation so for me to put my child in a moving vehicle without a carseat isn't something I plan on doing until that prescription for Xanax comes through.

Luckily, we live too close to the school for her to ride the bus so we either walk or drive. Today we walked but it wasn't an easy walk with Beau. I am thinking tomorrow we will drive.

The day started very early for us. I got up at 6am and made her lunch and packed her bag. We had already done the outfit negotiation the night before. I got Carmella up at 6:30 and Beau, begrudgingly so, a little bit later. We had none of the usual snafus of trying to get three people out of the house. Since we had time for video and photos, Carmella posed outside with her backpack for me before we walked up the hill to school.

There she is:
Kindergartener.
Future graduate.
Class of 2018--crossing the big road to school, to higher learning, social angst and oh my God whole bunch of stuff that I am not going to think about.

She is right to business when we walk in. She immediately sat on the floor and unpacked her backpack and put her things in her cubby and hung up her backpack. I think she has watched a lot of reality TV because she was able to completely ignore me with my camera and the video recorder and eight gazillion questions. She wouldn't talk to me so I chatted up the other kids.

I had been worried that Carmella was too shy but everyone of those kids looked terrified--all wide eyed and quiet. They all had the same look--you know when your baby goes under water for the first time and they come up shocked, sputtering and eyes as big as dinner plates--that look. Carmella though exuded calmness--as if she had been going to kindergarten all her life and this was no, big, deal. She is so much cooler than I ever was.
Carmella puts her lunch up. Later when I asked if she was scared when I left or relieved she admitted that she was relieved. I think her irritation with me comes across clearly in this picture.

Carmella sets right to task. No chatting with friends, just work work work.


Carmella's table mates. We only knew two other kids going to kindergarten at this school and they are both in her class and sit on either side of her.
End of the day! Carmella in line with the other walkers leaving school.

Kindergarten is great!