First week of first grade

Alex started first grade this week!! While it wasn't the overly-emotional, huge-step of starting Kindergarten, it was still a big week at our house.

He was ready, though, to be back in the routine and back with his friends. And Stefan was very ready for it too. He and Jameson have their days together again, where they can work through the day at his pace, while Alex gets the challenges, the learning, and the fun with friends at school.

I took him in, so I could be with him during those special first day moments---seeing his friends again, settling in to a new teacher, and starting off the day. It seemed a little odd to pass by his kindergarten classroom. My heart gave a little lurch, and I wished for a moment that we were starting all over again there, where we had such a wonderful year. But time marches on, so we walked a bit further to his new room and to his new teacher. Alex settled in happily to a coloring project after greeting old friends and finding his name tag.

Soon the parents started to drift away, either to work or to chat with other parents in the hallway. I let myself watch him for a few more minutes, savoring the boy that he was in that moment. If parenthood has taught me anything, it is that this time goes so, so fast. These years, these days, are so busy, with two kids and the work of daily life, that I was glad to have the little ritual of starting school to remind myself of how fleeting these moments are. And since I can't sit back and watch him all day long--like I'd really like to--I gave him one last big hug and made my way out of the classroom and on to face the work day.

I thought about him on and off all day, and was really looking forward to seeing how his first day went. I asked how things went, half-hoping for some bit of insight into life now that he's a first grader. But, just like last year, he was mostly full of stories about lunch and about recess.

Oh well, at least some things don't change.