First Day Jitters & Yellow Submarines

As I prepare (<-- ha, ha -- that's funny - as if I could "prepare" myself for all of the upheaval, stress, & constant heartache that is my BABY going to KINDERGARTEN)...

*clearing my throat*

....I'll try this again...as I sit here thinking about the last five years, how much they've meant, how much has changed in our family's life, and how much my son has grown from a newborn baby with his foot fitting in my palm to a rough housing boy, I can't help but feel anxious, a little sad, and so overly excited for him.  Tomorrow will be a day of many firsts for him - first bus ride, first desk, first pencil box, first lunch box, first lunch in a school cafeteria, first FULL day of Kindergarten....

My little boy, the one we tried for years to conceive, the one who fought hard to stay in the womb, the one who's been dubbed Mr. Safety, the one who has such a kind heart, the one with one sharp wit & memory, the very loud one, the picky one, the one who is so very inquisitive that asks questions that make us think, and the one who will forever be my first born, my only boy, & one of two of my little blessings, is going to go to school for the next 13-17+ years!  Whoa.

So, it begins.

I have the first day jitters, but clearly he does not.

He is stoked to wear new sneakers, stoked to ride the bus with his older neighborhood friends, and soooo stoked to carry his Buffalo Bills lunch box and Clemson back pack.  I'm fairly certain he'll be the first kid committing that fashion faux pas, but to us he'll look awesome.  No, he's not brainwashed, but if you ask him he does want to go to college where the Tigers play.  Did I mention he has a custom made Yellow Submarine pencil box?  Yep, he may be picked on for that, but he wanted it, and it's cool to us old folk.  Honestly, I'd try to do all within my power to give him the stars if he asked for them, especially at this very moment. 

Looking back at pictures of my first day of school ever I only remember how much I loved my saddle locks and how much I adored that lavender dress from Sears.  I had to have that dress and the purple tote bag.  My parents look so cautiously proud, but I seem to be beaming with a toothless grin, so ready to get on the bus and go.  My Dad actually looks a little like he did on my wedding day...maybe he was holding in a tear or two.  My Mom, my sweet Mom, she looks like she's proud to have just survived feeding me breakfast, answering my million questions, dressing me, & combing my bed head all in time for the bus.  She appears proud, too, but she also looks apprehensive about taking her littlest of three out of the nest, sending her off to the school abyss, & returning to the working-mom world after a lengthy hiatis as a stay-at-home mom like me.

I don't remember it.  I don't remember much at all about Kindergarten actually, except that my teacher, Mrs. Beebee had a bright blonde bowl cut, a sweet laugh, smelled like cookies, and she introduced our class to the alphabet.  Yep, that's right; we didn't have to know our letters before we entered Kindergarten.  Twenty-eight years ago inflatable letter people would visit our class once a week and they'd stay while we learned about how they sound and what words they start.  I remember actually seeing Mrs. Beebee pointing to the alphabet that wrapped around her wall and singing in a soprano voice with the students as we'd learn new letters.  My boy has known this song since he was three.

Perhaps he's smarter than his Mommy or perhaps the times have really, really changed.  Thanks, technology.  Those mammoth IBM's that I learned how to type on in a computer lab are now obsolete (as are computer labs in most schools as most classrooms are outfitted with their own computer centers).  Either way, I could never begin to imagine what he'll become someday.  All I know is that I will be proud.  My husband and I will forever be so proud of him - no matter what, and I hope he will remember that when he thinks back to this time in his life.

And tomorrow as he boards the bus and it pulls away with my baby boy inside I'll probably clench a Kleenex & hum this tune to keep myself sane:

And our friends are all aboard,
Many more of them live next door,
And the band begins to play.

(Trumpets play)

We all live in yellow submarine,
yellow submarine, yellow submarine,
We all live in yellow submarine,
yellow submarine, yellow submarine.

Best wishes for a grand first day, Gabe.  I love you.