Ava's First Day of First Grade

Ava has been so bored this summer.  She really thrives on structure and I'm afraid I don't provide enough of it for her.  Go and play, is my motto.  So it was with excited anticipation that Ava got ready for her first day of first grade.  The day before we had went and met her teacher and found her locker and where she would be sitting.  Ms. Adams gave her a bag of popcorn on her way out.  All was well.

"Mom, I'm kind of nervous."

 "Mom, will you walk me into school?"

We drove up to school and parked.  I left Brielle and Brig at home sleeping.  As we got out of the care I noticed tears forming in Ava's eyes.  She swiped at them trying to clear them.  I tried reassuring her that everything would be fine and reminded her how excited she had been just the day before.  We put her backpack in her locker and walked into class.  She sat down at her desk and begged me not to go.  I told her I'd stay for a little bit.  I walked to the back of the room and waited.  The tears continued to pour as she played with her new container of play-doh.  She eventually jumped up from her desk and clung to me as I tried to shake her off on my way out of the classroom.  It was quite the scene.  She insisted she was going home with me.  Finally the teacher firmly told her to come and sit down on the rug and then nodded me off in the direction of the hall.  I hurried out after twenty minutes of this.  I got in my car and cried on the way home.  I felt bad for leaving her while she was sad, but it had to be done.  When I picked her up after school she was all smiles.  She had had a great day and made new friends and thought school lunch was the coolest thing ever.  Phew.

Now it's just me and this little lady.  The first day she mentioned Ava about fifty times and I kept telling her she was at school.  After we picked Ava up we went to Sizzler for a dessert bar.  Brielle made Ava carry her in and out of the restaurant and clung to her hand in the backseat of the car.  She loves her sister, and I do too.