CJ's First Day at School (otherwise known as crying at the bus stop)

Our oldest, CJ, had his first day of school yesterday. We were all very excited, but no one more so than CJ. He had made a paper chain and had been counting down the days. He got all dressed up nice in his new school clothes and had his new backpack ready (which was almost as big as he is). The big yellow bus came and CJ eagerly hopped up on the steps, turned around and did a few poses (who taught my son how to Vogue?) My mom told me that I would be like all the stereotypical kindy mothers and crying as my first born got on the school bus for the first time. In a twist of irony we turned around to see my mom wiping her eyes saying something about how she couldn't believe he was big enough to go to school. Craig later reminded me that I was not untouched.....that I had been doing the same thing only two days ago. So off our big boy went to school. We went up a few minutes later to visit with him and check out some things at the school. When we got to visit him he was eating a grape snow cone and making new friends. After that Craig and I went out to lunch to celebrate CJ's first day and reminisce his younger years (a whole total of five). Later that day CJ came home on the bus with his big cousin Bryant and again stopped on the steps to pose for his adoring paparazzi. He proceeded to tell us all about his first day and how at every instance he would sit down and a girl would sit next to him. He vowed that the next day he would NOT sit by any yucky girls. He also told us how his new friend had two strikes on the first day.......my son is making friends with the wrong crowd already :) The only thing that didn't go smoothly was that CJ was upset that he got a tiger clap applause instead of round of applause when he told the class his favorite color.

Kaylee wanted to go with her brother so badly.....she keeps saying "I ride the bus when I get bigger". Drake was very excited to see his big brother when he got off the bus in the afternoon. I had also sent chocolates for CJ to give to his bus driver and his teacher, which I thought would be a good way to start the year. Craig told me that boys do not do that and that I was trying to kiss up to the teachers. Hey, a little bit of chocolate as a kiss up bribe or for any other reason is never a bad thing to give. Today CJ came home from his second day of school with his first homework assignment. You would have thought his teacher had given him a ticket to Disney World. It was the first thing he wanted to come home and do. I can only hope that his excitement for learning will continue and that he will always want to do his homework right away. It's a good thing I am an optimist, huh? Although, I do like to think that Craig and I have started CJ on the right path to becoming an independent person with a love for learning and knowledge.