Today, a little late due to our holiday, you started reception. Today was your first day of proper school and you are now an 8:15am until 3.15pm 'er. My little boy - going to school five days a week with just the weekends off. That might take a little time for me to adjust to, it might take some time for you to adjust to too. And I know that your brother will struggle at first to get used to you not being home as much - he's had the most amazing summer with you and you with him.
You were fine going in to your classroom this morning and that made me feel so proud of you. It helps of course, that you are in the same two rooms, with the same two teachers as before. You have some of the same friends too, but also new people to meet and to grow up with. I'm sure that it helped you, you going in to a familiar place and seeing familiar faces and I know it helped me too. My nerves were less as I let go of your hand and your teacher took it, although it was still at that very same moment that I had to choke back some tears.
I wasn't sad, just emotional. Emotional that my little bump turned baby, turned toddler and pre-schooler is now in full-time school and that this moment signalled the close of what has been an incredible summer filled with lots of fun and laughter and family time. And I'm not sad that that's over.. well I'm sad to see less and less sun, but I'm not sad that summer's gone and school is here because we did what we had wanted to and we made the most amazing memories and ended it with a fantastic holiday with the whole of your Daddy's side of the family to Greece.
It was just that at that moment, I was a parent who was standing in a classroom watching her firstborn baby wearing his little school uniform all freshly washed and with his new name tags in, go for his first day of school. And for a second there I saw so many of our shared moments from over the first four years of your life flash before me and then I looked at you, looking so tiny but also so grown up and that just tugged at all of my heartstrings.
I'm so proud of you Ethan -both your Daddy and I are. We know you are going to love school, we know that you are going to love learning and making friends. I know you're going to get tired and probably grumpy after school and that's okay, we'll work with you. I know that getting yourself undressed and dressed for PE might not come easily to you at first and that you might sometimes forget to ask for the toilet when you need it. I know you might fall out with friends occasionally and have silly little squabbles and I know that that will hurt me a lot more than it'll probably hurt you. And I know that I am going to have to remember that that's all they'll be - silly little squabbles. And I know that this next year will probably see you change quite a bit, but I also know that you know who you are and that you will always be my slightly crazy, very creative, cat-loving, plane obsessed little boy.
The past four years have been my absolute favorite. They really have. Sure there have been struggles, of course there have, but my gosh I've enjoyed the rollercoaster. And now here we are, starting out a new chapter together and a new routine, as together we make a leap and jump right in to the very beginning of your school years.... I'm sure they'll be an adventure!
Thank you for reading. Alex xo
