First day of school

Larkin is taking a speech class that meets twice a week for 2 hrs a day. Today was her "first day of school" and she was so excited! She was dressed and ready to go about 2 hours before school even started, and could not wait to get there!

During snack before we left, Larkin and Willa had the following conversation.
Larkin: "Willa, I'm going to school. You stay home. I see you later!"
Willa: "I come with you!"
Larkin: "No, you not three. I three. I see you later!"
Willa: "I come with you!" and then lots of tears.

Larkin got up and hugged her and told her that she would be back soon. Wish I had my camera to capture that hug-it was priceless.



Once we arrived at school, Larkin was a little less than thrilled. The teachers pick the kids up in front of the school and they all walk in together. Larkin hid behind my leg and wouldn't talk to anyone. I knew then that we might be in for a battle! Willa and I ended up walking her to her classroom and the closer we got to it, the louder she cried. By the time we reached the room, she had what her teacher referred to as a "death grip" on me. I tried to get her started playing with some toys, but she just kept crying and telling me not to go. Finally I had to just pull her off of me and make a run for it! I felt terrible but had no choice!

For the first 20 minutes after we left Willa kept saying, "Poor Larkin! Larkin crying! Back soon!"
We ended up just coming home instead of running errands b/c I felt a little guilty about her crying so much! We did get the house pretty clean though and Willa enjoyed the one on one time.

Two hours later we came back to pick her up. She walked with her class out to the front and wasn't crying at all. Her teacher said that she spent the first half hour crying hysterically, and that after that she laid face down in the reading center and hid her face for the rest of the class (which help explain the bright red marks all over her face!). She even ended up falling asleep! The teacher would come by from time to time and ask her if she'd like to join them, and Larkin would always say, "No thank you."

Once we got home she said that she "missed Willa so much, but had fun at school." Not sure how much fun it was to cry and lay on the floor, but I'm glad she's at least open to the idea of going back!
:)