Baldwin Family Blog: "I Go 'cool!"

After much thought and prayerful consideration, we decided to go ahead and start Madison in ELP on Tuesdays & Thursdays. We were going to wait until next year, but she kept saying, "I Go 'Cool, Mommy, PLEEEASSSEEE" =0) She has really come out of her shell within the past 3 or 4 months, and I am so thankful! Those days of leaving her in her class at church while crying & having to pry her off of me, were not fun at all. She has watched Mackenzie go to "cool" and she knows how much fun it is. She was so excited for her first day, and honestly, so was I. I have had so much on my plate these last several weeks, that I am really looking forward to some down time. Not that I don't love being with the girls, because I absolutely do, but I definitely feel like I need a break for a while. I took Madison to buy a backpack & lunchbox and she picked Hello Kitty. ("ki-e" in her terms) She is talking a ton, but is sometimes hard to understand. Madison is in class 2B and her teachers are Ms. Karen & Ms. Janice. She had her first day on a Thursday, and had a fantastic time! When we got to the church, we met up with Daddy and took a few pictures, and then she went right into her class. Pretty much without even a backwards glance at us! I was so glad! While it wasn't as emotional of an experience as it was with Mackenzie last year, it was still hard for me to let go of my little "baby." It is yet another sign that she is growing up far too quickly. I am used to having her with me all the time. After dropping the girls off, I went back home to a very quiet house. When I walked in the door, I thought, "When is the last time I have come into this house by myself?" That doesn't happen very often! What ever will I do with myself for 5 hours, two days a week?! Oh, I'm SURE I will come up with something...like reading a book, watching tv, taking a nap...or doing laundry, dishes, buying groceries, decorating cookies...

On Madison's "report sheet" on her first day, it said she ate "Good," she slept at naptime (yea! Thank goodness for blankie & pony, her naptime companions! She will sleep anywhere as long as she has them!), she was dry in the morning & wet in the afternoon (she is wearing Pull-Ups now, and we are really working on using the potty), and her disposition was "busy" and "friendly". "She had a great first day."

I am so thankful to have a Christian environment that she is familiar with, and a place that I know she will be loved on, learn, and have lots of fun! I couldn't ask for a better Preschool environment for my children! (And I LOVE that Daddy is just down the hall, if they ever need him!)

Madison looked precious in her new Hello Kitty dress! (We had to have a new dress to match her backpack & lunchbox, of course!) She was just so excited & happy to get to be a "big girl" like sister, and go to 'cool!

Madison took a Lunchable, Capri Sun, and a G0-Gurt (which I later found out, she really shouldn't take to school, because it is too messy) in her lunch.

"Let's GO already!"

My little school girls! Are they cute, or what?!

I love that Madison's backpack is more than half her height!

Daddy was already at work, so we took some "self portraits!"

She's like her Daddy...she squints so much you can't tell her eyes are open when it is sunny!

I just love the excitement on her face! How could I be sad, when she was so happy?! I know there are a lot of pictures that look a lot alike, but I just couldn't pick my favorites, so they're all on here!

This will be the only year that they both go to ELP together...next year, Mackenzie will either be at Jenks West in Kindergarten (I don't even know what to think about that!) or we will be Homeschooling. Not sure yet...I'm glad they get to have this year together though! Mackenzie was excited for Madison too. She actually thought Madi would be in her class, and was disappointed when I explained it didn't work that way!