Life with Meredith and Jillian: School, School, School. I love School.

Meredith has been so excited about starting school for MONTHS now. It was even a driving force in helping her to learn to potty (since she had to be potty trained to go to her class). To help build the excitement, Gigi helped Meredith pick a book from the library about school this summer. Meredith has memorized this book and loves it. She will point to all the words on the page and say "School, school, school, I love school!"

She finally got to experience school first hand last week. We started the week with Neal and I going up to a meet-the-teacher night. As soon as we got home, she shouted "What are my teachers names?!!" And she wanted to know all about all the toys that she would play with. I showed her the nametag she would wear (A star because she is in the SuperStar room!) and read through the class schedule. The next day Meredith got to go up to school so she could meet her teachers and see her room too. Then later that week was the big day! The night before, she helped me pack her lunchbox and backpack. We walked into her school on Thursday and she looked so big with her backpack on. We made our way through the crowded halls to her room. The little girl that went in right before her, was crying and I realized then, that she might lose it. But, she just went straight in, told me good-bye and I turned around to leave her. I forced myself to hold in my own tears until I left the school (I kept hoping I would see someone else who looked like as much of a basketcase as I felt, but no luck!) In the end, Jillian and I enjoyed having time for just us, but when she was napping and I was making Meredith's bed without her, I was struck by how quiet the house was. I was definitely ready to go get her when 2 came around.

She was excited to see me and had made me a picture. The teachers said she never had a single tear and that she even napped! She told me all about playing in the kitchen, a boy that told her she couldn't play legos, and we played "naptime" where she brought out her napmat and went through a script of what the teachers must say at nap time. She is looking forward to next week when she gets to go back - plus, she gets to celebrate her birthday since they hadn't started classes yet, so I know that will be a great treat!