Ella's BIG day!

Ella started Preschool yesterday! Here she is at orientation last week. She kept saying you are staying with me right? I said yes, TODAY but not next time. At orientation she didn't let me leave so I could watch the orientation video. She played really well, but didn't want me to leave the room. So I knew preschool drop off would be hard...and I was right. She talked a big game and said that other "little kids" might cry and be sad so she would hold their hand and help them.

When it came time for the preschool teacher to get her out of the car, Ella said I want my Mom to do it. So I parked and took her in (big mistake, and it probably said that in the video I missed) she started to cry and say she wanted me to stay. She was sooo sad! It was so hard! Her big brown eyes looked deep into mine, saying don't leave me! Thankfully my sunglasses were on my head, I had to put them on in the building so she wouldn't see me cry and have the teachers judge me, like oh you are the problem here! I finally gave her to the cute girl helping (after some coaching from the owner, to just walk away and not negotiate). I waited in the parking lot for 10 min and went in to check on her, they said she stopped crying but was just sitting there not participating. I left and called 30 min later, they said she was happy, no tears, and participating! YEA! Hard day! When I got home I researched the pros and cons of her going to preschool and decided it was good for her to go :)

Ella and her friend Maddy. She is going to carpool with her on Thursday, so I hope that it will go smoother having a friend to walk in with her and not her mommy...crying!

All ready for her first day! We did all the tips they suggested, taking it slow and relaxed in the morning, talking about all the fun things she would do. Painted her nails, made her a cute little bag (they can't take backpacks to her school) put on her cute new clothes her Grandma Karen took her to get, so she would be excited. But somehow she still had a hard time :( I think Lola will have a much easier time, now I know what not to do!

On the ride to school I asked her what she was thinking about and she said "just about the snacks we will get and water." (just like her mom, thinking of when she can eat next!)

Then when I picked her up she was ALL smiles! She loved it. She said her favorite part was painting, reading books and playing on the playground. Then she said she didn't get a snack. She said all the other kids did but not her. I almost called the school, but after talking to her more I think she was making it up,

that never happens :)!

This morning she said..."do I get to go to school today?" Ahhh...music to my ears!