After wanting to bring his "weapons" into the ice cream social last week (but then not) and then having a great time running around the gym with some old buddies, drawing his self portrait as a stick figure with a frowny face inside of a circle with an X through it at orientation, going on and on about how scared he was and didn't want to go the night before AND the morning of, he actually did a great job! After he was dressed and semi-fed we headed outside to walk down to meet his buddy Ike so we could all walk together. Once he got outside and graciously let me take some pictures of him he noticed the neighbor kids all leaving for their school at the same time and the older ones were wishing him luck on his first day (too cute). His confidence started to build as he noticed all the other kids going off to school and felt cool that he too was and that the older boy across the street wished him good luck and knew his name - now THAT is cool. We headed down the street and took a picture with Ike before heading off to school. He and Ike talked the whole way - about what, I don't know. He and Ike practically walked to their classrooms all by themselves. As we reached Brayden's class and found his backpack hook, he paused for a few moments. I asked if he wanted help with his backpack and he said no but to just give him a minute. We waited. It was as if he was contemplating his next reaction - hang up the backpack and move forward into the unknown or try to make a break for the door. I gotta tell ya, I was more than a little concerned at that point in time. Soon he decided to hang his backpack up and we all walked into his classroom, he put his school box in his cubby, found his nametag, put it on, I snapped a few more pics and we said our goodbyes and walked out.
So proud I am of my sweet little Brayden! So excited for this new experience but very apprehensive about the unknown. He took it all in stride!
At pickup the teacher sought us out to say that he had some tears throughout the day but still managed to have fun. She suggested that I wait a bit to send any more notes in his lunch box as that just made him cry at lunch. Poor booger! In the car on the way to pick up Bennett that afternoon though he said, "Thanks for that note you put in my lunch box Mom. It really made me think of you." He was even fighting back tears during that comment! He is such my sensitive little man.
So, we've all survived (him likely better than I at this point).
Look at that excited little man below and then his "uber" proud little brother!
