'Twas the Night Before...

'Twas the night before kindergarten,

and as they prepared,

kids were excited

and a little bit scared.

-From The Night Before Kindergarten by Natasha Wing

Tomorrow #2 will start kindergarten!  And the oldest will start 2nd grade...two boys in elementary school this year...crazy.  They are excited to be at the same school, although they won't see each other at all, just when I pick them up.  Big brother gets to walk over to little brother's class after school and I'll pick them up.  They keep talking about next year when they'll have two recesses together!  It's so sweet.  The little guy will have the same teacher his big brother had in the afternoon kindergarten class.  It's nice that we know exactly what to expect when it comes to what will be going on in the class, field trips, etc.  They are two very different boys, though...I expect them both to do great!

Last year I found a book for the oldest called The Night Before First Grade and read it with him before school started (and took a picture of him with it).  I wish I had known about those books a few years back!  They have one for preschool (just got that for my niece, and Baby Girl will get one for next year) and kindergarten, too.  Not for Second Grade, so I had to go with a different book for the big 2nd grader!  For him it was The Best Seat in Second Grade.  Although I missed out on the preschool one for both boys, and the kindergarten one for the oldest, at least this way each kid gets a book first!  #1 got the 1st grade book - and it will be passed down.  #2 got the kindergarten book - and it will be passed down.  #3 will get the preschool book - all to herself.

Of course we read these books tonight, along with The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn.  Love that one.  I have a very hard time getting through that one without getting choked up!  I used to kiss the palm of #1's hand most days when I dropped him off for school...but he eventually didn't want me to do that anymore.  It was always so awesome when he would start to run off after I had kissed his hand, then turn around, grab my hand, and kiss my palm.  Love those memories.


So...tomorrow is the big day.  New shoes and shirts are out and ready to go.  Backpacks, snacks, and lunch packed.

I am so extremely proud of my boys...I don't even really worry about them.  They are so well-behaved, and so bright...I just get to let them go and watch them soar.