last blogger on the block: Kindergarten & Loose Tooth!

Ella started kindergarten today, and the excitement in that little girl was seriously bursting from every pore! She could hardly contain herself.

It all started at her school's Open House on Tuesday. Ella, Brooklyn, Kendall and I visited her classroom, met her teacher, and located the library (where Ella hopes she will be spending most of her time during the day). The librarian told us the library has three copies of every single book in the "Magic Tree House" series, which nearly made Ella fall over backwards!

Wednesday, Ryan and I went with Ella to school for a one-hour informational with her teacher. It was just a handful of classmates (with their parents), who during the hour, got to know each other and the teacher a little better, and went on a short school bus ride, while the parents got a brief overview of the year.

Then today was the big day. All Ella could talk about was riding on the bus for the first time. She was really looking forward to this part of the school experience! So, despite the fact that Ryan and I had planned on driving her to school the first day, we decided to let her ride on the bus.

Of course, the WHOLE family went to the bus stop and we got there early enough to get lots of pictures. When the bus came, Ella hardly let the bus come to a complete stop before jumping right on. She sat next to an adorable little African American girl, who, we learned when Ella got home, was in first grade and shared a piece of candy with her.

Ryan was a wreck after Ella got on the bus and decided he was going to follow the bus to school just to make sure Ella got off in the right spot. Sure enough, as soon as Ella was safe and sound inside the school, Ryan called to tell me. He said Ella and the little African American girl got off the bus together and Ella was talking her ear off all the way inside the school. I wonder if that little girl will be hiding in the back of the bus next time. =-)

Ella was scheduled to get off the bus at 12:18 pm, so I headed down to the bus stop to pick her up at about 12:13. I walked out my front door and saw the bus waiting on the corner. I started running like crazy because if you're not there to pick up your kid at drop off, then they go back to school. Plus, how scary is that for a five year old (and her mom!)!

Luckily, Ella informed the bus driver that the lady running down the sidewalk was her mom, so the bus driver waited. Ella said they had already circled the block once, so I guess drop off is more like 12:05 pm. Phew.

Ella told us all about her day and the fun things she did on our walk back to the house - rug time, recess, library, snack, book reading, class pet, etc. Sounds like Little Miss Ella is going to have a great year in Kindergarten!! I'm so happy and excited for her and this new adventure!

Now, on to the part about that LOOSE TOOTH! When Ella got off the bus she was grinning from ear to ear - that's when I noticed the big gap between her bottom two front teeth had shifted over a tooth. After the initial hugs, kisses, and excitement of the school day, I said, "Ella, what's wrong with your teeth?" That's when I wiggled her tooth and found that it was REALLY wiggly.

Well, if I thought that girl was excited about school, it was nothing compared to discovering her first wiggly tooth! Holy cow, she couldn't believe it, and neither could I! Kindergarten AND a loose tooth all in one day! Instead of calling her dad, Sugar and Grandma Asay to tell them about school, she told them all about her wiggly tooth instead.

Ella picked out this outfit to wear on her first day of school when we went on our back-to-school date night. It looked so cute on her - all but the shoes. Darn shoe shopping - we couldn't find anything new in her size.

Waiting for that bus!

I'm looking scary without the "scary face." I was dressed and ready for yoga, just so you know!

She didn't even look back. At least we got a wave.

This is the African American girl Ella sat next to. Isn't she cute! That's Ella sitting next to her so maybe the girl isn't that little!

Ella is wiggling her tooth as she's telling Sugar all about it on the phone.

On our back-to-school shopping and ice cream trip, I asked Ella what she was most excited about for school this year and she said, "crafting and making friends."

I asked if she was scare at all, and surprisingly, she said "yes, a little." I couldn't believe it because it's soooo not like Ella to be afraid of anything, especially anything to do with school since it's one of her most favorite place to be! She said she was a little scared because she was worried her new friends wouldn't like her.

On our way out of the mall I asked her what she thought of her very first shopping trip (yes, mom, it was her first and I know you're having a heart attack right now) and she said, "I think I like crafting, sewing and reading much better." That's my girl!