Leia's First Day of School 2007

The next couple of pictures have a significant story. Leia's Godmommy Natalie gave Leia Rose a wonderful book once upon a time called The Kissing Hand about a little racoon who is afraid he'll miss his Mamma's love while at school, so the Mamma kisses his palm so he can feel her love all day. Well, this has become a tradition in our family where, on the first day of school, Mamma reads the book that morning, spreads her child's fingers into a fan, kisses the palm, closes the hand letting Mamma's love radiate through, and then puts a kissing hand sticker on the back of the hand so she'll remember. The book came with enough stickers for every first day of school for both children! It's wonderful! . . . And no one loves this tradition more than Leia:

As for what Leia Rose did in school today? Well, I got there a little bit early just to see if I could peek in the windows. From what I could see and hear, they were singing "If You're Happy and You Know It." Leia was in full-participation mode. Beforehand she was finishing up a work with a blue tupperware lid and some globby blue stuff inside. Leia Rose told me later that it was called "The Playdoh Work" and that she made a turtle and a mouse, . . . and that Mrs. McDowell took a picture of both those masterpieces. (Hope I get to see those pics!) She also told me that her new inside shoes for school hurt her heels (I knew those weren't going to last!), . . . and I told her to wait until Friday and just see. . . . They also played Simon Says today, and she said she didn't win. For snack she got to have 10 goldfish. (That fact made me remember that I need to bring in a protein-filled extra snack for the teachers to keep just in case of a low blood-sugar grumpiness issue.) She also did this little work where you took all of something out of one bowl and put it in another. (Can you tell I am getting this info second hand?) Leia Rose also looked all over for the farm animals, but couldn't find them. Although she did mention working with "piggys" one mom and lots of babies. Leia Rose was happy that Natalie and Chandan were there today, and she met a new friend named Sophia. She was upset that there weren't any Japanese students, . . . and I reminded her that I think I met someone of Japanese heritage at open house. Leia had a hard time realizing that this was still orientation and not all the kids were there in her time slot.

Anyway, the kids came filing out of the room and out poured all of these really young looking children! I remember thinking, "Look how small they are!" And then I laughed out loud when Leia came out and was exactly the same size! : ) Leia Rose ran right up to me and gave me a "jumpin' hug" and told me she loved me. I need to get one of those hugs on video sometime. And then she said what she says to me most every day now, . . . "Mamma, you're the best! Just the best! The best Mamma!" Is there anything else that could make me melt more? No. : )