First Day of School

 The first day of school really snuck up on us this year. It seemed like we were just starting to hit our summer stride when all of a sudden it was time for heading back to school. It normally seems like we have weeks of build up to the big day getting everything prepared for a fresh start. This year I felt like we were scrambling at the last minute to make sure the kids had shoes that were not flip flops to wear on the first day. Even when the actual day came, it didn't seem to have "first day of school" crispness to it. I'm thinking the lack of crispness had to do with the fact that we were starting school earlier than ever this year. There's nothing crisp in the air in the middle of August.

Despite the fact I think we were gypped, at least a few weeks of summer the kids were not lacking in their enthusiasm for the new year.

Yeah...this is the best shot I have of the two of them. We hadn't left a lot of time for picture taking this morning.

No first-day nerves for Reed. I think the fact that his new class would be made up primarily of the same kids who had been in his class the previous year had something to do with it.

Max wasn't short on excitement either...

...although, truth be it, he was a little under the weather. You can see it a little more in this picture, but he wasn't about to let the remnants of any bug keep him home. He wasn't going to let a "shoe shortage" keep him away from 1st grade either. I had ordered him some shoes online, but they hadn't arrived in time, so at the last minute we found these shoes...which, sorry to say Max, somehow gives you a Mexican gangster look...a cute Mexican gangster.

The backback is the same, but where did my baby faced little boy go?? (Actually it is a little shocking how similar he looks to his kindergarten picture.) Looking at this makes my heart hurt a little.

 

We were in such a hurry trying to rush out the door that I almost overlooked getting Ruby's "first day of school" picture, but there was no way she was going to let that happen. She may have pajamas and scraggly hair, but she did remember to grab her backpack for the photo. 

After a very unceremonious drop off at school, the girls and I headed home to tend to really important tasks like cleaning up the breakfast. It always amazes me how quiet the house gets when the boys go back to school. Ruby adores her brothers, but she didn't spend too much time mourning their departure. Having the lion's share of my attention and a cute baby sister to spend the day with seemed to fill the void for her.

Ruby  also didn't waste any time filling the roll of "oldest" at home and immediately started teaching Harlow the ins and outs of what it takes to put the silverware away.


Harlow was a very attentive and interested student.

I think they were both satisfied by the experience. Give it a year or two, Ruby, and I'm sure Harlow will happily take over your job.

And just like that, another school year has begun. New routines are already developing and the fly-by-the seat-of-our-pants summer days are officially over. Thankfully I still have 100's of pictures to document the fun we had, quiet time to forget the stressful parts of the chaos, and these two cuties to keep my days full while my boys are gone.