Henry attends a Montessori school, and in his classroom there is a group of children that range in age from 3.5 - 6. Henry actually joined this classroom days after he himself turned 3. Last year in the room, there were actually no kindergartners. But because he has an August birthday, there were several children that were older than him. This year, there is a group of 7 kindergartners in his class. Many are children that have been in this classroom as long as Henry.
While so much of our routine this morning is the same as it has been for the last several years, at some level, Henry did appreciate the difference and "specialness" of it. He wore his t-shirt with pride. He smiled and participated in the "first day of school" pictures that I insisted upon. He is proud to be an official "afternoon worker" with no napping materials being carted to school. He knows some of the exciting things he will learn this year, including telling time, tying his shoes, addition, subtraction, reading and maybe even fractions. And today, I managed to shed only a few tears as he ran off to join the other kids without thinking to say goodbye to me.
When I think about 4 years ago, and what I was doing on that day, I was preparing paperwork for my first trip to Russia to meet my son. I was coordinating travel visas and passports for both me and my mom. I had no idea that the next 4 years would fly by so quickly and so wondrously.
In a few weeks time, he'll have his "big boy room". While he doesn't seem to express much interest in helping pick designs and decorations, there is an underlying excitement about it all. With him, he needs the visual. So when he walks into his room and sees the transformation, it will be real. Until then, it's just a lot of talk.
I cried when I read your post. I can only imagine what it must be like ... I dread my turn ... XOXO
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