Well, I blinked… and look what happened.  We went from the first day of kindergarten to the last day.

Eating peanut butter toast and sausage for breakfast (and her vitamin too) on the last day of kindergarten.

All ready to go, with her Smurf lunchbox.

Only hours away from being a first grader… sniff sniff

Hailey wanted to pose with Rich on her last day.

And she’s off…

At the end of the day:

Now an official first grader, opening a gift for a job well done in kindergarten.

Hailey told me that on the last day of school she felt sad

Hailey’s last day reminds me of the book by Karen Kingsbury- “Let Me Hold You Longer”

Long ago you came to me,
a miracle of firsts,
First smiles and teeth and baby steps,
a sunbeam on the burst.

But one day you will move away
and leave to me your past
And I will be left thinking of
a lifetime of your lasts…

The last time that I held a bottle
to your baby lips
The last time that I lifted you
and held you on my hip.

The last night when you woke up crying,
needing to be walked,
When last you crawled up with your blanket,
wanting to be rocked.

The last time when you ran to me,
still small enough to hold.
The last time that you said you’d marry
me when you grew old.

Precious, simple moments and
bright flashes from your past-
Would I have held on longer if
I’d known they were your last?

Our last adventure to the park,
your final midday nap,
The last time when you wore your favorite
faded baseball cap.

Your last few hours of kindergarten,
those last few days of first grade,
Your last at bat in Little League,
last colored picture made.

I never said good-bye to all
your yesterdays long passed.
So what about tomorrow-
will I recognize your lasts?

The last time that you catch a frog
in that old backyard pond.
The last time that you run barefoot
across our fresh-cut lawn.

Silly, scattered images
will represent your past.
I keep on taking pictures,
never quite sure of your lasts…

The last time that I comb your hair
or stop a pillow fight.
The last time that I pray with you
and tuck you in at night.

The last time when we cuddle
with a book, just me and you
The last time you jump in our bed
and sleep between us two.

The last piano lesson,
last vacation to the lake.
Your last few weeks of middle school,
last soccer goal you make.

I look ahead and dream of days
that haven’t come to pass.
But as I do, I sometimes miss
today’s sweet, precious lasts…

The last time that I help you with
a math or spelling test.
The last time when I shout that yes,
your room is still a mess.

The last time that you need me for
a ride from here to there.
The last time that you spend the night
with your old tattered bear.

My life keeps moving faster,
stealing precious days that pass,
I want to hold on longer-
want to recognize your lasts…

The last time that you need my help
with details of a dance.
The last time that you ask me for
advice about romance.

The last time that you talk to me
about your hopes and dreams.
The last time that you wear a jersey
for your high school team.

I’ve watched you grow and barely noticed
seasons as they pass.
If I could freeze the hands of time,
I’d hold on to your lasts.

For come some bright fall morning,
you’ll be going far away.
College life will beckon
in a brilliant sort of way.

One last hug, one last good-bye,
one quick and hurried kiss.
One last time to understand
just how much you’ll be missed.

I’ll watch you leave and think how fast
our time together passed.
Let me hold on longer, God,
to every precious last.

Last Wednesday was Hailey’s first day of kindergarten.  But due to terrible flooding the kids were sent home early that day at 12:30pm.  Then school was closed on Thursday, Friday and Monday all due to the devastation our area suffered as a result of the flooding.  Today (Tuesday) Hailey had her first full day of kindergarten as well as her first ride on the school bus.

Hailey was really excited about riding on the school bus for the first time.  She has to catch the bus at 7:24am and school starts at 7:45am.

Getting on the bus!

She was a little nervous about what to do when she got to school since she didn’t remember where her classroom was but we told her there would be a teacher to help her find her class.

School gets dismissed at 2:25pm and Hailey’s drop off time at our house is 2:37pm, so it’s a nice short ride for her.

At the end of the day…

All smiles as she got off the bus!

Since I was in the driveway when Hailey left for school and was waiting there for her when she got home from school, she asked me, “Mom, did you stay out here and wait for me all day?”

When I asked her if she liked kindergarten she said, “Mom I LOVED kindergarten!”  Later when I asked her if she was going back to school again tomorrow she said, “Of course! I LOVE kindergarten!”  I hope this love of school always lasts.

I can’t believe that my little miss started kindergarten today.  She has been very excited about going and was getting pretty bored of just hanging out with me all summer.  Here are some pictures of her first day:

A yummy breakfast of toast with jelly, sausage and cocoa puffs (dry).

Hailey in the outfit she picked out for the first day.

Her Scooby Doo lunch bag.  She also has a Smurf lunch bag, but picked Scooby Doo for the first day.

The princess book bag.

All ready for school and looking so grown up.

Hailey in her seat in her classroom.

Rich and I took her for her first day and she looked very worried when we were leaving.  We only stayed a couple of minutes to get her settled.  She kept saying, “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”  So I helped her find a hook for her book bag and find her seat.  Then I gave her a quick hug and kiss and we left.  (And I didn’t cry until we were back in the car!)

It was a crazy day because we are having some major flooding and schools ended up dismissing early. So I had to pick Hailey up 2 hours early.  When I went to the cafeteria to pick her up (that’s where the kids getting picked up are supposed to be) she wasn’t there so I had to go to her classroom to get her. Her teacher told me she did great and had a wonderful day!

Hailey told me she felt kind of happy and a little bit shy before school but when she got to school she felt wonderful. Her favorite thing she did today was go to gym class.  She is so excited to go back tomorrow. I kind of think with all the evacuations and road closures due to flooding she won’t have school, which she is not happy about.  But I’m glad she likes it so much!!  It makes it a little easier on me knowing she is having so much fun.