It finally happened

The little miss started preschool today.

A little less than a month ago, Callie had her (belated) four year checkup. Jason and I had started discussing the possibility of preschool in the fall but we wanted to get the doctor's thoughts. Her first thought was "Why wait until fall?" She really encouraged us to go ahead and start Callie in school now. So, we took her advise, discussed it quite a bit and today Callie had her first day.

She is going two days a week for a few hours and she absolutely loves it. The preschool she attends is across town, so we went big and Callie rides the bus there. I think that might be her most favorite part. She was outside flagging and waving the bus down this morning. We have come a long way from the days when she would vomit any time we would put her in her carseat.

The preschool teacher that has been coming to our home met Callie at the front door of the school and took some pictures for us. Callie made friends (though a kid named Wyatt is the only one she can remember), she played in the gym, ate a cookie, or "part of a cookie," and read some books. Sounds like fun to me.

I was emotional this morning but so very thankful for a healthy girl who can now go to preschool. Part of our decision to send her to school is realizing that we have about maxed out on the "school environment" we can give her at home. She can learn her numbers, alphabet and colors here at home, but she really needs the social environment. I can now see how her life is different from spending the first 2 and a half years secluded from the world around her. She now needs to spread her little wings and learn to interact with others and listen to a teacher. It was so fun to see how excited she is about her new experience and I am thankful it is one she was ready for.

When we first started talking with her about preschool, she had three requests. 1. She wanted to take Wyatt's thermos to school. (She doesn't actually do this since she is there for such a short period of time). 2. We sew a backpack. (Boy, did we sew! Callie and I think it is the best backpack in the entire world. We looked at all the pink fabric in the store before Callie finally decided what she wanted. And once she made her choice, there was no going back. She picked out the material and told me what was to be the inside and what was to be the outside. I gave her other little creative options/ideas during the sewing but she did not like any of them. She wanted it simple and her way. The result is a cute, lightweight backpack that can carry her treasures to and from school). 3. I help her with her homework. (She still doesn't understand that she won't be having homework. One of her first statements today was "Mom, I think I am going to need some help with my homework tonight."

So that is our latest big news. And followup from last week. The steroid helped Sadie tremendously. She still has a cold but is not having trouble breathing. Callie is quite healthy, for now. Watson got sicker over the weekend but seems to be doing better now. And Wyatt now has a wonderful bright orange cast.

Callie excited for her first day of preschool.

Showing off the fancy backpack that her mother made for her (out of material chosen by Callie).

Wyatt sporting his new orange cast.