Clara started preschool last week. Who took our baby and replaced her with this little girl?
After some debate, we decided to enroll Clara in a local 2-day per week preschool. It’s just the mornings, so she’s there for three hours on each of those two days. She loves being around other kids so we thought it was the right time for her… but we still held our breaths a bit on the first day. Would she cry? Would we cry? Would we get called half-way through to come pick her up because she was having an all-consuming sobbing fit?
Nope. There were dry eyes all around. Heck, Clara was so excited when she arrived that this is the only photo we managed to snag before she disappeared into the classroom. Seriously, she sprinted in without a look back in our direction.
When we picked her up three hours later she was all smiles and kept telling us how they sang and painted and played on the playground. Her teacher even reported that it was “the best first day of school” in all of her years of teaching. Apparently there were no tears from any of the twelve kids in her class, which has never happened before. So she is really excited about what the year ahead holds. And so are we.
Since her first day, she has gone four times, and she still loves it. In fact almost every morning that she wakes up she says “I go to school today?” with a big hopeful grin. We almost feel bad saying “not today, Clara” when it’s not a school day. But we’re so glad that she’s having such a good time.
As for the all important first day of school photo, we decided to take them in front of our front door with Clara and her school bag (a sweet handmade gift that we got from our friend Abby).
As usual, she was a ham.
Apparently the “hand in the air” is her new favorite pose.
This was her watching the elementary school bus roll by our house. Just a few more years ’til she’ll be on it. Crazy.
As you saw from the first image in the post, we chose to Photoshop the information about what grade she’s in right onto the door itself (the font is called Raleway in case you’re interested). We broke the words up and spaced them that way intentionally so we can keep things somewhat consistent for all future years – like when this occasion rolls around in 2016 (although hopefully she’ll be a bit taller by then)…
How’d the first day of school go for your household? Any big milestones? Any “emotions” from you or your kids? Sherry got a little “misty” but no tears actually fell, so she’s saying it doesn’t count as crying.
Elizabeth@ Food Ramblings says
Glad Clara is enjoying school :)
Jen C says
Such a fun post, my daughter is about the same age as Clara so I love seeing their parallels :) Please tell, where did you get that adorable top for her?
Young House Life says
That was from Old Navy a while back! We got it before we went to Hawaii since it felt perfect for that- haha!
xo
s
Mitzi says
Absolutely adorable! Glad she had a great first day.
Brenda says
What a cute first day of school outfit! So glad Clara’s loving it!
Candy from Candied Fabrics says
Oh my gosh, what a cutie patootie! Congrats on a smooth entry into preschool – I’m sure she’ll make up for it some day in the future! :-) Oh kids, they keep us hopping!
maria says
she looks so grown up all of a sudden with those long jeans and mary-jane style neon-pink shoes. she’s growing up sooo fast!
House Crazy Sarah says
Cool! I just today took my daughter to her first day of preschool! She was so excited and had a blast, but I felt like I had lost my little side-kick :(
It was so quiet around here! i don’t think I have been alone since my first son was born nearly 7 years ago!
Beth says
My daughter also started school this year, and has the same school shpes! Too cute!
Susan @ Retro Restyling says
Our boys are 7 years apart and I tend to keep gently worn clothes to pass down. My 14 year old’s backpack from Kindergarten was still in such great condition we used it, and the “1st day” Hawaiian styled shirt, for our littlest boy last year. So they have pictures with the same shirt and book bag for their 1st day at Kindergarten pix, which is cute. :)
Young House Life says
Adorable!
xo,
s
mandy @ this girl's life says
She is too adorable! My twin boys are 4 and started part time preschool this fall also. We’ve had a few rough days (more tears from me than them) but they are loving it and I’m so proud of the little men they are becoming. So glad to hear she is loving it! :)
Amanda C says
That kid is so stinkin cute! Love love love the outfit!!!
Karla@{TheClassyWoman} says
Your posts about Clara are always such a joy to read! :) I love her first day of school outfit-so colorful and that top is so cute!!
I love how you’ve continued the theme of documenting milestones as you began with her age by the weeks and now months. I think it’s so important to document these kinds of things. My parents have lots of pics of me growing up but nothing organized. I just think it would be so fun not only for you but for her too one day to look back on what you’re creating. Thanks for sharing! :)
Rosei says
I am a little ahead of you in the child raising game (10th, 6th and 3rd grade) and we have managed to always keep up with the first day of school photos. One thing I do is make sure I take a “last day of school” photo in the same spot as the first day one. I also get one of each kid (thru elementary) with their teacher on the first and last days of school. It’s great for comparing heights, and was especially nice when my younger daughter’s teacher ended up “looping” with her class and she had her for 4th and 5th grades!
Congrats on being the parents of a preschooler! It’s so much fun hearing about their friends, classes and all the fun.
Young House Life says
That’s so sweet! I love that!
xo
s
TinaD says
So sweet! I teach preschool in Charlottesville two mornings a week. It’s pretty much the only thing keeping me from having 15 children of my own. Preschoolers are some of my favorite people!
Young House Life says
Aw, that’s so sweet!
xo
s
Clare D. says
She is just precious! Happy kiddo and happy yellow door – can’t help but smile as I read this! Thank you for sharing these sweet little glimpses into your lives :)
Heather - Diapers&Divas says
Love the photos! The poses these kids come up with themselves is just too funny. Amazing what they come up with that isn’t taught by the parents… They’re like real little humans with their own personalities! HA!
There were only tears on my end of the 1st day of preschool at our house… Will ran off just like Clara with barely a glance back in our direction and still does it the 2 days a week he goes. Crazy how time flies.
Lesley says
My nieghbor across the street has taken a picture of her daughter each year, standing on their front stoop and holding a printed sign with the year on it. It’s a great collection of photos.
Young House Life says
Adorable!
xo
s
Clara says
I guess being excited for school is a Clara thing! :) When I was little I was always SO excited to go to school, I hated weekends! You have a lovely family, by the way!
[email protected] says
My daughter is only 3 months younger then Clara (she was born in July 2010). At least if I remember right they’re only 3 months apart in age. I’m so jealous to read about Clara using words and talking about all kinds of things. Chloe refuses to speak. We have her in speech therapy where she isn’t making much progress.
Young House Life says
Aw, I bet she’s just taking her time. It’s amazing how much they understand in their heads before they start chatting! Clara knows when we spell ice cream what it means! Haha!
xo
s
DEANNA DIVINO says
So sweet! Congrats on surviving!
Gail says
I love the pictures of her! Especially the one with her hand in the air! It’s as though she was practicing raising her hand for her first day of school!
Monica says
I have a two months old and we JUST moved her into her own room. THAT was tough. I can’t imagine how hard it will be when I send her to preschool!
Kat says
Is it pathetic that I just cried looking at her? Just pictured my baby going off to school…*tears*
Young House Life says
Aww!
xo
s
Kate says
Clara is 10 kinds of adorbs. And I love the way you collaged the photo! This whole post is too cute.
Maria says
My daughter started Pre-K this week and actually today is her first time riding the bus, I feel very anxious! but she is very happy and excited. Clara looks super cute with that top, glad she is loving preschool :)
Kate says
That is SO sweet!! Congratulations to all of you, what a fun milestone
Jenne Doll says
We just started our girl in preschool, too…same scenario: three hours, two mornings a week, no tears. She’s also gone 4 times so far and loves every minute of it. It’s just another similarity between our little family and yours; in fact, we have plenty in common. Aside from just having the same taste, which is what brought me to your blog, we are a family of 3 with a blonde toddler named Greta but we call her Bean. Half of my family lives in the Richmond area. We vacation every summer (for the last 20some years) in Bethany Beach; some of your photos from there are so similar to ours it’s crazy! Whenever I check out your updates, I see something else in you guys that reminds me so much of us…it makes your blog so easy to relate to and inspires me when I need it. We are currently house hunting and I look forward to trying a lot of your ideas when we finally get settled!
Young House Life says
That’s so funny! It’s such a small world!
xo
s
Liz S. says
It says a lot about how she’s raised (and her personality of course!), that she has the confidence to go to school and not be afraid! Good job guys!
Young House Life says
Aw thanks Liz! We’re so glad she’s so into making friends – all the credit goes to her fabulous cousins that she has grown with!
xo
s
Ashleigh says
She’s as cute as she can be! Go Clara!
Amy says
My two year old looked at your pictures and said, “I want to go to that house and play with that girl.” He has good taste already! He just started school too and loves it. So sweet.
Young House Life says
Adorable!!
xo
s
GreekWife says
My daughter (16 months)just lost her mind when she saw the first picture of Clara. She was yelling and trying to kiss her on the screen. Does Clara need a new BFF?
Young House Life says
Hahah! So cute!
xo
s
Dina says
So glad Clara loves to go to school. My son started kindergarten this week. Not a tear was shed! He has been asking about school for the past year, so he was ready. I love the idea with using the door to photoshop in the info. We used a small chalkboard, but I like the door option too.
Stevie says
So cute! Our daughter started going to daycare full time about a month ago when my mom couldn’t watch her anymore. She’s about Clara’s age (my daughter, not my mom…obviously). She is the same way, she absolutely LOVES it. She had a hard time at first but as long as I drop her off at breakfast time and there’s the promise of food ahead, suddenly mom is chopped liver (though she’d probably even be stoked about that).
Glad she’s doing well! I’m sure this will be great for her and the two of you!
Ashley says
That might be the cutest thing I’ve seen all day! I’m around a lot of cuteness. So…
Leigh says
As a high school counselor, I thought as I read this, “May Clara love school in 16 years as much as she does today.” Some kids keep that zest for learning all the way through — others? Not so much. Being a school-y person makes the sometimes mundane school stuff a lot more bearable!
Young House Life says
Haha, here’s hoping!
xo
s
Erin says
No 1st day of school yet for us. Our daughter turns 3 in 2 weeks and they have to be 3 and potty trained by the beginning of the year. She does go to daycare though 2 days a week, so she gets to play with all of her friend’s.
amanda says
What a little fashionista!
I love that top.
Vanessa says
So cute! Little Clara is getting big! Its great she loves it- I am sure she is great with other kids she seems like she has such a sweet personality.
Lisa says
Yep, I’m totally stealing that photo idea for first days of school!
Annalee says
We do the door thing too, super cute! Mine cried for the first week, it was really sad.
Good girl Clara! I noticed she’s not wearing her pink crocs? retired them?
Young House Life says
Those aren’t allowed at school (I guess they get gravel and wood chips in them in the playground) so she has her school shoes and then crocs for the rest of the time. Haha.
xo
s
Trude says
Aww I’d be bawling if it was my baby! :) She looks so grown up, until you notice how giant the bag is next to her. Hopefully she’ll use it for a couple years so you can see the growth progression. :) Glad it’s working out!
Koliti says
John’s opening sentence/question says it all.
Now Clara can add pre-school to all of the amazing things she does – and Clara’s ONLY 2+ years old! Mind-boggling!
What a happy spirit she is!
Thanks for sharing such a mile-stone.
Kim S. says
We take our first day of school photos by our front door every year. This year was a big one for us, my youngest started high school! My oldest couldn’t take his photo in front of our door because he started college, so I just took it in front of his dorm door. I’m adaptable but I also get my photo! (He didn’t mind either, what a good son.)
Juju says
she is tooooo cute!!!
alex says
omg, you guys…she is a doll…what a fun age…so glad she is adjusting to preschool and loving all the fun, new stimulating activities packed into her day. Are you guys considering letting her go one more day a week…like three half days? So sweet that she asks with a smile if she gets to go back.
Young House Life says
We wish!! The schools she’s at only has a two-day program for the twos (there’s a three day program for the threes). But she has music class another day of the week and plays with her grandparents and cousin another day, so she has a fun little activity for a few hours every day of the week except for one, which is probably good for her to just chill – haha!
xo
s
Kim P. says
So sweet! Congratulations on not crying!! How awesome that she loves school so much :)
mo says
So first Day of school, nothing like that. I have K-12, drop off at the dorm…fast forward to Graduation Day. I call it Will’s Wall. Parenthood the best job ever.
Young House Life says
Aw, time flies!
xo
s
Vicki says
What a doll! So great that she loves it! My kids are now 30 and 33 but I well remember those first days and seperation issues – mosty mine!
Terisia says
Wow, Clara has grown up so much, so fast! I have to share this story from my teaching days. The first day of school, in fact the first week, is a BIG deal for everyone. One year a little girl was teary-eyed all morning on the first day. It was contagious for sure. By story time later that morning, every child was either crying or at least tearing a bit. Another little girl spoke up and said, “We are all just missing our moms, right?” Yes we were.
Young House Life says
Aw, that’s so sweet.
xo
s
Jessica says
Now that I am staying home with my daughter (I have a blog for art teachers I run full time) everyone is feeding me the bit about her needing “social interaction” now that I am home with her (huge goal of mine to say home so I feel kind of deflated) and my daughter reminds me so much of Clara- Inanely social and tons of family around who interact with her, plus the library program, etc… What other ways did you get Clara other kid interaction before this big pre-school venture while fitting in the working from home gig?? Thanks for your suggestions!
Young House Life says
She has been in a music class that she LOVES every week for over a year. She just loves to dance and sing so it was a great fit and she got to chat with other kiddos. We also did a nature class at a local park and sometimes do Romp N Roll (it’s like Gymboree). I think the best thing has been her cousins though- there are six of them born within the last two and a half years, and three of them are right around Clara’s age so she gets to see them at family events and at the beach and they play together. It really seemed to help her get social!
xo
s