First Day of Kindergarten

The Tuesday after Labor Day was Katie’s first day of kindergarten. 

Isn’t she the cutest?

Same backpack as last year, though we’ve since received a old backpack from our friends that moved away which Katie prefers.  In fact she saw me pull up this picture and commented that she likes her other backpack better.  Grandma Fletcher took the kids shopping for school clothes so Katie had a few new outfits.  These are new pants but she decided to wear a hand-me-down shirt from either a cousin or neighbor and old shoes from the same friend that gave us the backpack.  We’re pretty simple around here that way.

Drew still takes long afternoon naps everyday so he hardly notices his buddy is gone.  The kids are usually home from school before Drew even wakes up so not much is different for this guy.

At the beginning of the year the kindergarten bus picked up Katie and one other girl at our regular bus stop on the other side of our block.  After a few days I asked the driver if she could pick up on our street and now we have the bus stop right in front of our driveway – pretty sweet!  Her bus driver is awesome!  The bus ride isn’t ideal in that they have several stops in Fall City so Katie is on the bus an entire HOUR before school starts – longest bus ride ever!

There she is about to embark on her first bus ride!  Just one last look at mom…

Katie’s kindergarten class only has 15 kiddos, which is the smallest class her teacher has had in the 36 years she’s been teaching at FCE.  Yep, thirty-six years.  No worries she’s the quintessential kindergarten teacher.  She’s so sweet it’s actually almost hard to be around her – suddenly you feel like you’re also five years old.  Seriously, the perfect teacher for Katie.

Drew cried when she got on the bus and drove away.  Just a few seconds – enough to be adorable and touching.

This is the last year before the entire state will move to offering only full day kindergarten.  Most school districts have already received funding and elimated half-day.  Ours offers full-day kindergarten at a hefty price (though I’m sure cheaper that daycare). I’m actually grateful that Katie doesn’t have to be at school all day.  I think being gone all day would have been a tough adjustment for her and I like having her around :)