Clara started preschool last week. Who took our baby and replaced her with this little girl?
After some discussion we enrolled Clara in a local preschool that meets two mornings a week for three hours each session. She’s always loved being around other children, so we felt it was the right time to try it. Still, we braced ourselves for the usual first-day questions: Would she cry? Would we cry? Would we be summoned to pick her up early because she couldn’t settle?
The answer was no. There were dry eyes all around. Clara was so excited on arrival that the single photo we managed to take before she disappeared into the classroom is the only one we have of her at the door — she practically sprinted in without looking back.
When we picked her up three hours later she was beaming, telling us about songs, painting, and playground time. Her teacher later said it was “the best first day of school” she’d seen in all her years of teaching; apparently none of the twelve children in the class cried, which was a first. Clara left the day thrilled about the year ahead — and so did we.
Since that first day she’s attended four sessions and still loves it. Almost every morning she wakes up asking, “I go to school today?” with a hopeful grin, and we almost feel guilty when we have to say, “Not today, Clara.” It’s been a joy watching her enjoy those mornings so much.
For the traditional first-day photo we posed Clara in front of our front door with her school bag — a sweet handmade gift from our friend Abby. As usual she hammed it up for the camera, full of personality.
She’s taken to a signature pose lately — hand in the air — and insisted on striking it for several shots.
This next photo shows her watching the elementary school bus roll past our house. It’s a reminder that in a few years she’ll be the one on that bus, which feels both exciting and surreal.
For the photo on the door we added the grade information directly onto the image so we can recreate this look in future years. We spaced the words intentionally to keep a consistent layout as she grows. We plan to repeat the same style for subsequent years so the comparison will be easy and familiar.
How did the first day of school go in your household? Any milestones or emotional moments? Sherry admitted she got a little misty, though she insists it doesn’t count as crying since no tears actually fell.