one giant step for jude-kind

it's official, jude is a school boy.

i never thought the day would come that jude would be old enough for pre-school (sometimes it seemed it would not come soon enough and others that it couldn't stay far enough way). it was hard to believe that i was going to let him go, he's my best friend. but on tuesday my little judakins went to his first day of pre-school.

jude really did not want to go. he kept telling me that school was tomorrow, not today. he said that he was tired and that he wanted to stay home with mommie and greta. it broke my heart to make him go but i knew its where he needed to be. mostly, i think he was nervous. the fact that he got to wear his new "school clothes" made it a little easier but this was a hard thing for jude to get his head wrapped around.

as we waited our turn in our car to drop him off i kissed his little hand hoping he would remember the story we have been reading to help prepare him. i watched him look nervously around at what was going on. when his door opened and a pre-school helper kindly took his hand asking him if he was ready for school, he gently nodded and got our of the car. about 5 seconds later i think he realized what happened and started sobbing for me. i had to pull away, it was someone else's turn. i drove away in tears and i really hoped he would be okay. i knew he would, he had to be strong.

thirty minutes after we had dropped him off we got call from the pre-school saying that he was still crying and was quite sad. they just wanted to let us know what was going on and assured me that this sort of thing happens. they told me he was beginning to settling down and that if i didn't hear from them again it was a good sign. i was sick to my stomach for my boy for the next 2 1/2 hours .i was the first to pick him up and he came prancing out with a grin from ear to ear. his teacher told me he did fine after he knew she had talked to me. i could tell he did enjoyed himself from his beaming smile. i don't think either jude or i had ever been so proud of him. it was a small step for him to cross the threshold to his pre-school but a giant step for jude-kind leaving his mother's care.... even if it is for only 3 hours a day 2x a week!

i clearly felt quite differently about my first day of pre-school..... i had 3 older siblings that i knew went to school and then came home again. i probably thought it was the greatest idea ever. poor jude had no idea what school was and that i would be back to pick him up. we'll see how he does today. he doesn't want to go so we aren't talking about it. hopefully day 2 will go more smoothly.

my big boy jude,

i am so proud of you today.

i adore you.

it's going to be okay... i promise.

thanks for making me happy when skies are gray.

xo,

mommie