School Girl

After weeks of waiting and lots of anticipation, it's finally Cate's turn in the spotlight.  Today is her first day back to school (if you call Mother's Day Out three mornings a week school, and she absolutely does)!  She was up before the sun this morning because she was just that excited to be joining her big sisters and becoming a school girl.  She put her favorite stuffed animal in her backpack because she didn't have anything else to put in it, and refused to eat breakfast because she was ready to get out the door.  Perhaps the excitement stemmed from Wednesday morning when we went to meet her teachers...

(Side note: She's really into posing these days. Can you tell?)
  There are a lot of new faces in her class, so she couldn't wait to get there this morning to make a friend or two.  It's a big class this year which is a huge change from the past couple of years.  Should be fun!  She tends to be the mother of the group.  I'm not sure if that's because she's the oldest or what, but sometimes it gets her in trouble.  Like when she tries to pick the other kids up or feed them a pretend bottle despite the fact they're just as big as she is.  Even though she's almost four, she's just now starting the three year old class because of her September birthday.  One day being the oldest in the class will work to her advantage, but for right now I'm hoping it doesn't get her sent to the red chair at Mrs. Mandy's desk.
Bless her little motherly heart.

This morning brought the usual 1st day of school pictures...

Bethany and Towns made such a big deal out of it for Cate...so sweet!

Check out this backpack...

I could put her inside it and carry it on my back, but it's the one one she picked so I went with it.  Towns has already claimed it as her 2nd grade backpack (because of the organization in the front pockets - she's her mother's child) so we can check that off the list!

Of course, we had to do this before we went inside...

My official 1st day of school photographer is always there when I need her...

Thanks, Mrs. T!

These two monkeys were the first ones to class...

I left wondering if Mrs. Jennifer and Mrs. Anne know what they've signed up for!

Meanwhile, I've been pacing around the house not knowing what to do with myself.  This morning is the first time since the end of last school year that I've been alone and I'm not sure how I feel about it.  Cate's been my sidekick, partner in crime, and whatever else you can think of.  She's great entertainment and is the sweetest little thing when it's just the two of us.  Somehow I'll manage to make it until 12:30 when I get to pick her up...