One first day down

Track 4 of the 2012-2013 year round school year is underway in Wake County!  My (not so) little boys are officially kindergarteners!  Because of the way things go when you're entering kindergarten and the difference between Will and Luke's classes, today was Will's first day of school but not Luke's.  He (disappointingly) has to wait until Wednesday to go to kindergarten this week... and even then, he just goes one day this week.  He's a little bitter/jealous about that!

So it is a long-standing Slavik tradition to take the kids' photo by the front door on the first day of school each new school year.  We like traditions. 

We asked Matt if he also wanted to be in the photo.  His answer was decisive and quite appropriate for a freshly verbal 2-year old.  "NO!"

We also tried to get Otis in the photo, but he wasn't too interested in sitting still this morning.  So Will and Luke it was... the big boys!

Will woke up early this morning, which is unusual.  He was all smiles and laughs.  We've been talking about him going back to school today, and I think he remembered.  He knew what today meant...

THE BUS.  Because that is what going to school is REALLY all about, right?

Will's smile could not be contained.  We are used to him riding a small white 6-passenger contract bus to school.  Imagine our surprise when a big bright yellow Wake County school bus pulled up outside of our house this morning for Will.  Luke's jealousy was nearly uncontainable, until he realized that next week he would get to ride one too... AND he would get to wait at the bus stop.  Take THAT little (by 2 minutes) brother Will!

Apparently Will loved his ride on the bus.  He loved the lift ride once they arrived at school.  And that is right about where the love ended.

As young William is known to do, he cried his way through his first day of kindergarten as a matter of protesting anything new.  And not Elmo.  When I went into the class to drop off his school supplies later in the day, he was difficult to calm and his new teachers were trying anything possible to appease him.

If only he could take his lessons while riding the bus all day.  Now that would be cool.

So tomorrow is a new day.  As Will did with pre-K, it takes him a while to get used to his new surroundings, new people, and to see what kind of crap people will put up with from him.  The difference between kindergarten and pre-K, however, is that Will now receives report cards... and they count!  Hopefully his adjustment period is short and he finds some exciting parts of his day to love.

Maybe its math. Maybe its reading.  But I have a feeling its really going to be PE. And maybe they give out grades for bus-riding.