Preparation Overkill

FirstGrade Yes, I’m a little OCD. I don’t say that in a disrespectful way, since I actually know a LOT of people who are a little OCD, and it’s gotten them far in life to pay close attention to the details others miss. I don’t hate it.

It’s what helped me make sure that Zoe was 150% prepared for First Grade.

We practiced. I’m not kidding. We talked through what 1st grade would be like and we had a school day: Introductions, ground rules, likely topics, show & tell, a little math workbook. Believe it or not, she WANTED to practice.

Sure, I know what you’re thinking: I haven’t been in first grade since 1978, and that’s true, but I haven’t TOTALLY forgotten it. I remember Mrs. Martin. She was a pain (no, I did not tell Zoe that). She was a stickler for details, not very warm, super concerned about handwriting. Yes, I remember that.

But here’s what I do know:

She will need to sit still & pay attention
She will need to raise her hand
She will need to participate
She will learn stuff that builds on her last year in school (and I was there for that)

And so, I think I have some value to add here.

Beyond that, we had a new backpack (Tinkerbell, on sale at Disney store & it lights up), a new lunchbox (Paw Patrol, though she hasn’t seen it in a few years, it’s pink), new shoes (OMG, she’s a size 12), and various new clothes.

In fact, on her first day, I packed her backpack with the following:

Lunch (though Bart wants her to eat school lunch, I assured him that day one she would feel special having a mommy lunch)
Treat (homemade Peanut Butter Cornflake Haystack) in a baggie that said “We Love You, Zoe!” in red Sharpie
Adult coloring book with cats & dog patterns + colored pencils AND a stuffed animal, so she could make new friends in the after school program

I also discussed her first day outfit the night before with her, and we laid it out neatly for the following morning. I kissed her before she went to bed saying it was the last sleep before we had 1st grader in the house.

On that first day, she got up SO excited she dressed immediately, and Ella (who starts preschool in a month) was so excited about THAT – because it never happens – that she rushed to put on shoes and ran to me saying “Mommy, I need my Pack-Pack!” because she wanted to go to school, too!

As luck always has it, Zoe was sniffly on the first day (we had taken her to the doc the day before to ensure it was just a cold), so I offered her a spoonful of honey… You can imagine where that honey ended up (read: front of favorite “first day of first grade” blue dress).

In true Zoe fashion, she said “It’s OK, Mommy” (I was less OK), then she assured me that the “other dress” matched her leggings “even better”, and that outfit was our winner.

When she was 2 and headed to preschool, we have a picture of her (so excited) saying “YAY, SCHOOL”:

YaySchool

That same kid (just as cool, if not cooler, today) did her version of YAY, School, adding “Mommy, I need to hold up a 1 since it’s 1st grade” (see above). What an amazing kid.

As an aside, though this also just happened and fits the PREPARATION theme, we are preparing for a Star Wars birthday party, and among the MANY preparations I’ve done for that, I bought some “just in case” Chewbacca PJs at the Disney Store.

Guess what these 2 kids want to wear as often as possible? Those.

And so, I have some pretty cool (in my estimation) Chewbacca videos to share:

CHEWIE TOOTH BRUSH