first field trip!

well penny had her first field trip today... and not gonna lie, i was nervous.

 

she was riding a big yellow school bus to the pumpkin patch - with NO SEATBELTS!

 

and i havne't talked about it much on here but the last 2 months sinc preschool started has been brutal.  penelope has had a really hard time adjusting.  she clung on to her teacher pretty quickly but had a hard time realizing that her teacher was with 7 other kids and penny pretty much cried all day whenever she couldnt get one on one attention.

 

so every morning for drop off - there were tears and broke kris's heart.  and the afternoons were almost worse.  the after care teacher comes on at 4 and if i wasnt there by 4 to pick her up penny was a wreck because ms kaycie had left.  i arrived many days to find her crying by herself while all the kids played.  it was horrible.  absolutely horrible.  she had a really hard time in the afternoons and was just sort of nervous outside in general.  she would sit by the teacher but never play...

 

but slowly over the last 2 weeks she' coming around.  she started venturing about 10 feet away from the teacher.. but still not playing.  then she would play by herself rihgt by the teacher.  then on tuesday some older kids talked to her (the pre-k cool kids) and she played for a few minutes, but again back to teacher.

 

well... i get there today.. and she was playing! with kids, her own age and her teacher was not anywhere near. she was actually playing and seemed to be having fun.  now this  may seem common for most preschool kids.. but with the past 2 months of arriving to her in tears, and being in tears myself most afternoons - this was a HUGE change - which prompted more tears out of me.

 

for the first time she talked about her friends, told me about her day, said she had fun at school... and even asked to go to bed 45 minutes early because "i real tired from school. i'll go to sleep in 2 minutes"

 

it was perfect.

 

and i owe all the thanks to the field tirp!  when she arrived this am she was a bit nerouvs with all the chaperones (i didnt go) and wans tsure... but apparently as soon as that big yellow bus arrived it was game on.  and she was excited all day. played like crazy, hung out with other kids and just had a great time.

 

so good that about 10 times tonight she said, "hey - guess what?? today i went on a field trip. on a big yellow bus - it was HUUGGEE"

 

now... i have 45 extra minutes, a happily worn out toddler and a big glass of wine in front of me... cheers to patience! only took 8 weeks of sheer torture - but she did it!

 

so proud of my big girl!!

 

love you penelope anne!

 

and thanks to miss kaycie for the patience and support with penny!!! 

 

:)