Goodbye, Summer

Mae started school yesterday.  She's in 2nd grade.  Will is going to begin Kindergarten on Monday.  As I look back on our summer I realize that time went really slow in some ways and super fast in others.  We made a bucket list of things to do and checked off quite a few.  I still have a lot of blogging to do of our summer and the fun stuff we did.  Right now I'm just realizing that I feel pretty bored.  Its around this time that I am so used to beginning new classes.  I've done this now for the past 3 years.  (why is it taking me sooooooo long to finish school?).  Anyway, we're starting a new chapter.  I'll be class-free, stress-free until January when student teaching begins.

Anyway, back to Mae beginning 2nd grade!

We went school shopping about two weeks ago.  Mae was obsessed with this shirt.  I did not like it (not really into the "poncho/shirt" idea).  I gave Mae 20 different choices other than this shirt.  Finally I asked Matt what I should do and he said he trusted her judgement and it was probably cute.  I realized that yeah, I could go and pick out every single item for Mae and make her get them.  Will she wear them?  Probably not, but at least I won, right?  I did the same thing to my mom when we would go shopping.  I'd just get whatever she said and then never wear the clothes she picked out!  It was the opposite with me, however.  My mom wanted me to get cute, frilly outfits and I wanted t-shirts and jeans!  I figure that Mae has a good idea of who she is and what she likes and I need to foster that.  I definitely don't want her to be spoiled but I think its important that she knows who she is and what she wears is a large part of that!  Throughout the summer she wore a skirt almost every single day -- out of choice!  I'd be uncomfortable but she LOVES wearing skirts and dresses.  Just another example of who she is.

Mae had her entire outfit laid out the night before-- complete with panties!

 The first day of school was exciting -- with both kids up around 7.  (They slept in until 8:30-9:00 throughout the summer)

We snapped a few picture and took Mae into her class.  About 6 girls immediately said, "HI MAE!" She even gave one friend a hug and then went to her seat.  She sat a seat away from Colton who was in her first grade class.  He looked over, rolled his eyes and said, "Oh no..." I just had to laugh!

Mae said she had 3 recesses the first day.  She had a hamburger for lunch with a "mayonnaise salad" (mayo squirted on lettuce were her exact words).  She was super tired last night and went to bed early.

This morning she was just as excited to start her day and said it was GREAT.

I'm so proud of Mae and excited for a new year to begin!

FYI: after seeing Mae wear "the shirt" I changed my mind and think its pretty dang cute.