First Day of First Grade
Posted by Dr. Cason on Thursday, August 28th, 2008
I can’t even believe that just last year my little girl was that nervous little kindergartner. This year? No problems! I was so proud here’s a recap from last year!!
She started off okay
Then got a little nervous
By the time we were at the bus her whole personality changed!
I watched her pull away and then jumped in my car and met her at the school. You know so I could capture the moment and reassure her!
Here she is at the school meeting her Kindergarten teacher. God Bless her! I bawled all the way home!
Now here’s this year:
Notice the big smiles! And hairbrush which she promptly dropped on the bus floor and couldn’t retrieve. 
There was a little jig in her step!
Here she is coming off the bus at the school (Yes I drove down again!) She recognizes a friend!
Here she is waiting in the gym. Notice the confidence! She actually informed me I could go wait with the other parents at the back of the gym!
They just called her class to go to their room! And away she went without looking back! *sniff* *sniff*
Here she is at the very end of the day. “It was awesome!” she declared!
I’m so proud of her!
Filed in My Life | 20 responses so far
Kat Stephensonon 28 Aug 2008 at 3:04 pm 1Don’t cry little mama bird! This only means you have done your job, and done it well. Like with mama birds, God gives us our precious little babies to love, feed, raise, and teach to fly independently. This was Little Blue Eyes’ first step towards her independence. She met the task like the real little trooper she is too!
With each step, you will feel tears . . . but they MUST be tears of joy and pride. Remember, some day you will no longer be there to support their lives, and they must be able to function independently and raise “their” little babies the same way. This will give YOU a wonderful peace as you age and feel your time on earth may be slowly fading.
I remember a trip to Atlanta with the music group. I had to drive and follow a bus, and was sick as a dog with nausea from the methotrexate I had to take for the rheumatoid arthritis on the trip. My son performed a guitar solo that was beautiful for the music convention there. That night as my son performed, one of his friends was concerned because he saw the “tears of pride” in my eyes and mentioned this to Tommy. He thought I had gotten sicker I guess. Tommy said, “Oh, that’s my mom, she always cries when she is proud of our accomplishments.” So cry with each of their accomplishments, but also pat yourself on the back for a job well done!
Kat Stephensons last blog post..The World Sounds Better for Some Reason
Kat Stephensonon 28 Aug 2008 at 3:08 pm 2Oh, and BTW, what an absolute little doll she is in the pictures. She is beautiful Sheila.
Kat Stephensons last blog post..The World Sounds Better for Some Reason
Writer Dadon 28 Aug 2008 at 4:12 pm 3Really sweet. I’m right there with ya.
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Kristinon 28 Aug 2008 at 7:41 pm 4How lovely. The story, the pictures, the memories.
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Lanceon 28 Aug 2008 at 7:49 pm 5Those are wonderful pictures. They tell a story – well, two really. One from this year, and one from last. A story of growing confidence and independence. And one of a loving, caring mother. You should be very proud of the little girl you’ve raised!
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Kylaon 28 Aug 2008 at 11:06 pm 6Awww!!! She’s grown so much. What a darling.
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Nikkion 29 Aug 2008 at 1:35 am 7Here you go shattering every dream I ever had of Danger staying little and needing me forever! Not very nice of you sheila
Chrison 29 Aug 2008 at 2:08 am 8The first of many academic milestones I’m sure.
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Ritaon 29 Aug 2008 at 3:22 am 9Dr. Cason,
Oh, the memories you just brought back! My “baby”
started her Senior Year of High School today – and I’m not sure when I even blinked.
Your daughter truly does have expressive eyes: that picture of her re-uniting with a friend tore me up! She is just lovely…and of course, mom was far more concerned than child!
Thank you SO MUCH for the photo album! And kudos to your daughter for sending you where YOU belonged – in the BACK of the gym with the other parents!
Ironically, it never stops. I wanted to drive my older one back to school (Senior Year of COLLEGE), and she just told me: “nah, I’ll just take the train. But thanks anyway!”
WAH!
Rita
Ritas last blog post..Contest Time: Blogging for Prophet – a Quiz
Lisaon 29 Aug 2008 at 5:44 am 10And now the years will fly by and you’ll wake up hold those photos staring at the strange teenager you ended up with.
How does it go by so quickly?
P.S. I want you to read yesterday blog and share any insights you have. Thanks.
Lisas last blog post..They Say Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From The…..
vodkamomon 29 Aug 2008 at 10:35 am 11and I’m proud of YOU!
She is ADORABLE. Really.
Ritaon 29 Aug 2008 at 11:21 am 12Dr. Cason,
Well, this is a first. I have been to your site 4 times today. I literally COULD NOT stay away! (No – I’m not a blog stalker – lol.)
With my baby turning 17 tomorrow, I am overjoyed and weepy. Seeing your little one keeps bringing back memories from yesterday – and a million days ago.
As I’m sure you know, our responsiblilites to our children are to give them roots and wings. I always believed that the “roots” part would be the hardest – making certain that both of my girls were brought up with manners, morals and values, kindness, compassion…all of the things that we need to give them to survive and LIVE enjoyably and responsibly in this huge but shrinking world.
I know now, however, that THAT was the easy part. Wait until the “wings” part REALLY starts. (You got a flavor of it today!) I just realized that my older daughter, who is home for just a few days more before returning for her Senior Year at college (as I mentioned above), is PROBABLY home for this length of time for the LAST time. Next summer, she will be starting Graduate School in July, MUCH farther away. She will most likely be living with her partner.
Enjoy it all – every second. As a doctor, I know that you need a certain level of compassion combined wih detachment with your patients. But with you children? That “detachment” is just not possible. No matter how old they get, they will ALWAYS be your babies.
Time to go weep again. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing your mother/child moments with us.
Rita
Ritas last blog post..Contest Time: Blogging for Prophet – a Quiz
Kat Stephensonon 29 Aug 2008 at 12:28 pm 13Oh Rita, I have tears in my eyes reading this and remembering those times when my children went away from home taking flight. OMG, we are talking “empty nest syndrome” bigtime with me. I soon learned to live my life by myself again, but it took some time.
The reward is now they worry about their Mom. Nick called to make sure I made it home okay from the airport the other night, and Tommy called me as I was nearing Memphis driving back from the Little Rock Airport. The two had been on the phone and were ready to send out a search party for me (could not answer their calls as I was on the flight at that time). Nick was making sure Tommy was ready to get on I-40 looking for Mom when he called. Thanks to Southwest delays, I was about 3+ hours late getting back to Memphis.
So they may move on, but you will always be their Mommy and they will always be your babies. And the plus is they will bring you new babies to love and help raise too! And these are just GRAND!!!!
Kat Stephensons last blog post..The World Sounds Better for Some Reason
Evelyn Limon 29 Aug 2008 at 12:29 pm 14It’s so nice that you captured every moment and then compared the pictures one year later. Your daughter looked so grown up in the second set of pictures.
I’ve got two little girls myself. Looking at the pictures made me realize how important it is to be in the Now. Time flies by so quickly!!
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Elizabethon 29 Aug 2008 at 2:12 pm 15Brilliant! Just look at that confident girl!
I hope she has an awesome school year. What a great photo essay!
Elizabeths last blog post..A "non entry" doesn’t deserve a title
Barbara Swaffordon 29 Aug 2008 at 2:52 pm 16Hi Dr. Cason,
She’s gained a lot of confidence in a year, hasn’t she. I can see why you’re so proud. But then, she does have a fantastic role model.
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Talenaon 29 Aug 2008 at 6:35 pm 17Gab has much more confidence this year, its amazing how much a year can change a child. I sure know how that feels watching as they go off on their own. Cam will start school on the 4th and I will probably be crying as I watch my last baby go off to his first day of school. Take care.
kcinnovaon 31 Aug 2008 at 1:10 pm 18What a difference a year can make! That series a pictures, along with your comments, is exactly what makes a a beautiful scrapbook page. I love how the internet is saving this for you, forever. Thanks for sharing with the rest of us!
kcinnovas last blog post..Yearbook in retrospect
Ambreon 01 Sep 2008 at 12:07 am 19Thanks so much for this post! She is such a sweetie! My oldest will start Kindergarten next year, I know she is excited but I’m not so sure I’m going to be ready for it!
Vintage Mommyon 05 Sep 2008 at 12:38 pm 20We wrote a post with the same title! I suppose we’re not the only ones, either, given the season.
It’s exciting to watch them grow, yet I miss my baby girl!
Vintage Mommys last blog post..First Day of First Grade