Turns out there were tears after all...

So after Clair's triumphant entry into the world of being dropped off and left behind by working parents, the dust has settled and the verdict is: Fair to middlin.'

Michelle picked the kids up at noon and the teacher (also named Miss Michelle, but not the same Miss Michelle that the boys had last year. Keep up, people.) said that Clair cried a few times, but only in short stints. Our Michelle told us that when Clair saw her waiting outside the school, she took off running, tears and all, crying, "Meeeeee-Meeeeee!"

When I asked the kids later how they all did, Dean said, "Mommy, Clairzee did good! She only cried THREE times!"

:-(

I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I actually cried about that many times myself yesterday -- and I honestly would not have predicted that leaving her at school would make me weepy.  So I suppose she and I were both a little emotional yesterday. My baby girl and me: simpatico.

Funny story: When I asked Clair what she did at summer camp, she smiled and said in a sing-song voice, "I played with my toys. I ate snack. I played with my friennnnnds."

(Dean, from the peanut gallery, "She mostly just played with me, Mommy." Thank you, Town Crier.)

But when Lester came home a little bit later and asked her the same question, she said, "I crying! I crying two times, Daddy. I want Mommy and Daddy." She even poked out her bottom lip!

Of course, Lester scooped her up and hugged her tight and then carried her around like a little baby after that, so I guess mission accomplished, Clair. #wellplayed

I also think it's interesting that I got more commentary out of Clair on her very first day than I have gotten out of Cary and Dean in two years of going to school. "What'd you do today C or D?" "Nothing." "Who'd you play with?" "No one." "What'd you learn about today?" "Nothing."

So thank the Lord for Clair. Maybe I'll actually know what the hell goes on in school all day long now that she's there.

This morning, she complained a little bit about not wanting to go to summer camp, but when I left her, this is what she was doing:

So I kissed her, assured her Michelle would pick them all up later and headed for the door.

She didn't cry when I left and I haven't so much as welled up yet.

So I declare today a good day -- for her and for me.

Clair starts summer camp!

This is a big week for Clairzee!

First the dentist (which she totally aced), now this. Today Clair started three days a week of summer camp, which is basically just school in the summer.

Again, Lester and I worried ourselves into a tizzy about how she'd do.I couldn't sleep for two nights, thinking about her being in distress and what we would do if she had a conniption at drop-off. After all, aside from church, this is the first time we've ever dropped her off somewhere and left. Ever.

Guess what? Yet again, our baby girl surprised the heck out of us.

She galloped into the school, went into the classroom, said hello to the teachers, and immediately started playing with toys.  No crying, no worrying, nuthin'.

Another good thing: One of the teachers in the summer camp class is going to be Clair's actual teacher in the fall! So yay!

Lester wanted to make sure we didn't trigger Clair's anxiety by lingering too long, so I barely even got to take pictures or say a real good bye. I feel a little ...I don't know...something about all this. Especially because it was so hurried. Like, right now, I sorta feel on the verge of tears, and I'm not exactly sure why. I'm definitely distracted, so I'm going to need to do some mindfulness/centering exercises or something to get any real work done today. (And by mindfulness/centering exercises, of course I mean "chocolate.")

But mostly, I'm just grateful that Clair has Cary and Dean there with her to ease her transition into school. In the fall, she'll be by herself there -- because C and D will be going to their new school across town.

But for a few weeks this summer, they're my three little amigos (hermanos?) and everybody seems quite happy.

 

I guess. (Sniff.)