First day of preschool!

Jocelyn and her cousin Callie (left)
on the front steps of school.

Here she is!  All set to head into school with her sassy backpack (a/k/a packpack) that her cousin Ashley gave to her (see below).  I have no worries that Jocelyn will do okay.  It's really the teachers that I'm worried about.

We walk in to her class and she sits on the carpet area.  Her teacher, Mrs. Shaner, and the teacher's aid, Mrs. Cavanaugh, are each trying to console hysterical kids.  Full-on, red-faced, top-of-the-lungs, screaming meltdowns are going on! 

Jocelyn sits down and is interested in her book and the monkey card sitting on top of it with her name on it.  She's good for a minute, so I say my good-byes and get ready to leave.  She covers her ears and asks me why those kids are screaming so much.  She's clearly irritated by them.  I tell her that they'll settle down in a minute, just to sit here and look at her book.

She decides she's had enough, hops up and takes off.  I go after her.  She says she wants to play over here by herself.  I told her she has to go back to the class and that she'll be allowed to play later.  She tells me in whiny-voice, "...but I want to play NOW!"  Oh, no.  Please don't pick up on their vibes!

Modeling her sassy zebra print packpack Ashley
gave to her.

I take her back and sit her down.  I give her another kiss and head out the door.  The teachers are still trying to settle the kids down, but if I don't go now, I'll probably never leave.  They're experienced teachers.  They'll deal with it.  The first day is probably always a mess for three year olds.

When I head back to pick her up, she's laying on the carpet in the group.  She's oblivious to the fact that I've walked in.  She finally sees me, yells "Mommy!" and runs up to hug me.  I love those hugs!  They almost make being apart worth it.  Almost.

Mrs. Cavanaugh approaches me and tells me that she did really well and was telling the other kids their ABC's.  She also tells me that I have a "really confident three year old".  I'm wondering if that's a good thing or bad.  I'm guessing a little of both.  She said she has her own idea of what she should be doing.  They asked her to sit down at one point, and she told them no. 

I am glad that Jocelyn is strong-willed and independent, I wouldn't change that for the world.  However, we have a talk at lunch about how she needs to listen to her teachers just like when mommy asks her to do something.  She agrees. 

Why do I feel like she just agreed to shut me up?  We'll see how that goes on Thursday.