Lion's First Day of Grade 1

My Lion, Ready for his first day of grade 1 *wink*

Lion started grade 1 this week. Grade 1 is the big time, y'know.  His own desk with a slide out tidy tray.  Spelling words to learn.  Homework will be given.  Not as many "toys" in the classroom.  His own pencil case to keep track of his stationery.  This is 'real' school.

Monday morning was chaotic.  I got us all up nice and early, Wolf had the morning off so he could come along, I got things moving as best I could, but in the usual way I was the only one that bothered to keep an eye on the time so we were running late.  Not only did we need to be at school on time, we needed to have time to take some photos before we left.... except I had forgotten to borrow the good camera from mum so all I had was my phone.  Still, we can do photos with the phone, all is not lost.  8am, we should have photos done and be loading everyone and all Lion's 3847393 bags of school supplies into the car... except I am still trying to get one child to put some clothes on and trying to stop Monkey from removing all Lion's school stuff from it's spot.  While Wolf is finishing getting himself ready I grab Lion for an inside photo so he's not all squinty from the sun.

He's already not too keen on the idea and Monkey wants a piece of the action.  After all, don't I usually want photos of him?  You'd think with a photographer for a mother there would be some half decent first day of school photos... right?  Wrong, nothing creative, nothing spectacular, we barely made it through the point and shoot stuff alive.

Eventually Wolf is ready, Dragon is clothed, everyone is wearing shoes, we can head outside and get some photos by the front door.  I try to take photos for first day of kindy and school in the same place each time because I like the idea of keeping the same surroundings to show the child's change... it hasn't been working for us lately.

Talk about squinty!  I must have adjusted his hat 500 times so it was sitting straight but it didn't help, it kept twisting back around.  *sigh* I guess that'll have to do.

We dropped Dragon and Monkey off with Grannysaurus and found a park without too much of a walk. 

In his classroom we met his teacher, put his books on his desk and his stationery in his tidy tray.  We had some kisses and cuddles, said Hi to his best mate who is in his class this year (and the teacher knew they were buds so sat them opposite each other, we'll see how long until she moves them apart) and we left him to get down to the business of being a big grade 1 boy.

 We were very excited to go and pick him up in the afternoon.  We found some shade to park in, ran into Grannysaurus and managed to get the good camera from her, and headed off to collect our Lion.  He was TIRED.  School is hard work after being on holidays.  We walked slowly back to our car and I asked him about his day.  Apparently it was really hard, they worked ALL DAY... but he couldn't remember what they did.  Eventually he remembered that he had drawn a picture.  His new teacher Mrs B had asked them to draw a picture of some of the things they did on their holiday.  "So I drew a TV and a couch".  WHAT?  "oh yeah, and a boogie board".  Okay.  We took them to be crystal miners, we went to lollipops, we had Christmas, we went to the waterpark, we played in the rain, we spent overnight at the beach hut... and he draws a TV and a couch.  At least the boogie board gives a hint to our beach trip, I guess. *sigh*

So, home we go for our special first day of school afternoon tea.  But before I even let them in the house, I make them pose for more photos.  It's now sunny here now, we can get some without the squinty eyes... you'd think.  That is where the top photo came from, our afternoon photo shoot, so not really ready for his first day of school, more like ready to crash AFTER his first day of school.  Then remember up the top I said Monkey wanted to be in on the photos in the morning... well that same Monkey wanted nothing to do with photos in the afternoon.

Love these boys.

I'm praying for a fantastic year for you, Lion.

I know you will do well because you try your best at everything you do.