My baby's not a baby anymore!

Today Hannah attended her first day of school. It's a pre-school program offered through the city. We barely got her into this session because it's considered mid-year. All of the parents that have had their kids enrolled since Fall have priority registration. So enough kids must not have returned and I got in line just in time to snag the last spot.

The stress of getting there this morning took all possible emotional, sentimental feelings about my oldest baby going off to school away. And we were doing so good. I had her backpack packed, emergency contact forms all filled out, and her sharing item ready to go. Her clothes were on, her hair done, breakfast eaten and teeth brushed. Makaela and I were dressed as well. We got in the car with 25 minutes to spare. I was on a roll.

And then ...

(1) road construction -- the kind where you sit on one end

with a traffic guy holding up the stop sign. And you sit and watch a long line of cars slowly snake their way through. And you grip the steering wheel tighter and tighter, hoping and praying each car in the string is the last one, so your traffic guy can radio to the other side that he's sending his line through. Because you have a toddler you have to get to school for her first day darn it all (insert other word for real version).

(2) we finally arrive to the site only to find her school is locked within a gated community and I don't have the gate code. And there's no sign indicating the code. I scrolled through the list of names very quickly and didn't see anything that looked like what I needed. And I find I left all informational paperwork at home on the kitchen table. Why would I need it right?

(3) I have no cell phone reception where this place is. So I can't look on the web to find the code or the director's phone number.

(4) I have to drive 2 miles away before my cell phone will hold a signal long enough to make a call. I finally get through and get the code.

(5) we get inside the community and are looking for the building. I see one with the playground and it matches the address so we stop and I get both girls out of their seats. Only to find ... you guessed it ... this is not the right building. So I throw Makaela back in her seat. Get Hannah into the front seat, fasten her seatbelt, and pull a Britney Spears. I don't have time to get her tightened up in her own seat again only to get her out 30 seconds later.

We finally made it, but I swear, if I was ever going to have a heart attack, today would have been the day. Her FIRST day of school and we got there 20 minutes late. Terrible!!!! I am sure I am not the first parent to have had this problem. I swear I read through all the paperwork multiple times and didn't see anything about a code. Wouldn't you know, when I got home and re-read the paperwork, there it was. The gate code! Arghhhh! Tell me this happens to other people. I feel like this was such a typical day for me. Sometimes I think that God just likes to have a little fun with me. Throw me a few obstacles. Nothing too serious. Just enough to get my blood pressure up. I don't really thing He does that, but I am sure it's entertaining to watch me freak out.

Anyways, Hannah had a great time. They seem to do a lot in only two hours. She shared her cymbals (she just had to bring them). I am sure the teachers loved that! Did some artwork. Had a snack. Played on the playground. And even danced. I think my initial concerns of her making friends, her being nice to others, others being nice to her, the teachers paying enough attention to her have been alleviated. Phew!!!!

So we'll see how Thursday goes. At least I know the darn (insert other word for real version) code now. :)