Lilly started preschool!

first day of summer school

Earlier this summer after we returned from Norway, Lilly went to a few weeks of "summer school" at Montessori Children's House. She absolutely loved it. She was always excited about going to school each day and became very fond of the teacher. But as June ended, so did school for the summer; school was on vacation, or på ferie, as Lilly would say.

Luckily Lilly was scheduled for three weeks of summer day camp at River Bend Nature Center. So for the last weeks of July and at the beginning of August, Anne and Lilly would make the short trek just 25 minutes south of Northfield to Faribault. While Anne used the time to write, Lilly was introduced in a fun way to nature. Each day Lilly would come home with crafts and also reports about what she'd done. Again Lilly became very fond of her teacher; so much so that when I took her and her friend back to a Saturday event in August, she was a little disappointed that her teacher wasn't there.

Then came a week long music camp back at MCH! Lilly loves music and dance so we thought this would be a great experience for her. She was also reunited with her teacher from earlier in the summer as well as some of her new school friends. But after a week, school was på ferie again.

first day of preschool

Even though Lilly had already started preschool, practically speaking, mama and papa approached the first official day of preschool with much anticipation and all the emotions that typically come with such milestones. We all went to an introductory meeting where Lilly met her new teacher, toured the classroom, and picked her cubbyhole. She has made it clear that she is up to this journey outside the home. Every weekday morning when dropping her off at school, I unbuckle her seat belt and wait for one of the teachers to come get her from the car; hand in hand she leaves with the teacher for her daily adventure and doesn't look back. I feel proud. I feel like my daughter has introduced me to a exciting new world. Then I drive away and that wonder gradually fades as I start my work day.

We are two weeks in and Lilly still loves school. We were a bit worried how things would go since Lilly is not with the same teacher that she grew so fond of earlier this summer. But Lilly doesn't seem to mind. She's met new friends. She seems to be settling in to her own pace at school. And already tomorrow, Anne will attend the first parent meeting.