Getting Ready for Preschool

I can't believe that our little girl is going to preschool next week!  It seems like just yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital as a newborn.  This marks the beginning of her leaving our nest and getting some of her own wings.  She has never been in day care, so until now she's spent 100% of her time either with us or with immediate family.  For the first time she will be journeying out into the world, without family, into a completely different social circle and support system that will be unlike anything she's known.  I know, she's only 2 1/2 and she will only be in preschool 2 days a week but it's still a huge deal and milestone.  And I might cry as if I were watching ET (I'm a sap).

I am SO excited for her though, I think she's really going to love it.  She's such an outgoing, energetic, social kid that the learning opportunities and peer interaction are going to be great for her.  I got a letter this week from Londonderry (Hippie School) discussing plans for the next couple months, there will be show-and-tells, color-themed days at school, and autumn art projects that we're supposed to start collecting leaves for.  I seriously CAN'T WAIT for my first Zoey-made art project to hang on the refrigerator.  I may have it framed.  Seriously, I'm ridiculous.

We went shopping for a backpack this week too.  It was actually a little frustrating.  All the backpacks in all the stores have some kind of cartoon character or patented TV character on them like Thomas the Train or Dora or Barbie, etc.  Not that they're bad, but it's just too commercial and generic for us.  Zoey loves Thomas, but I wasn't really into that for a backpack.  So I went on Amazon and found something a bit more unique that was cute and I think will really fit Zoey:

I'm so excited for it to come in the mail!  She's going to look flippin' cute with it on. 

Although preschool doesn't start until Tuesday, September 13th we get to go on Thursday for a "sneak-preview" visit.  The kids get to see the classroom and pick out their individual cubby to store their stuff.   I can't wait!