Addison starts Preschool!

Today is the long awaited day.  Ever since last year, Addison has been wondering when SHE got to go to school too.

I am so glad that I found a preschool in a lady's home in my ward, just a block or so away from our house.  Addison has asked me every day for the last month if she can go to preschool yet.  When I tell her not yet, she rolls her eyes and groans out of frustration.

But her patience has paid off, and today she finally got to go "Without mom!"

She apparently has been planning a grand entrance for her first day.  Today she told me, "When we get there, you stand in front of me to hide me from my best friends.  Then when they're looking, you can move and they'll all see my fancy outfit and shoes!" (I took her to the store and set her free to choose whatever outfit she wanted.  So of course, she went all out.)

When I mentioned that some kids might be nervous about their moms leaving, she said, "That's ok, I will be their friend and pretend to be their mom, so they won't be scared."

I hope the teacher is ready for Addison!

And you know...I've joked a lot about how Addison is my challenging child, and that I needed her to go to preschool more for my sanity than for her.  But truth be told, I think this was one of the hardest drop offs to school yet!

How did my little Addi Paddi get so darn big??

While I am going to enjoy the quiet time while she's gone (because it coincides with Molly napping and the other two are at school all day), I will miss her cute little face popping around the corner when I'm folding laundry, or doing dishes to ask, "Mom...so I was just wanting to ask you something.  Um....let me think about it..." followed by something super sweet or funny.  I will miss her asking if she can help sort the laundry and being so proud of herself, "I did it ALL BY MYSELF!  I love to help you mom, it's the best."

While she is very strong and stubborn and a bit crazy at times, she is also so caring and kind and sweet.  I get millions of hugs and kisses every day from her.  She tells me constantly "Mom, I just love you so much, you're my best mom in the whole world" and "I just LOVE to be together all the time with my family."  She is the one to have around for a constant self-esteem boost.  She also tells me every day that she loves my: shirt, hair, eyes, nails etc.  She always finds something to compliment, every single day.

Yesterday she was drawing pictures and then showing me, and I had to guess what they were.  After guessing wrong a few times on one, I finally told her I wasn't sure and asked if she could tell me.  She said, "Nope.  I'm sorry, I can't tell you what it is mom.  I'm just the draw-er, you're the teller."  So, I threw out a random "Is it a centipede?"  She got all excited and said, "Yes mom!  That's it!  That's what it is.  And good job, that is a big hard word to say, and you did it right!"  She has no idea what a centipede is.  I think the big word just dazzled her or something. :)

And I LOVE that she still says "yours" instead of just "your".  So it's always, "Mom, I love yours hair" and "Mom, I love yours eyes" and "Mom, can I have yours drink?"

Gosh I love that girl.

Thankfully we're starting out slow, and preschool is just two days a week.  I know she'll love it, and will do great....but by golly, I may just miss her after all that joking about not being able to wait for her to go to school.

Funny how things work out like that.