First Day of School Tradition

Can you believe it’s that time of the year again?  Summer seems to have come and gone!  I feel like I just picked up Little One from her bus stop on her last day of school, and all of a sudden, it’s almost the first day of school again!

The Summer was a whirlwind of events, beginning with four weeks straight of out of town visitors.  I’m thrilled that Little One got to spend quality time with loved ones.

I get a bit emotional when it comes to back to school. You see, since Little One was born prematurely, I felt that I was robbed of my time with her in her early days. She spent the first few months of her life in the NICU at Mount Sinai Hospital, and though I spent every day with her in the hospital, part of me was crushed that I didn’t get to take her home and have that special bonding time most moms have with their newborns. I know that Mount Sinai’s NICU was the absolute best place for her and without the care of the doctors, nurses, RTs, and staff at Mount Sinai, we likely wouldn’t be where we are today.

Little One grew and blossomed into a happy, healthy, active child. The pediatrician, occupational therapist, speech therapist, and the rest of the Neonatal Follow Up team and Preemie Pathways team cleared Little One for school and said she was more than ready for entering Junior Kindergarten. Because she was born in November 2008 (her due date was in early February 2009), she was given the okay to start JK at the age of three!

We deliberated for the longest time, because though she was ready for JK, she was still only three years old. I contemplated on keeping her home for an extra year, but she wanted to be with her peers. Sometimes I think it would have been a good idea to send her to school a year later, but what’s done is done, and she absolutely loves school, her teachers, friends, and principal.

The first day of school is always an exciting time for us. Though Little One thoroughly enjoyed her Summer vacation, she is looking forward to seeing her friends again. She’s also really excited about being in grade three. Apparently, grade three is a HUGE deal. 🙂 She’s certainly growing up fast!

We  have a family tradition for the first day of school with Little One.  Little One’s Grampy, Lola, and Grandma all come to our house on the first day of school and walk Little One to the bus stop so they can see her off on the bus.

Little One and her grandparents on her first day of school. She was three years old and entering Junior Kindergarten. I cannot believe how tiny she was back then! I miss that sweet little face!

First day of Senior Kindergarten! A lot has changed in just a year.

First day of grade one! She felt like such a big kid because she was no longer in kindergarten!

Where did my baby go? All of a sudden I’ve got a kid in grade two!

I really love looking back at photos and seeing how much Little One has grown each year. It also warms my heart to see that her three grandparents take part in this very special tradition.

This year, Lola and Grampy weren’t able to make it, but G-Ma and Little One’s Auntie Sel were able to see her off.  Hubby’s youngest sister just happened to be on the Island.  What a treat for Little One to have her auntie see her off!

Let’s hope we can continue our first day of school tradition for as long as we can. It’s a pretty sweet first day of school tradition, and I know it means a lot to Little One.  I also love how close Little One is to her grandparents (and aunties, uncles, cousins, and the rest of her extended family).

Does your family have any traditions for the first day back at school?