This seems like work...

It had to happen. Our gorgeous summer of swimming, playing, reading books and lazing around come to an abrupt end last Monday when Estelle ventured into her new daycare group and Alice checked in for the thrilling, challenging, overwhelming and enriching experience of  real big-kid school (apparently kindergarten just doesn't count). Not only is Alice entering the more serious educational stage during which she will learn to read, write and analyse higher derivatives, but she's in a new school! Our house move brought us slightly closer to a school which happens to be across from Estelle's daycare. Logistically it makes sense, but seeing her little face examining the crowd of strangers made us question the switch. 

So far, Alice has been really brave about the whole thing. She carried her giant backpack in, filled the required with pencils (how can she possibly use so many in one year?), two pencil cases (for all the pencils) and construction paper (good news, they will still do some crafts), and was branded with the colored nose dot which was to help her find her teacher. 

Alice is a watcher. So this week she watched, studied and examined. She made friends with her locker buddy, Florence, decided she didn't like music before having the class, and commented on how much waiting and/or listening they have to do. We haven't the heart to tell her that, yes, you will wait for others very often. And when you're not the one waiting, you're being rushed because you're too slow. 

Anyhow, we all made it through, and are happy to enjoy this last long weekend before the homework we've been warned about starts rolling in. 

Wish us all luck! We're collectively nervous but excited!

Her teacher is holding the symbolic orange balloon

(p.s. Estelle's daycare photos fuzzy - better ones soon)