Good morning Everyone!
As hard as it is to believe, our summer vacation is over, and school started today! It really does seem like it was only last week that summer vacation was just starting. See, The First day of Summer Vacation .
Since it was the first day of school, of course pictures were called for. Kayla is entering fourth grade this year, and was gracious enough to wear the outfit I bought for her for the first day of school without any fuss. Kayla started our picture-taking session by telling Darwin what to do.
Kayla telling Darwin what to do.
He wasn’t exactly listening.
Darwin wasn't exactly listening.
So we left Darwin out of the next few pictures. I tried hard to get a good one of her smiling but I’m not sure how well I succeeded.
What IS it with her and the camera?
This picture I though was a good close-up.
Just playing around
Almost time to go....
Then she realized she really was leaving in just a minute:
I really am going to leave in a minute, aren't I?
Once Mark came out, Darwin decided to re-enter the picture-taking process.
Daddy and Darwin Make Me Smile!
Then, a small miracle happened – Darwin stood still long enough for me to get a good shot of all three of them!
As I watched Kayla and Mark walk out the door, ghosts of memory walked out beside them – each of the little girls that Kayla used to be that also went out that same door for a new school year. My favorite memory is from kindergarten. We took pictures that day too.
Mark and Kayla, first day of kindergarten
At the door, ready to go, with Tyra
We drove Kayla to school for the first day of Kindergarten, and walked into the school with her to take her to the classroom. Although she insisted the whole time she wasn’t nervous, of course we knew she was. Still, we got to the front doors of the school, she took each of our hands, and as we opened the door to go in together, she took a deep breath, and a solidly determined look came over her face – she was going to succeed in entering this new phase of her life, no matter what. We knew she was going to be okay after that.
Here’s hoping you and yours, whatever grade they may be in, have or had a good first day of school this year!
Have a great day everyone!
Nancy
Tales from the Mom-Side 
I cannot believe school started this early for you! Aug. 15… wow. That’s an injustice to childhood 😉 . Hope she has a great first day back!
We got out at the end of May, though. I bet your schools didn’t get out until mid to late June? I hope she has a great first day back, too, oddly enough. 🙂 Thanks!
Our first day is tomorrow. I always am nervous about the first day of school! I also have mixed emotions….I love the laid back nature of summer and not having to push homework and getting to bed early…but at same time structure is good. It will definately be a change at our house come tomorrow morning!!!
We managed 2 fusses with tears before I cleared the after school care parking lot over homework and not changing a notebook to a smaller one. Sigh. I think she had a good day though.
My daughter went back last week – 9th grade – HIGH SCHOOL. So far, so good…Hope Kayla has a great first day.
Wow! High school is an even bigger deal than just starting fourth grade. I am glad it is going well for her so far.
I loved the pictures- thank you for sharing them with us
My pleasure. My husband said it wasn’t the most flattering pictures I ever took of him!
Good to see Darwin providing emotional support! Great photos – always good when you get everyone in the shot and they all keep still! Hope the first day back went well.
Thanks Bassa! The first day went fine. Somehow, at least one of the three dogs always gets in the back to school photo; it’s almost a tradition now!
We went back late this year…the 8th. Usually it is about a week earlier. Some of my favorite photos are the ‘first day’ pictures. I have them from Kindergarten through Senior year…great memories. : )
I hope she had a great day!
Her first day went well, although she was somewhat disgruntled to receive homework (spelling!) on the first day. She got over it though.
Kayla looked so cute on her first day of school! How is she already in the 4th grade? She is so grown up!
I’m not sure how we got to 4th grade so quickly!