Preston's 1st day of Kindergarten!!

Today Preston starts Kindergarten.
He will be going full day, all week. 

And he is so so excited.

Saturday they had a kindergarten boot camp. We got to go check out his classroom, meet his teacher, take a tour to see where the bus will drop him off and pick him up, check out the playground, see the cafeteria and of course look at the tortoises- which are pretty much the highlight of kindergarten. 

His teacher seems nice. She use to be a 1st grade teacher but has moved down to Kinder. I'm hoping this is a good thing and that she will challenge him more because not to brag, but he's really smart. I know all parents think that, or at least I hope they do, but seriously. According to the sheet that they sent home for what he needs to know before coming to school, he should know his last name, phone number, how to count to 10, his ABC's, and colors. He's known his colors since he was 2, knows his name, phone number, my name & phone number, patricks name and phone number, address, birthday and who knows what else. He can count to 1,000, probably farther, and knows over 100 sight words. Plus after one night of explaining how to add and subtract he can now add and subtract single digit numbers without using his fingers. Bragathon over.
My point is I want him to be challenged. 

Check out that great writing grip he's got going on!

Last night, on his last day of vacation- which he made sure to remind everyone of all day long- he got to pick out whatever he wanted for dinner. He chose pork chops, pasta roni, bread with butter, apple juice and a chocolate cake. He got to eat on the "I am special today" plate which he loved. 

And then this morning was school.
He woke up at 6am and told me "mommy, I woke up early!" Yes. Yes you did. Too early. So I sent him back to bed for 30 minutes. He had a yogurt & 3 packets of strawberry oatmeal, got dressed in his new red shoes which he has been dying to wear all summer! and we went out to take some pictures.
He wasn't too nervous, He was sleepy.
Normally he doesn't get up till about 7:40. 

I think he was a little relieved that Noah would be going with him to school. They aren't in the same class, but are on the same bus and can play together at recess. 

Then we walked around the corner and down the street to wait for the bus.
He just sat right down like he'd been doing this for ages. A lot of kids on the bus are from our ward, and come over every week for scouts, so that put him at ease too. When the bus came he got on and him and Noah sat almost in the back, just like the cool kids. 

I didn't cry.
I'm not nervous for him. He has been going to school for awhile, and knows the drill, He's really good at making friends, we talked about what he does for lunch, for the bathroom, for the bus, he's very prepared.
This is what I AM nervous for.
I don't want him to change. I don't want school to change him. I don't want him to be afraid to be who he is or change what he does/doesn't like just to fit in. I don't want him to lose his sense of humor or curiosity just because others might not like it. I don't want him to be teased or feel bad or be left out. I want him to be safe and confident and secure.
I just have to remind myself that he's a good kid and he needs experiences like this to grow and develop. I can't hover over him his whole life and protect him from everything.
All I can do is pray and love him and guide him and hope he makes the right choices. And I know he will. Pretty sure I mentioned it before, but he's smart. He can do it.
1 more hour and he will be home to tell me all about it!!!

Then tomorrow it's Jaxton's turn for a 1st day.