Thursday was a double whammy, it was not only Bella’s first settling session at School, it was also Flo’s first day at Pre-School. I can’t quite believe that Bella has started School, where have those years gone? I feel as if it’s crept up on me. I’m going to be completely honest, I did have a couple of wobbles, the first one was when we all walked back into the house without Flo and the second was when we first left Bella and she followed us on the other side on the gate, I mean talk about pulling on a Mama’s heartstrings!
As a parent, I don’t think anything can prepare you for the first time you see your child dressed in a school uniform. The realisation that they are no longer your baby, hits you like a ton of bricks. Don’t get me wrong, I am very excited for Bella, I can’t wait for when she first reads to me or when she first writes her name. I am also excited for all the new friends that she is going to make and I’m looking forward to a break from her constant talking, oops did I think that out loud?
On Thursday morning I got Flo dressed into her Pre-School uniform, I could tell that she felt really grown up and proud. I took the obligatory photo on the doorstep including a picture with her First Day of Pre-School poster made by Busy Mum’s Club https://www.busymumsclub.co.uk it makes such a great keepsake and I also had one made for Bella. Flo posed like a pro on the doorstep, stopping occasionaly to do a royal wave at passing traffic, we gathered all of her labelled bits and we drove to Pre-School. As soon as we pulled up, Flo was demanding to get out of her car seat as she was desperate to get in and play.
Flo had a great first day and all of the key workers said they were amazed at how fast she had settled in. I was very excited to help get Bella dressed into her School uniform. She looks so beautiful and grown up in it and I think she knows it! When she first looked into the mirror she said “wow Mummy, I look like a big girl”, how adorable is that?! Before we set off for her first settling in session, we took a couple of doorstep photos and we FaceTime Nanny, Nana & Grandad and Auntie Stevie so that she could show them her uniform, she was so excited!
My Hubby took the day off work so that he could walk Bella to School and pick her up again. Her first settling session was only an hour and it went super fast (not that we were clock watching or anything) and before we knew it, it was time to pick her up again. All parents gathered at the gates and the smiles on Bella’s and her new classmates faces were priceless. Bella ran straight out and gave me the biggest cuddle, she was full of stories and was so excited I thought she was going to burst.
We headed to one of our local cafe’s for a Hot Chocolate before we picked up Flo. We had a celebratory dinner at The Little Brown Jug http://www.thelittlebrownjug.co.uk where we were joined by Nana and Grandad. The Little Brown Jug is fast becoming one of our favourites, it has amazing food and a great outdoor play area, which is suitable for children of all ages. You can also hire a wooden hut for £50, which includes table and drink service (you push a button and a waitress or waiter will come to your table), it’s heated and has pretty fairy lights, you also have the option to fully enclose the hut in the winter to keep the warmth in.
Thankfully the girls both seem to love their new School and Pre-School, Flo is doing two days a week for now and we will increase to three days next September. Bella will be going into School everyday this week, but she will do 9:15am-12pm and then 9:15-1:15pm the following week and by the third week, she will be full time. I hope it’s not going to be too much of a shock to the system, watch this space for my update in a couple of weeks time. Have your little ones started School? How are they settling in?
