Preschool

Jack's version of a cheesy grin

Our local preschool is harder to get into than Studio 54. You have to have your name on the list and even then that's no guarantee you'll get in. Sometimes it's all about who you know so I wasn't above using a Mosman connection but no dice. At least I wasn't as desperate as some people who lie about their (kid's) age to get in.
As Jack's third birthday approached I started talking to him about going and he was excited. Then he couldn't get in so things went quiet on that front. Then about a week ago we got the call saying a place had come up. Maisy goes to Preschool reappeared at storytime and we started talking it up big time. On Monday he packed his bag so he would be ready for preschool on Friday. It contained one Woody doll and one yoghurt. After reading the list of things Jack would need to take I thought he could do with a bigger bag.

I'm trying to smile but this bag is really heavy

ON Wednesday Jack and I went shopping at Jeannie's shop and Jack chose a pirate bag with matching drink bottle. He was so excited that he took it to Mudgeegong to show Diane and they filled it with the following food for Friday:
1 chocolate freddo
1 bertie beetle
2 melting moments
2 saladas with peanut butter
1 apple
3 marshmallows
Jack was thrilled (understandably) but I had a feeling that most of those items would not pass muster with the preschool powers that be. Using the negotiation skills worthy of a UN delegate I managed to persuade him that some of the things couldn't go. As I suspected the peanut butter and chocolates were verboten.
So this morning in his lunch box he had:
1 banana
1 apple
4 (yes 4) corn thingies with Vegemite
the melting moments
1 yoghurt and that was just for morning tea.
He's very hungry at the moment

No wonder his bag looks so heavy. It's all that food.
I was worried there may be tears (his or mine) but we both coped admirably well. Jack had some friends that were there already to show him around and give him hugs (too many hugs he later told me). He went straight to the esky where the drinks are kept to put his drink (they showed him that yesterday) and then he was off. No tears just a quick kiss and that was it. Phew!

Afterwards we went to the Railway cafe for lunch with a few of his friends to celebrate. In retrospect maybe not the best idea but we've learnt that lesson now.
He'll just spend the next couple of days eating what's left in his lunchbox.

I wouldn't normally send him to preschool in a Woody costume (even though that was what he had settled on last Monday) but today was yellow day for daffodil day and it was the only yellow thing he had. He couldn't have been more pleased.

S is quietly excited about Jack's first day