Most kids in the metro Atlanta area headed back to school today! I am not originally from Georgia and it is still taking me time to get use to the fact that kids start school in August and end in May here. None the less… my two big kids were both ready and not ready. So tough to send them back to school when it is still very much summer here, but it was nice for them to get back to a regular routine and be surrounded by school friends. We spent this past Tuesday visiting both the elementary and middle school for their open houses, got to meet all the teachers and get all the appropriate paper work. We spent that evening and most of yesterday getting all their school supplies and I felt prepared and ready to send them off this morning!

This guy went to his first day of third grade. His teacher seems really amazing and her classroom is one of the happiest and brightest I have seen my kids in in years! She also has an Instagram page for her classroom, which I am over the moon happy about. I saw a few photos of Roman from his time in school today, which made this momma heart very happy. This year is a big one for him because this is when the school starts preparing them for multiple teachers. He will have two separate teachers, one for math and science and the other for reading, social studies and language arts. He also is in the gifted and talented class and see that teacher every Monday… this is going to be a very busy year for this boy. Another great thing about entering the third grade is that he is finally old enough to join clubs. Many of the clubs at his school are for 3rd-5th grade and I have been anticipating the day until he was old enough to start joining them. I am really excited for this school year and can’t wait to see all the ways he grows.

How is it possible that my oldest left this morning for her last year of middle school!? I am still in denial that she will be in high school next year, I am completely unprepared to be a mother to a high schooler!

Oh my how different it is getting and eighth grader ready for back to school compared to a elementary school kid! We went from wanting our favorite markers to needing contacts and a new haircut before school starts. My daughter is far from high maintenance when it comes to back to school shopping… I actually have to beg her to go shopping! So when she said she wanted a haircut and contacts, I was more than happy to accommodate that. I was about her age when I decided to toss my glasses aside and get contacts, so I sympathized with her quite a bit when it comes to that. She looks so grown up without her glasses and that haircut!

I loved meeting all of her new teachers during open house and most of them seemed very passionate about teaching. She only had one request to her schedule which was switch her third period to drama class! Excuse me? My shy and timid girl wants to join the drama class!!?? YES PLEASE! She has struggled the past few years with her confidence and being able to sticking up for herself in school (not bullying just letting teachers know she doesn’t understand something or needs help). I hope this drama class will be the tool she needs to build her confidence, find her voice, and come out of her shell. 

Of course my youngest wanted in on first day pictures! She still has one more year until she starts Kindergarten and I am not complaining about that. Addie is very close with her older siblings and I thought she would be sad to see them leave this morning… but she explained that she was happy to have mommy all to herself. With a new baby on the way in just a few shorts months, I will be fully taking advantage of time together just the two of us! 

Here is to another school year!