A journey begins

I’m sitting here surrounded by piles of school uniform and getting ready for a major milestone tomorrow. Alex is starting school! It’s been such a busy few weeks, and I’ve been so focused on the practical things I have to do before the big day, that I haven’t really stopped to consider how I feel about it all!

He is so excited about going – and is totally ready for it. As an early September baby, I was frustrated last year that had I given birth 13 days earlier, he’d have started his reception year in 2014 – but seeing the boy he is now, I am so glad he’s waited the year. He’s benefited so much from his year in the school nursery and is now so much better able to thrive in a classroom.

I have a half written post about his brilliant nursery year which I’ll share at the weekend when I get a chance to finish it – but suffice to say he’s learned so much – both from an academic perspective as he’s reading fluently now and begin to write properly – but also on an emotional level. He’s matured so much, and although still pretty feisty and impulsive, is so much calmer and thoughtful than he was 12 months ago.

So, we’ve spent the last couple of weeks getting his uniform together, buying school shoes, practicing deciding on lunch options ready for the school canteen, remembering his teacher and class name, and talking about what it will be like and how different it’ll be from the nursery room. He was buzzing with excitement at bedtime tonight. I wonder how many more year’s he’ll be like that before school starts for the year!

I’m so excited for him and for the journey he is about to begin!

And it’s not just Alex who hits a milestone tomorrow – I have two sets of uniform laid out ready for the morning as Sophie starts the school nursery too! She’s going earlier than normal because as she’s a sibling and almost 3 years old, the nursery offered to take her now. She’ll be one of the youngest there – but when the early years team met her, they thought she was ready for it! Lots of her friends are going, so I think she’ll be fine. I’m probably more nervous for her than I am about Alex as she’s a little more timid and shy (when you first meet her) so I think settling in may be a bit harder. But we’ll see!