Pip's first day at school

It was my littlest man's first day at school today.  

We have been looking forward to this day for quite a while and confident that Pip would take it all in his stride.  When he'd had his induction days at St Andrew's he'd gone off without a second glance and had predictably disengaged from nursery - but still declared that he loved Mrs Head (mainly when trying to compliment me by saying 'I love you more than Mrs Head Mama).  

Today didn't turn out quite as we'd expected.  Mama became more and more sentimental as the day got closer then found it hard not to blub looking at her boy in his school uniform this morning.  He refused to put his jumper on and insisted on wearing his 'France hat'.  What can I say - it'd been a rushed morning as both boys decided they wanted to sleep in and had to be woken up at 8.50am.  

Walking to school he started to have a tantrum about not having the right books in his school bag.  Poor Dada was packed off to collect the books, only to find he'd not picked up the right ones (we suspect nothing would have been right at this point) and then hung behind all the others walking to school which is unusual as he's mostly up there screeching down Firgrove Hill.  One more tantrum just before going into school and it became abundantly clear he was a little anxious about going to school, even if he didn't really know he was.  

But with Nonna, Big G, Mama and Dada by his side, he seemed to settle and he chatted to Mrs Venables (Head of St Andrews who will replace Mrs Head in his affections I think) about his new water bottle.  We guided him to the Swallows door and greeted by Mrs Bere and Mrs Durack, he happily went in.

He told Mrs Bere he knew where his water bottle went and then informed her he didn't need to say goodbye to Mama and Dada as 'he'd done that already'.  And he disappeared.

He didn't know but I sneaked in the back door of the classroom to grab a last look.  He looked so small and just slightly lost.  But then I think that might be how Mama thinks he is, rather than actually how he was.  It's the end of an era.  I have had a good blub and then I think of how we've nurtured two strong, independent and individual boys. And we're so very proud.

We love you Pip and just know you'll be just fine at school.  You'll blow them all away.