School already?

My little Pumpkin is going to be starting Junior kindergarten in the fall!!!!! I have pretty mixed feelings on this whole school thing. She is just going to be turning 4 at the end of September, so when she starts she's still going to be 3 years old!!!! We have quite a few things to do to get her ready. Of course there are all the supplies, new clothes etc that are needed. I have no problem with that stuff. We have to prepare her mentally in a lot of ways.
She has a "kitty blanket", I could write a few posts on her blanket but basically she always wants it to help settle her down, make boo boos go away and of course to sleep. We've been preparing her and telling her kitty blankie can't go to school. She says she understands but then she says maybe she'll just bring it in her bag or something. :o) Luckily her school is mornings so she'll be home in the afternoons and not need blankie to sleep etc while she's there. I've honestly had thoughts of things I could make out of the blankie that she could sneak to school, perhaps a nice pencil case, bracelet or a sweater made from her fleece blankie. he he he,,,, just thought, don't worry I won't be really making these things. She'd never let me cut her blankie up anyway. :o)

Another thing that we need to master is the whole potty thing. She's been trained for quite awhile but there are certain clean-up issues that I still help out with. :o) (trying to be polite about this for the non-parents) She's been doing this task this past week all by herself with me doing the "double check" to make sure all is clean. It's costing us a lot in dollar store toys but she's getting pretty good at it. I'm pretty sure her teacher will appreciate this one being taken care of.

When we went to parent's information night in June we also were told that she should learn to write her own name before she comes to school. Silly old me, I thought that she was supposed to learn to write at school!!! Another new thing to get mastered before September. She is catching on pretty quick. She can copy our letters quite well. I think we'll get this one done if we keep at it.

I think the biggest obstable is going to be the first week. Lauren is used to me always being there. She will play with other kids, wander away from me but she always knows if she needs me I'm close by. I'm going to be leaving her at school. Some strange lady is going to be in charge. We met the teachers and they seem great, that is a bit of a relief so I know she'll adjust and learn to love them. It's that first week that will be hard on both of us. Jay is the same, if not a bit worse. We've only ever left her with my parents. We know them, their history of childcare, their discipline methods. It's a big step to leave her in the hands of a teacher that we barely know. I keep thinking that I have a hard time with 2 kids. How can she tend to the needs of 20 kids all at the same time. What if Lauren has to go potty but is too shy to ask? What if she falls and scrapes her knee? Who's going to hug her and settle her down? She won't have her blankie or her Mommy.

I"ve always known that when she was 4 she'd go to school. I think I always pictured 4 year olds as a lot bigger than this. When it's my pumpkin it's all different. She's so sensitive and shy. I was the same way and I made it through school. I know deep down that it will all work out in the end. It's just getting so close and starting to freak me out. I joke that I'm looking forward to having just one in the mornings but I know I'll be sitting here waiting for lunchtime so I can go get her and bring her home. I'll probably miss her more than she misses me. It just seems like yesterday that I was in the hospital having her and now she getting ready to go to school!!!

I think I'll be writing a lot about this topic in the next couple of months. I know as it gets closer I'll be freaking out more and more. :o)