Some firsts in our family

These last 2 days have seen a number of firsts in our household including

First day back at school for my daughters
last first day at primary school for my eldest
first day of new school bags, lunch boxes and new school shoes

Here are a few of the obligatory “First day” photos – to be digi-scrapped at a (much) later date.

I usually take my kids to school in the car, and occasionally, when the weather is being kind, we walk. I notice as I visit other blogs, how many mention school buses. Only rural schools here provide buses, and even then, the majority of kids are taken by car. I (usually) enjoy our conversations on the way to and from school.

Now my daughters are older, I only occasionally take them into the playground, but it was lovely to see how happy the kids (and parents!) were for school to be starting again. I waited until all the classes had lined up and a last wave before leaving.

For my son, yesterday saw his first day of swimming lessons. He was incredibly keen and enthusiastic, however I was not prepared for what he asked me in the changing rooms before the class. We had pulled on his swimming trunks, and then he asked a question

“Where is the other bit?”

“What bit”

“The other bit, for up here” he said, pointing to his upper chest.

Yes, my only son, with 2 big sisters, wanted a bikini top for “up here”.

I explained that he and Daddy did not have bikini tops to wear. He looked at me skeptically, but begrudgingly agreed to comply, and went in for his lesson.

I hadn’t seen that one coming!!

Today was another first for him – his first day at Nursery School. Here in Northern Ireland, 4 year olds attend a Nursery School for a few hours a day, for the year prior to starting Primary School. There was more great excitement, even though he was only going for an hour today, and parents are asked to stay for the first morning. He loved every moment of it, and the only tears were when he had to leave.

He will attend for a further hour this week, and gradually increase the time he stays over the next 3 weeks, until he finally stays for 2 and a half hours from next month. I have mixed emotions, and this is my youngest/last child to start. He is more than ready for it, and so am I, but it is also the end of an era.

So here he is outside the house.