First day of Kindergarten

It's here.
School.
Kindergarten.
My big boy got up half-excited, half-nervous-wreck.
He went through his morning routine chart I made him, squinty-eyed and sleepy. While I scrambled eggs, he brushed his teeth, got dressed, made his bed.
He ate more than I thought he would--all of his eggs, half of the blueberry muffin.
He told me he was nervous.
I pulled the lunchbox out of the fridge and put it by the door with his backpack.
He put on his socks and shoes.
He tucked OE the otter up under his arm and submitted to my photo requests.
Jason recorded a short, pep talk video on his leappad and left it out for him to watch.
He watched all 8 seconds over and over while I got the other two and myself ready.
It was time to go.
He was ready.

We live probably less than 10 minutes total from the school. We sat in the car-rider line for over half an hour. All of us who took the correct route ended up waiting forever for the parents who were in a hurry and played dumb, going through the roads they weren't supposed to turn on or drive down during school drop off/pick up hours. There was one crazy lady who came up out of a subdivision over there who cut in front of the car in front of me, flew through the 4-way stop and literally RAN INTO the crossing guard! Like ran the side of her giant van into him and RAN OVER his foot! He was trying to yell at her to slow down or maybe not run over him but she ignored him and just flew through there. It was bananas!!
As we got closer to the school (and further from the crazies), James started getting panicky again. He said (for probably the 20th time this morning) "I'm really nervous, Mommy". Riley, being the supportive brother that he is piped in and told James, "If you get nervous just talk to God." Wise words, Riley.
They had us park out in the field to walk our babies in for their first day. So when we finally made it to his classroom, it was 5 minutes after start time.

His teacher was talking to another mom when we went in and hung up his backpack about how crazy it is the first few days each year and that it'll settle down in the car rider line (sure hope there's no more hit-and-runs!). She saw the anxious looks on both our faces and was very reassuring. She welcomed James in and showed him his desk. He sat next to another little boy who I could tell would make a good friend for him. I gave him a goodbye hug (or three) and left the room.

The house was too quiet and I was ready to go pick him up 2 hours later.

And that's with two children still in it! 

After a very productive day for me and the younger two, we went to pick him up (much earlier so we wouldn't have the same car rider line drama on the way out!). The first thing he said when I was getting him in the car was, "It was GREAT! I want to stay here!! I don't want to go home!"

I breathed a heavy sigh of relief and told him how much I missed him all day.

He told me that the little boy sitting next to him likes Lego: Legends of Chima, too and they're friends now.

He got to be line leader on his very first day!

Some other kids cut in front of him while he was line leader and they got in trouble.

Those kids do not like banana danimals yogurt and said it's disgusting.

Banana danimals is not disgusting, it's good!

Clearly it was a full day!

So proud of my big kindergartner.