Last Day of Older 2's

Our family, especially Cooper, was so blessed this year by his amazing Mother's Day Out and his two incredible teachers.  I was not happy with the Mother's Day Out he attended last year, and he would get so upset and cry on days he had to go.  It was awful.  Last May when he got out for summer, I called the Mother's Day Out that was my favorite when I was teaching.  The kids from this place always did so well and were such great kids, and I knew this was where we would eventually send Cooper.  Since it was pricier than others, I was just delaying it.  Well, after our terrible year, I went ahead and called.  The director was great to talk to.  I told her he has a late summer birthday, and my husband and I had already decided we would hold him back a year for kindergarten.  I asked her if we could go ahead and hold him back now since we know that's what we want eventually.  Most MDO won't let you and go strictly by the child's birthday.  She said if that's what we wanted, then it was no problem, and they actually had an opening in the MWF class for the older two's.  Hooray!!!  It was a done deal!  In August we met his two teachers, and Karl and I both were so excited/relieved/overjoyed.  I told him as we walked out to our cars afterwards that I was already dreading the end of the year!  I had just met them and was already so in love with them!  They made every single day so wonderful and fun for these kids.  There was not a single day that Cooper didn't want to go.  He would sometimes pout on days he didn't get to go!  He learned and grew so much this year, and I am so grateful for his precious teachers!  

This was Cooper on his first day...

 As soon as he got out of the car that first morning and they shut the door, I burst into tears!  Literally just started bawling!  I was big and pregnant and hormonal, but I was also so scared that he wouldn't like it. We just couldn't do another year like the year before.  Karl called pretty soon after I had dropped Coop off to check on me and see how it went.  I didn't answer because I didn't want him to know I was crying so hard!  I prayed and prayed that Cooper would have a great day and that his teachers would love him.  God answered that prayer above and beyond my dreams!  His teachers made the first day so great that I don't think it is possible for Cooper to ever have a better first day of school!  And boy, oh boy, did they love him and take care of him.  When I had Jake, I emailed them to let them know that I had had the baby that day and that was why Cooper missed school that day but that he would be there on Wednesday.  On Wednesday evening when Coop came to visit me in the hospital, he came in holding a gift bag.  His teachers had gotten him a gift to give Jake and had gotten him a special big brother gift as well.  Coop was sooooooo proud to give Jake a gift (why didn't Karl and I think of that?!).  They had also brainstormed with the children in the class a list of ways Cooper could be a great big brother.  He loved showing me that list and was so proud of his new role!  His teachers had made that day so special for him and had given him the extra attention he needed.  These ladies were such blessings for our family!

Fast forward to May, and I once again cried when my big boy got out of the car on the last day!  These tears were happy, grateful, sad-it's-over tears.  It was truly a fantastic year.  I am so proud of the "big boy" my baby boy has become.  He loved school this year, and I hope that continues throughout his education.  His teachers made everything fun and special for the children.  I know what a big deal it is for a love of learning to start young, and I am so grateful to them for giving that to Cooper.  His flame is lit...I pray it grows now.

For comparison's sake, here is a side-by-side of September and May.

We are very excited about what's to come next year, but it'll sure be hard to beat this year!