Ahhhh preschool

I realize that this photo is circa 2005 BUT it bears an amazing resemblance to the scene today at McKenna's first day of preschool. Those of you that have been lucky enough to know McKenna (poor nursery and sunbeams teachers . . . bless their hearts) probably look at this picture and think, "Ah, yes, that is the McKenna we all know and . . . love?!"

I can't really blame the girl, just when she was getting used to nursery in Illinois (she never got used to nursery, I was just kidding myself) we up and moved her to a foreign country and set her in the middle of the biggest nursery in Europe (over 20 kids at the time) on the day they ALL decided to look like this (see above picture for reference). When your child turns 18 months they get to go to nursery and stay there until they are 3. Since then, and remember she is now turning 4 in a couple of weeks, there has not been one blessed Sunday, I'm not exaggerating! Our Sunday's consist of crying, cement feet in the hallways UNTIL someone she is comfortable with (very few) come and invite her in when she decides it is the right time, leaving mom in the hall with tissues. Oh, and one day, both Mark and I were coaxing her into primary, she was definitely wining the fight. Our sweet Bishop Ray came by and stopped his busy day to invite McKenna to join him. Instantly the tears were gone and she was actually SKIPPING down the hall hand in hand with the bishop waving goodbye, but her eyes were saying "I'll show you two, you'll NEVER get me in there" or maybe she was thinking, "I know where the goods are, all Bishops have candy jars, right?!"

Anywhoo, basically this is how it works for McKenna. Older kids, adults or just 1-2 children her age are okay and she is content BUT if you throw a couple more kids in her age it always results in a major meltdown, clinging to me as if I'm making her walk the plank of a pirate ship and she sees the hungry crocodile below. I'm telling you, there is sheer terror in this girls eyes.

Which brings me to today, not even the first official day of preschool. It was "pop in and out" day from 8-10. You should know that I have been planning for this day weeks ahead of time with library books on preschool, having McKenna pick out her own backpack, many nights of dinner conversation with the 3 of us saying things like, "Your such a big girl now, you'll LOVE school, you are just like Bailey, you'll get to paint, do puzzles . . . etc etc" and all the while we are saying this with crazy big grins and high pitched voices like we have just won the lottery.

She was excited for today, walked all they way in with a big smile on her face. Got inside the door, I was feeling pretty good about my preparations and cheesiness. But then she froze, got that deer in the headlights look on her face and planted her feet. AGH, we were so close! Why you ask? Well, because there were 2 other kids in her class, oh for the love . . .! She showed me proud, kicking screaming, clinging, big huge tears. Then the 2 children left, I'm pretending they HAD other obligations to hurry off to, and suddenly the normal child McKenna returned. Happy face, emulating all the cheese we have shown her the past few weeks. Well, at least now I have proof, proof that we may need to look into split personality disorder. I'll be waiting for that note from her teacher, you know the one that says, "I have scheduled you an appointment with the counselor, school nurse and every other resource we have available to help you, you poor parenting soul.

This story is not finished . . . I'll keep you posted, if I survive.