the wheels on the bus...

this little boy. this one right here. he started preschool last Friday (while Brett and i were on a plane ride home from ORLANDO!!!! that's an entirely different post. can't wait to post about it :) and he did awesome! my mom took him and dropped him off (he is in two different ones) and she said he cried for about 5 seconds before he was fine. so i was a little worried about today, especially since this one (it's a preschool through the state, and he is in it to continue to help progress his speech, which is getting better by the day amazingly) they send a bus, a regular size school bus, to come pick up the students and they get into the car seats they have on the bus and they ride it all the way there. without parents. i was a little skeptical at first, and was just going to take him myself (that's always an option if parents don't want their kiddos riding) but the bus driver called me while we were on our way to the airport to leave on our vacay, and she was so sweet and nice. that phone call put all my worries at ease, and we decided we would let Dylan decide what he wanted.

so last night, as we were getting Dylie ready for bed, i explained that he was going to be going to school in the morning, and that a bus was going to come pick him up. oh my goodness, he was ecstatic! he just kept saying "a bus is coming! a bus is coming!" i was happy he was so enthused by the idea. so he went to sleep, and i woke him up this morning and as we were coming down the stairs to eat breakfast he all of a sudden remembered he was going to ride the bus and said "school mom! the bus is coming! school!" i reassured him that yes, the bus was coming and that's why i had to wake him and and that's why we needed to go eat breakfast, get dressed, then go outside and wait for the bus. oh he was so cute. he ate breakfast faster than i have ever seen him eat, was in such a hurry to get dressed, threw on his backpack and drug Brett and i upstairs to wait for the bus. i quickly made the sign he is holding and thought i would have to fight him to take his photos. nope, he went right over in front of the garage and planted his little bum on the ground and smiled away for me.
after pictures, we went to the sidewalk and waited. after a couple minutes, we looked up the street and saw the big yellow bus coming. Dylan was screaming with excitement; something i didn't expect. once the bus pulled up and stopped, the driver came and introduced herself to Dylan and he warmed right up to her (which never happens with new people, it usually takes him a minute) and then i held his hand to help him up the stairs and stuck him right in the carseat and put his backpack next to him on the bus. he was so happy to be there! i was amazed he wasn't trying to leap into my arms out of terror. he just kept saying "bye bye mom! see you later." i got off and we could see him through the window as he pulled away, and we waved as i prayed he wouldn't have a heart attack once we were out of sight. then we came inside and i kinda lost it. i am sad he is growing up. i am sad he was so happy to go, but i am so happy about it at the same time. and i was worried about him and how he was doing. Brett then had to go to work, and i wanted to keep myself busy so i cleaned the kitchen then worked out.

then 11:30 came and it was time to wait for the bus to come. i grabbed my mom because she wanted to see him get off the bus too, and as it pulled up and stop i heard him yell "Momma!!" I went to see and he was grinning from ear to ear as the bus driver unbuckled him. i asked her how he was and she was happy to report that he didn't cry once going to school or coming home. he just jabbered on both ways and pointed to things as they drove and told her what he was seeing. i was in heaven!! i thought for sure he would have a melt down or ten before they even got to school. but to hear he was calm the entire time? that was completely unexpected. a wonderful way to start the school year off.

once we got inside, all he talked about for 20 minutes straight was school, the bus, the friends and teacher. i am so grateful he loved it. not only is it great for him and to help be a little more independent, it's great for me so i don't have to take him. win win! i am so grateful he loves school so much too. i love knowing that he is around other kiddos and learning from them and making friends and learning social skills i can't really have him learn with just me at home. i now just need him to stop growing up. they need to make pills for that.