love notes

well she made it! ruby survived her first week of school...(it was actually her first three days, since she began mid-week.)she did great, and loved it, and was excited to wake up each morning and begin a new day.that's always a good sign. a mother's dream, isn't it? that the first week goes off without a hitch?
the above picture was taken on the 2nd day of school. she was very proud of the fact that she had picked out her outfit all on her own, and even fixed her hair without her mother's assistance. i couldn't have been more proud myself, actually. i thought she ended up looking adorable.
thursday was P.E. day, so she wasn't thrilled about having to wear a pair of keds. do i really have to wear these, mom? they are going to smudge my pedicure. i had to laugh at that comment, not because her statement didn't have any truth to it, but simply because my girl, is such a girl.she did have a very valid point.

i was hard pressed to get her to go into much detail about each day's events. i felt like i was playing 20 questions...but getting nowhere.she would only ever respond with very vague, very short answers. i was able to gather, however, that rest time is really boring; and also, each day when i asked her what her very favorite part of the day was, she always replied with, the special note you gave me on my napkin. not music time, or P.E., or recess, or playing with her friends, or eating lunch...oh no, it was the napkin that was left inside of her lunch. i had no idea that something so simple would mean so much to her; and in fact, would be the highlight of her day.
on thursday, after i picked up carpool, and had taken all the other kids home; ruby, in a panic, screamed, mom, i left my lunch box at school! i assured her that it was no big deal, that it would be kept safe, that it would still be there in the morning- in the exact spot she had left it- and that she could grab it and bring it home the following day. in the meantime, i told her, she could take a sack lunch to school. she was frantic, and panicked, and completely adamant. NO MOM! we have to turn around now and go back to the school.i need my lunchbox because it has my special letter from you inside. that about did me in...my sweet little sentimental ruby. so without hesitation, we quickly flipped a U, raced back to school, ran down the hall to her classroom, and grabbed the lunchbox. first thing she did when she had it in her hands? well, she opened it, of course...just to be to sure that the chicken-scratched love note - etched on a folded up paper towel - was still there. and it was. and so far, she has saved all three of them, and keeps them in her
very own,
very special,
place.