1st Grader!

Look at this wonderful 1st grader!  Boy, do we love her.  And we miss her now too!  M and GQ hardly know what to do with themselves now that E has disappeared. 

Since I was suffering from bad haircut guilt I had her shower the night before school and then I actually pulled the blow-dryer out from its crate under the sink.  I don't really know how to use it, but I made my best effort.  E was a little irritated because she's never had her hair "done" that way by me.  I'm usually a braider.  Anyway, we dried the hair, and cut off some more crooked parts (she was a little suspicious when I pulled out the scissors - I am SO buying one of those cutters you suggested Gaylene!). 

We had also gone to pick out a back-to-school outfit, which is a first for E.  Last year I - cough, cough - made fun of her clothes choices.  But then when I packed for our trip and tried to find outfits that matched, I found out how difficult it is to make the leftover wardrobes of four different girls come out to anything remotely matching.  So, this year we got to pick some things that matched when they arrived.  Since then, E has really taken to the whole matching thing and she likes to color-code her days.

I also told E I would let her have a treat after school if she tell me every detail of her school-day.  Last year she always informed me that "she didn't remember."  This from the girl who remembers some random thing I told her three years ago that means I have to let her do something today.  Usually I don't do snacks because I am lazy that way and it means I don't have to cook/clean an extra thing and that my kids are more likely (slightly) to eat their dinner.  E was very excited - kind of embarrassing - "I can REALLY have a SNACK????"  So, now she tells me about her day and eats her snack.

I am currently trying not to be insane about the whole public school thing.  But it is kind of weird out here because unlike Utah where they have 80 gazillion kids and appreciate volunteers, in Iowa they have 16 kids and would really like it if you never entered the school door.  (Justin would say I'm exaggerating, but I really feel like anytime I bring up that I would like to volunteer in the classroom the teacher gives me this look like I'm Napoleon trying to take over the world.  The "Claire Jones" part of me wants to stage an actual invasion.  Justin offered to make me a Napoleon hat.)

E's favorite thing about school - as far as I can tell - is that they have a Guinea Pig (that thinks your fingers are carrots) and that she can pull up grass at recess and analyze the root systems.