first afternoon

Evie stayed not being upset about going to big school until 5 minutes before we were due to leave...

...I asked her to go to the toilet and she started going upstairs and started crying telling me that she didnt want to go.

So I told her that she would have fun, and that there would be a story and a song and drawing like there was when she had her short session in July.

And I told her that she had to go!

So we left and she carried her book bag and I lugged everything else :)

We got there and we were first in the queue...

Finally the gate was opened at 1.15 and the parents and children were let in and then we lined up outside our classroom and the teacher was letting the kiddies in and getting them to hang up their bookbags onto their peg (complete with a photo just to make sure you get the right one) :).

I went home and then went to pick her up at hometime and she was happy to see me and said that she had a great time :)

And she was even singing on her way home :)

Im not sure if she is going to be too happy about going again tomorrow and all week (even though she still is only doing afternoons).

all ready for school

check check check check check

Its Evies first afternoon at school today :)

PE bag - check

All about me box - check

raincoat - check

school uniform hanging up - check

wellies - check

Evie woke up this morning and asked what we were doing today and I told her that it was her first afternoon at big school, and she didnt start to cry (so thats good).

She is sitting at the moment going through the pictures and toys in her box :)

Mr F was off sick

Yesterday morning I got a phone call asking if I was Mrs G, so I said no then she said to me are you F's Mum and I said no Im Evies Mum, then she said "Oh, I need to speak to you anyway", its Mrs C, Mr F is unfortunately off sick so he cant do the teachers visit, but me and Mrs S can come instead. Or if you want to see Mr F then it can be rearranged as an after school visit.

As I wanted to get it over and done with I decided to let them come anyway.

I was looking out of the window around the time they were due and saw a car pull up so I opened the front door and they started waving at us :) so I knew it was going to be ok :)

I spoke with Mrs C and Evie spoke with Mrs S...

...the first thing that Mrs S wanted to do was take Evies picture and one with her holding her favoirite toy :)

I spoke with Mrs C about what Evie is able and not able to do...

I have now got to buy her a waterproof coat (as they go out and play in all weathers) I have already picked up her spare pair of wellies (that I had forgotten to pick up from pre school).

And I have been given a "learning journey" to write in about fun things that Evies does outside of school, our first entry is going to be "getting her haircut ready for school" which we are doing today:)

teacher visit day

Evie woke up this morning and asked me "mummy, what are we doing today?"  she normally asks and I always tell her in a upbeat way what we are doing :)

So I told her tat her teacher Mr F was coming today and she started crying saying "not today" and I told her that it will be ok and on Friday we will have her first afternoon at school.

We were then chatting about all of the fun things that she had done when we went to the transition sessions.

The lunch (which she now has decided she didnt like), story time and her getting to know her new teacher session

I just hope she doesnt decide to run upstairs when he comes (perhaps I will close the stairgate) but I think she is too nosey and will want to know whats going on :)

labelling up

As Evie has her first afternoon at school next Friday, I thought that I had better start labelling up her clothes...

...the stuff bought from the school shops have labels on them :)

school dress label for writing on

some are big and some are small

We are supposed to label everything...

...so how do you label socks?

its getting close

I was just looking on my smartphone and saw on my calendar widget that the teachers home visit is only in a couple of weeks!

a lot of this and a bit of that

On Thursday I took Evie to big school and there was already a queue forming outside the EYFS classrooms...

...we were discussing what would happen in class and I thought that there would be a story, a song and drawing.

Then at 1.15pm the classroom doors were opened and the kiddies went in (well all of them apart from Evie).

So her teacher sensing her reluctance asked her if she wanted to hold his hand to go into the classroom (that made me feel happier as it shows that he is going to make an effort with her),

I am please to say there were no phone calls saying that she was really upset so that was good, and I went to pick her up at 2.45pm.

On our way home I asked her what they did there was a story and they sang the wheels on the bus (you really cant go wrong with that song) and she coloured in a triangle in pink (so I was right :)).

On Friday it was back to pre school and she said that she didnt want to go...

...so I got her dressed and we went there and as I was talking to one of he ladies there she started crying, so I gave her a kiss and a cuddle and told her that she would have fun and that I would be back after her second play in the playground.

I was talking to D her keyworker when I picked her up at home time and she said that Evie was upset on and off all day and thinks (the same as I do that starting big school is unsettling her).

Today Evie had her last tap dancing class (next week is her end of year show) and when it was time to go up with the teacher she started crying,,she went upstairs anyway and didnt end up coming down early so that was good.

James thinks that she is upset because of the show (she might be and normally she is ok once she is doing something enjoyable).

A friend of mine (her daughter is 4 days younger than Evie) said at least the unsettledness is coming now rather than when she is at school.

I know that she will settle in ok and will make loads of friends :).

a welcome back hug

It was back to pre school yesterday after our holiday and Evie wasnt keen on going back...

...I gave her a cuddle and told her that she would have fun ;o)

When we walked in D (her key worker) gave a huge "Ive missed you" hug which was lovely ;o)

Today we have the next "starting school" step which is leaving Evie there for an hour and a half.

She has already said that she doesnt want to go!

Ive told her that she will have a fantastic time and will meet some new friends...

song story story song

I had been telling Evie that we were going to her school yesterday for story time and she seemed ok with it, but when we went up to get her changed into her school dress (she was the only one wearing uniform again) she started crying so I gave her a cuddle and told her that I would be with her and we would have fun.

But because James was with us she did her full "screaming" bit knowing that it has worked (at getting her out of going somewhere) in the past, but it didnt work this time because it was something for her rather than me.

We got to Evies school just before the start time, and I saw there was a backlog of parents with children waiting to be allowed in....

...a few minutes later we moved forward and I had to give them Evies name and then we followed everyone else into the room where we had our original presentation for the parent tour.

We sat down and the two Reception teachers came in with some other ones (for moral support I guess :)).

We started off by singing the wheels on the bus, then we had a story Ridiculous and then Peace at Last and then we finished with singing if your happy and you know it.

She had a big smile on her face and enjoyed herself so that was good.

On our way out her teacher was on the door saying goodbye to the kids and saying that he will see them for the induction visit :)

I have told her that next time we go I will have to leave her there for an hour and a half...

...I know that one is going to be hard!

scary hair

Yesterday I went to the hairdressers to get my grey coloured in :)

I walked in to be told that L doesnt work there anymore and would I mind the new lady doing my hair :)

I didnt mind...

...as I was walking through I was asked (by one of the owners) if I was going to have the same effect on S as I have had on my previous hairdressers :)

The haircut went well and colourwise she didnt do the roots first she just did it all in one go (so I will have to see how the colour works in that way).

Tomorrow we have the third step to Evie starting school which is storytime and singing songs (I just hope us Mums dont have to do any solos :)).

two school lunches

On Friday we had Evies school lunch experience, I had already told her pre school that she wouldnt be in that day as it wouldnt have been worth taking her in and then picking her up so soon after.

I had been talking about the school lunch with Evie since booking it at the induction evening, and she started crying when I got her school dress out for her to wear saying that she didnt want to go!

So I gave her a cuddle and told her that I would be doing it with her and that we would have great fun and there would be food involved :).  I even went through with her what we would be eating :).

I made sure that I had my homework all ready in her book bag, and we were all set to go.

I handed in all of the paperwork (the school office lady didnt even crack a smile when I said that I had done my home work!).

After we had given in our childs names we were told to go through the doors and to wait in the seating area and then we would get called into the dining room.

We had just sat down and we were told that we could go in.

One of the lunchtime assistants was sat at a table and was asking the children their names   I asked if I could take photos of our lunches but was told that I couldnt which was what I expected really.

We then queued up to get our lunch another one of the ladies was telling the children what to do "pick up a tray and a knife and fork and take a cup and put it on the tray upside down".

Evie had battered fish with sweetcorn and potato wedges and bread and butter and some cucumber from the salad bar and a muller fruit corner yoghurt for dessert, I had vegetable chili with rice and sweetcorn (I didnt take anything from the salad bar so the kids could have it instead) and garlic bread and iced sponge for my dessert.

When we sat down a lady came up and asked Evie if she wanted her fish cut up and she said yes so that was good and for drinks we were offered either water or milk (we both chose water).

I had to encourage Evie to eat her lunch, she ate all of the potato wedges, cucumber and sweetcorn and most of the fish, and with the fruit corner she ate the yoghurt part (wouldnt even entertain the idea of tipping the fruit in) and then only had a bit of the fruit bit.

We then took out trays to the table at the back where the finished trays and plates go, and as we left the lady manning the doors said "see you in September" to Evie which was nice.

I asked her after if she wanted to have lunch there again and she said yes so that was good...

...I will have to explain to her nearer the time that I wont be doing it with her next time :).

step two

Today we have Evies school lunch experience...

...and yes I have done my homework :)

I will ask if I can take photos of it but Im not hopeful...

thinking outside the (school) shop

Ever since we found out what school Evie got I have been on the lookout for school uniform bits...

...as I soon realised that not every shop has all of the uniform...

...I had already misread the colour of t-shirt needed for games and bought a packet of white ones instead of blue...

...so I have been on the lookout for a packet of light blue t-shirts for games in the school shops in the supermarkets as they are a lot cheaper than clothes shops.

Yesterday afternoon we went to Sainsburys I again took a look in the school shop section and there were no light blue t-shirts, so I took a look in the rest of the girls section and found a four pack of t-shirts,

Yay one of the t-shirts in it was light blue :)

so I nabbed a set in age 5 :)

I will still carry on looking for a packet of t-shirts for school but at least we have a back up one now :)

big girl eye test

Today Evie had an eye check up at the hospital...

...in previous appointments she has had pictures to recognise from far away, but today (because she is the grand age of four and a half) she had letters ;)

I was a bit worried because she doesnt know all of her letters but it was ok because she had a sheet of eight letters and she pointed to the ones that the lady wanted her to say what they were.

She is getting some new glasses too and she has chosen pink ones again :)

Our next appointment will be when she has started school so I have asked for it to be in the school holidays so she doesnt have to miss any lessons.

it was all good

We went to the new parents induction meeting last night at Evies new school :)

Her teacher is really nice so thats good.

We have been given a ton of paper work that has to be in by 17th June!

I have booked the teacher home visit (I have organised it for the afternoon to give me time to tidy up) :)

I have also booked her storytime (which I am allowed to stay for too)

And her school dinner experience - typically (as we have pre school those days) they are only on Wednesdays and Fridays - Wednesdays are roast dinners (which I would have gone for) and Fridays is fish.

We went for a Friday one and as I dont like fish I am having vegetarian chili and for dessert it is iced sponge or muller fruit corner yogurt :)

I also have Evies timeline for starting school...

...we have one afternoon the first week, a week of afternoons (including having to bring in a packed lunch one day) and then she starts full time!

I asked Evie this morning if she liked her teacher and she said "no" and I asked her if she liked her new school and she said "no".

step one

Tomorrow we have our first induction meeting with Evies new school...

...I have written down a few questions to ask tomorrow relating to games & swimming.

The games one is to do with track suits (as in the uniform list they say it is optional) and I want to know if they will be having games outside in the winter.

I also want to know if we will be told what days she has games so I can make sure she is wearing trousers as I am not sure how she is going to cope with tights in the winter.

And swimming wise I want to know what age they start swimming lessons so I know if its worth paying out for a swimming cap yet.

LOL when I mentioned the tracksuit question to James he said "but we havent seen any kids walking home in tracksuits when we have gone to pick Evie up" not realising that they get changed back into their school uniform first :).

buttons

Yesterday I decided to get Evie practicing doing up buttons as despite me getting as many buttonless things as I can, the polo shirts that I have bought her do have buttons (albeit only three).

So yesterday morning (before breakfast) and before the tv went on I got her cardigan and showed her how to do up a button, I then undid it and got her to do it.

She got a huge cheer and a high five with every button she did up :)

I even managed to get her to do four because shes four (something she always says to me if she wants something).

James then tried to get her to do up the buttons on her cardigan when we went out but she wasnt interested by then!

dribbling and croquet

On Thursday me & Evie had a picnic in the garden...

So after I had sorted our lunch and got the bits that we would need from the garage it was ready to go into the back garden :)

Evie showed me how she had learned to dribble at pre-school

she pushed Lilly Rabbit in the toy buggy

and we played croquet

LOL it goes in easier if you push it :)

On Friday I got a letter from Evies new school with details of the process of starting school...

...including story time and singing and a school dinner experience for me & Evie :)

the first parents evening

So we arrived 5 minutes before our slot ], and the manager asked us who we were there to see and she then said that Evies key worker (the person who helps her do stuff) will be with us shortly and then handed us her learning journey :)

We were then called in and we were told the steps they were taking in conjunction with what were doing at home to get her ready for going to school.

The other area which has always been on the table was Evie socialising...

...she is now starting to play with others without having to be coaxed into it so thats good.

I have told them all of the social things that Evie does, tap dancing, tumble tots and swimming lessons, so they should all be helping her confidence with speaking to other kids and playing with them.

They must be paying off as she said that she even heard Evie singing/talking loudly the day before ;o)

I doubt that all parents evenings will be as good but we can hope :)

ps there are another 2 posts to follow... :)

almost all bought

On Friday on hos home from work James asked me if I wanted him to look in Matalan for the rest of Evies school uniform.

So I said "yes please" and rattled off a whole list of what we still needed...

...he then texted me back to say that there were till issues in there and he couldnt be bothered to wait for them to sort them out.

So yesterday after doing the grocery shopping (in there I managed to get one packet of 3 polo shirts and some PE shorts), we went via Matalan and I had a look in there while James kept Evie entertained :)

So I went in there and found there school shop...

I bought her a couple more summer dresses, a couple of pairs of trousers, 6 pairs of white socks, and a couple of cardigans :)

I only have a few more bits to buy for her now :)