First Day Recap
Zoe's first day at school went pretty much as I had feared, but not for the reason I expected. I thought she would dissolve when we left, which didn't happen at all.
It seems she was doing just fine until The Banshee showed up. That's the name I've given the little girl who, to put it mildly, didn't adjust well to her first day at school. According to Ms. Maria, Zozo was just sitting down to breakfast when Mr. and Mrs. Banshee dropped off their offspring, who proceeded to throw the tantrum of all tantrums which included an ear-piercing scream that continued for quite some time. Zoe doesn't particularly care for loud noises anyway, but when it's coming from a child her own size, I'm sure it's terrifying.
The Banshee set off Zozer, and that was it. She was done for the rest of the day. Weepy, withdrawn, etc. She observed all activities, and would be just on the brink of joining when it was time to switch to a new activity. Ms. Maria reassured us that she's completely normal and will be just fine...it's just going to take some time. And possibly a sedative for her classmate. Okay, that last idea is mine, not the teacher's, but I'm sure she'd agree.
When we picked Zoe up yesterday afternoon, she began crying as soon as she saw us. I scooped her up and held her, and she laid her little pig-tailed head on my shoulder and sobbed, "Mommy, I was just so, so sad." Pretty sure that's when M and I both started bawling. We talked to her teacher for a few more minutes, then left. The Banshee was gone already, so we didn't get to see her (I picture an evil little child with horns, but it could be that I'm just a weensy bit biased towards my angelic girl).
We strapped Zozer in the car and headed to the airport to drop M off for his flight. She sat quietly in the backseat, but would start crying every 5-10 minutes for no apparent reason. She told us her tummy hurt, and I assured her that it was because she hadn't eaten all day (no breakfast, no lunch, no snacks) and that we'd have dinner as soon as we got home and she'd feel better. M was torn up to leave her in such a state.
I finally got her home and had just taken her shoes and socks off (still holding her...she just needed to be cuddled), when the stress of the day came up. Literally. She threw up, all over me, herself and Hoot. I think Hootie took the brunt of it. It was all stomach acid, as there was no food in her stomach to go anywhere, and up it came. She looked at my quizzically and asked, "What was that in my mouth?!" It's been a year and a half since she last threw up, and she's only thrown up maybe four times in her whole life. I explained to her what happened, and then she wanted to call Daddy.
"Daddy, I throwed up! My tummy hurt, and I throwed up, and now I feel better."
She was perfectly fine from then on and we had a normal evening. We did talk about school, and how she was upset that she didn't get to play dress up or paint, but how she would have another chance to do that on Wednesday. She told me about going out to the playground and playing ball in the gym with the big red "K" in the floor. She told me everything they ate for lunch, and explained that she didn't eat any of it. My heart shattered over and over again, but I was encouraged that she was already talking about going back to school.
When I was first pregnant, my mom told me, "After you give birth, you will learn what it feels like to walk around with your heart outside your body, because it's not yours any more. It'll always be with your child." Man, was she right.
It seems she was doing just fine until The Banshee showed up. That's the name I've given the little girl who, to put it mildly, didn't adjust well to her first day at school. According to Ms. Maria, Zozo was just sitting down to breakfast when Mr. and Mrs. Banshee dropped off their offspring, who proceeded to throw the tantrum of all tantrums which included an ear-piercing scream that continued for quite some time. Zoe doesn't particularly care for loud noises anyway, but when it's coming from a child her own size, I'm sure it's terrifying.
The Banshee set off Zozer, and that was it. She was done for the rest of the day. Weepy, withdrawn, etc. She observed all activities, and would be just on the brink of joining when it was time to switch to a new activity. Ms. Maria reassured us that she's completely normal and will be just fine...it's just going to take some time. And possibly a sedative for her classmate. Okay, that last idea is mine, not the teacher's, but I'm sure she'd agree.
When we picked Zoe up yesterday afternoon, she began crying as soon as she saw us. I scooped her up and held her, and she laid her little pig-tailed head on my shoulder and sobbed, "Mommy, I was just so, so sad." Pretty sure that's when M and I both started bawling. We talked to her teacher for a few more minutes, then left. The Banshee was gone already, so we didn't get to see her (I picture an evil little child with horns, but it could be that I'm just a weensy bit biased towards my angelic girl).
We strapped Zozer in the car and headed to the airport to drop M off for his flight. She sat quietly in the backseat, but would start crying every 5-10 minutes for no apparent reason. She told us her tummy hurt, and I assured her that it was because she hadn't eaten all day (no breakfast, no lunch, no snacks) and that we'd have dinner as soon as we got home and she'd feel better. M was torn up to leave her in such a state.
I finally got her home and had just taken her shoes and socks off (still holding her...she just needed to be cuddled), when the stress of the day came up. Literally. She threw up, all over me, herself and Hoot. I think Hootie took the brunt of it. It was all stomach acid, as there was no food in her stomach to go anywhere, and up it came. She looked at my quizzically and asked, "What was that in my mouth?!" It's been a year and a half since she last threw up, and she's only thrown up maybe four times in her whole life. I explained to her what happened, and then she wanted to call Daddy.
"Daddy, I throwed up! My tummy hurt, and I throwed up, and now I feel better."
She was perfectly fine from then on and we had a normal evening. We did talk about school, and how she was upset that she didn't get to play dress up or paint, but how she would have another chance to do that on Wednesday. She told me about going out to the playground and playing ball in the gym with the big red "K" in the floor. She told me everything they ate for lunch, and explained that she didn't eat any of it. My heart shattered over and over again, but I was encouraged that she was already talking about going back to school.
When I was first pregnant, my mom told me, "After you give birth, you will learn what it feels like to walk around with your heart outside your body, because it's not yours any more. It'll always be with your child." Man, was she right.
posted by Amy at 8:21 AM
1 Comments:
It doesn't matter how old they get. It will always be that way!
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