Backpacks, everyone!

On Monday, it was finally time for Miles to stop watching Magic School Bus (while Mummy did work for classes) and go back to school.

His last year's backpack is still in fine shape, but like so many things, it's in a box... somewhere. So we trimmed up a simple backpack to coordinate with his current fandom:

For the interested, Miles is on Goblet of Fire. Jon and I made the decision that after book 3, he'd have to read Harry Potter without any reading aloud or audiobooks. I want to be sure he's ready for that content, and not impose it on him by reading it aloud. To be clear, he read most of books 1-3 on his own, but every other day or so we'd read him a chapter, and sometimes he'd read while listening to the audiobook from the library. Now he's on the most mammoth of the series and he's plodding along.
The backpack reflects his aesthetic taste, right at this moment. It'll probably change by Christmas.
On Miles' first day of school, I got up earlier than usual to get my run in with Koopa.

At 7:45, we began our 600 foot walk to school! We walk right up to the classroom, and the kids wait in line in the schoolyard.

Or they did the first day. Today, they were all over the place until the doors opened, playing tag and hopscotch and other games I did not understand.

Miles was really pretty bold, for a new kid at a new school.

Adele was fairly devastated to have him gone. She spent a lot of Monday on the porch "waiting for Miles."

He was sorry to leave her, too.

Showing off the new backpack...

I feel weird about taking pictures of Miles' classmates. But his class is so beautiful! 28 very different little souls. Some exuberant, some shy, some talkative, some focused, all kinds of clothes, hair, skin. There's a kid with a mohawk and a little boy with a cool long topknot braid. I feel like Miles can probably be himself in this group.

Can I tell you how much I love not having to drive in the morning? How much I love just being able to walk up the street to the crosswalk instead of half a mile to the bus stop? It's so peaceful!

Sometimes Adele lingers to play...

But before long we have to get home. I have work to do! On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Jon does the school "run" and walks the dog, while I'm attending my lecture class via Facetime. So far, it's worked beautifully!

Adele's been my mascot this week. She types on her keyboard, and I type on mine.

 

The Preschool Princess begins her preK year on Tuesday! She's got her dress all picked out, and she and her teacher get along famously already. Bring on next week!