Matthew

When you have been in preschool for 2 1/2 years, people expect that you'll be going to kindergarten. Not the case with Matthew. Mark and I chose to put Matthew in the Montessori program when he was 18 months old. That allowed me to return to work part time, and we loved the idea of the boys not doing 'just daycare'; that their environment was centered around learning. We did try to send him just 3 days a week while Daniel went 5 days... but Matthew disagreed with that decision, and let us know that where Daniel went, Matthew also wanted to go. So, all Matthew has ever known is going to school.
This year, the Gramma's thought it was about time for Matthew to do kindergarten. When asked if he was excited, we expected a meltdown. Instead, we got classic Matthew. "I not a kindagadner. I a permanant prescooler."
Last year Matthew had quite a few "Dar Days" where Dar would pick him up at 12 and stay with him until I got home, sometime after 3pm. There hasn't really been too many of those this year, it's just not something I need right now... but Matthew misses Dar. Yesterday, when it was 'just mom' at pick-up, he pouted. "I wanted it to be Dar today." I didn't feel too bad, I know once the first few weeks are behind us that Dar will be with him at least one day a week. It does make a mom wonder though... until today, when Daniel, Mark, and Matthew himself told me that Matthew cried a while at school today. I left early, and it was Dad's day to do the school shuffle: drop off, pick up, bus. I got home after Daniel got off the bus, so as we worked on the first homework assignment of the year, Daniel shared with me that Matthew cried. Then, in Matthew's no-nonsense voice, he told me
"I was sad Mommy. I really missed you."
Thanks buddy. I really missed you too.