special k

Nyla had kindergarten orientation yesterday so she could meet her teacher beforehand and her dad grilled her a bit about it last night.

"Did you like your teacher?"

"Yes."

"How old is she?"

"Nanny's age" (She's is probably 35, but dressed very, uh, teacherly so I can see how Nyla thinks she is closer to a typical grandmothers age.)

"Is she skinny? Or heavy?"

"She is heavy for mommy to pick up." (She is skinny for the record, but larger than me so yes, I suppose I couldn't lift the teacher if it were required.)

"Okay" I said cutting them off. "It's a school night."

"Hey!" He said half serious, half joking. "I don't ever want to hear that again!"

"Oh, you might change your mind about that." Nyla said grinning.

I think that grin of anticipation lasted. Today was no dress rehearsal and Nyla seemed pretty pulled together because leaving your child in a building full of strangers for the afternoon is a pretty surreal experience.


On the steps that her Auntie Jamie stood on her first day of kindergarten twenty plus years ago.


Awaiting the teacher's aid to walk all the kids to the classroom. Daddy whispered a little pep talk—who knows what he said today.