Coralie's First First Day of School

We registered Coralie for preschool last spring.  She was frustrated that she couldn't start the very day she was signed up.  She asked repeatedly over the last few months when she was going to get to go to school.  When I took her to orientation, she got cold feet.  Her little eyes welled up with tears and she scrunched up her face.  I could see that she was trying so hard to be a big girl and not cry, but she was oh so close.  I am not typically a crier when I drop my kids off at school for the first time.  I was excited for her and excited for me to be down to only one child to drag to the grocery store.  Seeing her sad little face almost got me.   I had to pull out the big guns and offer to get her a milk shake on the way home as a big girl reward.  Some may call that a bribe...I'll consider it incentive.  Either way, little miss accepted my offer of a 'shilpmake' and went in her classroom to play.  I could tell she didn't really want to, but she was brave.  When she started school the next Monday, I was really hoping there wouldn't be tears or any need for 'incentive'.  My hopes were realized with she walked right in her class with barely a goodbye to Emmeline or me.  I stood in her classroom for a minute talking to her teacher and then told her bye.  She was playing with the play kitchen with her back to me.  She said goodbye without even turning around.  I may or may not have *almost* shed a tear on the way home.  Emmeline asked 'Where Coralie?' probably 1000 times that day.  When I went to pick her up, her teacher said she had a great day and that she and Max (a little boy in her class) were buddies.  When we left, Coralie turned around and said in a sing songie voice 'bye Max'.  Seriously?  Already?  She's FOUR.  Poor Max.  He has no idea the mess he may have gotten himself into.  She's a handful, dude.  But she's totally worth it.  :)  

Unfortunately, she only goes to school in Mondays and Wednesdays, so on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday she continually asks if she can go to school.  She doesn't understand why I just can't take her down there on her off days.  I am just happy that she seems to love it and I hope she feels the same way next year when she is in Kindergarten full time.