Toot's in School!

Last week, Rudy started preschool. And for her first day, she wore sweet navy blue Mary Janes (just like Marley did on her first ever day of school) with one of her favorite dresses. And...a diaper. Because even though she'd been peeing on the potty like a champion for three or four days before the first day of school, everything else, let's say, was still touch and go.

Marley was a proud and responsible escort as the two sisters made their way to the preschool entrance. Here's the deal. They fight and scream and grab at each other's treasures and books and toys, and sometimes there's pushing and hitting, and, Lord help me, biting (Rudy), but mostly, they love each other. Rudy truly admires Marley, and Marley really gets a kick out of her little Toot. And Marley was excited to be a big sister who could help Rudy get settled on her first day. And then afterwards, have special Mommy time. For example, we had a big girl lunch on the stools at the counter at Target that day, and she might as well have been at an upscale oyster bar, for all the fancy she thought this achieved.

Rudy's backpack, by the way, was her choice. I showed her a bunch of different animal backpacks she could choose from, and she went for the penguin. Who knew? Maybe it's because Rudy instinctively considers the waddling penguin a peer. Her legs aren't as bowed as they once were, but just maybe, she remembers. And Danielle remembers, by the way, that she had a penguin backpack in elementary school. And as soon as she reminded me, I remembered that backpack, too. Her penguin wore a red bow tie, I think. And now Danielle and Rudy have an awesome little penguin bond.

Rudy was delighted by the tiny toilets at her preschool. She peed as soon as we got there, laughing and even screaming (loudly) with joy after she was done. Next, she washed her hands and hung up her penguin backpack with her big sister's help, and then, she tiptoed happily into her classroom. It was adorable, and she was doing that thing some little girls do when they're nervous, pulling and lifting her dress into the air.

I mean, look at that kid. What sort of nonsense is she contributing at Circle Time?