Today was Conner's first day of kindergarten! Boy, it seems like it has taken forever to get to this point. Quite often we'll look at Conner and the big boy he's become and think that he's too old for kindergarten. It's just weird.
The morning ran perfectly smoothly. I followed some tips read on other blogs and set out his clothes, shoes and backpack the night before. Along with everything we would need for breakfast (minus the milk) out on the kitchen counter. Once we were done with scriptures and father's blessings on this big day we were able to jump right into the routine. And Conner was so great at moving from one step to another really without any coaxing from me. After he ate and was dressed he told me that he was going to go comb his hair. Right on! Soon we were out the door. Once Anna and Payton were 
securely strapped into their car seats I took Conner aside and snapped a few pictures before we were on the road.
Holy cow, that shirt practically goes down to his knees! I did his back to school shopping mid-summer when the sales were on and bought everything a size up from what he's in now. Which, by the way, puts him in big kid sizes -- no more toddler stuff! I figure he'll grow or the clothes will shrink and we'll meet somewhere in the middle. Thank goodness, though, for adjustable waist pants!
On Tuesday we were able to go to the school for a quick meet and greet with his teacher and find out what the routines are. She seems like a great person -- very fun, young, happy. When Conner came home today he said that she was very nice. Which is a big thing because he doesn't ever talk about other people -- he's usually too consumed in his "Conner the Superhero" fantasies to ever notice or care.
Anyways, we brought him into the cafeteria where the K-students line up on the floor behind an orange cone labeled with their teacher's name. She was 
there already greeting the kids and putting nametags on them. As I stood back to watch (and take pictures) I noticed a little exchange going on between the two of them. She later came up to me and said, "Conner told me that his name isn't Conner anymore. He wants to be called Cut-In-Half. So I just told him that that would be our special secret name for him." Oh, I must explain. Just recently Conner told us also that he's decided his name needs to be Cut-In-Half. I have no idea why. But every once in a while he'll get a little miffed if we don't call him that. I have to admit that I think it's pretty funny so I do call him Cut-In-Half some of the time.
In this picture you can see Conner's disappointment at receiving a nametag with the name "Conner" on it. 
While Conner was gone we kept busy by taking Payton to his pre-school open house. He starts next week so we'll have first day pictures of him then.
Then it was so fun to walk out to the corner and wait for Conner's bus to arrive. I never rode the bus in school so this is a new experience for me. This year I am going to be dealing with a busy morning schedule -- take conner to school, go home, take payton to school, go home, pick Conner up, go home, pick payton up, go home. And all before 11:30am. I decided that we would take advantage of the bus service and let them bring Conner home, saving me one trip out in the car. Anyways, when the bus pulled up I could see him inside waving and smiling at us. pretty. darn. cute.
Conner had a great day. It sounds like they went on an adventure, following clues left by their class mascot "Spot, the Ladybug", that led them all around the school and taught them about the behavior and rules they need to follow at school. He couldn't tell me what his favorite part of the day was. Maybe once he has a chance to think about it a little more. So here's one more shot of our 5-year old kindergartener, back home on our doorstep after a successful first day of school!
