Let the freaking out begin!

It's official. I'm a nervous wreck over this whole starting school business. It started first thing this morning with a pre-planned playdate with the woman and daughter (and her five year old son) whom I am going to be exchanging childcare with once a week so that we can both work in the classroom. We started talking about schedules and it was enough to make my head explode.

I'll have her daughter (14 mos) and Bennett once a week while she takes the big kids to school and works in the classroom and then vice versa another day of the week. Then there's playgroup for the little kids (she's joining Bennett's playgroup), not to mention other activities for all the kids. She's doing Wonderful Ones with her daughter on Tuesdays and I'm enrolling Bennett in a Terrific Toddler class at the tennis club on Thursdays. Her son will be taking other classes, similarly to how I've already enrolled Morgan in ballet and soccer. When you slice it up, we're pretty much busy every day of the week, not to mention EVERYTHING else we have going on.

After the playdate this morning, we went to the school for orientation to drop off the thousand-page registration packet and to have pictures taken. Morgan had hers done first and they couldn't get a real smile out of her. She's at this age where she tries to fake it and it looks totally forced. So, her kindergarten pictures will be without a real smile. I had to have my picture made also since I plan on working in the classroom and will need it for my badge. From there, we stopped by the fundraising table to sign up to work the Bingo fundraiser and to drop off the keys to our savings account. Next up was the PTO table where I signed myself up, paid for myself and Morgan's teacher, and got the schedule of reoccurring meetings. Once that was done, we headed over to the office to pick up the packet of paperwork and information I'll need to go have my fingerprinting and background check complete since I plan on working on campus. That was another chunk of money. Finally, I was able to walk Morgan through the Kindergarten hallway and give her a chance to see where she *may* be coming next week. We find out who her teacher is tomorrow at the back to school barbecue.

We got home and had lunch and when I got done, I sat down and started filling out yet more paperwork for this background check. And then I needed to call and make an appointment to get a TB test since I'll need that done also. Last night, I had a long talk with a friend of mine who went through all this last year with her now first grader. She gave me some tips on the first day of school (traffic, parking, etc) and I decided I should pass that information along to the other moms I've gotten to know over the summer at the park playdates. Emails to them. Finally, FINALLY, I remember about ME. And how I haven't had a hair cut in ---OH MY GOSH--- almost FIVE months. Holy crap. Thank goodness she can fit me in fairly soon. Is this what happens to busy moms? You forget to get your hair cut? At least when I was working in the corporate world, there was a sort of sanity check for personal hygiene. Now? Anything goes!

Now I'm sitting here after my appointents are made and paperwork is filled out. Calendar is updated. And tomorrow is the back to school barbecue where we'll find out not only who Morgan's teacher is, but also what other kids are in her class. I wonder if Morgan will like her teacher. I wonder if the teacher and I will get along. I wonder if she's going to be in a class with other kids she's met over the summer.

Let the freaking out begin.