Second Day, Same as the First...

But a whole lot louder and a whole lot worse.

It started out well enough.

Surveying the landscape.  Looks like a good day for school!

Sure, Jack's backpack weighs as much as he does, but it's so stinking cute on him!  I even packed his lunch in John's Western States bag, which I thought might make a great ice breaker on the playground.

Jack calls shotgun.

Unfortunately, the second I took him through the front door of school, he started crying.  Mind you everyone else is on their second week of school, so I probably looked like the mom of the child who is STILL crying during week two.  I'll be blacklisted for sure.

Once I put Jack's backpack on its little hook, he lost it completely.  He was screaming for his "pack pack" and clinging to me like a spider monkey, so I walked him back towards the entrance, afraid he might start a riot.  I noticed the preschool director looking at me with disdain and kindly asked her if she had any suggestions.

"Just leave him.  It's like pulling off a Band-Aid."

Excuse me, I wanted to say, but the last time I checked Band-Aids don't have imploring blue eyes or scream "mommy" when you rip them off.  But I stifled my tears, handed Jack to his teacher, and marched bravely out.  I immediately called John for moral support but he didn't answer, so I called Sarah instead.

"It was awful!" I moaned as I pulled out of the parking lot, the evil headmistress glaring at me as I passed.  "He was screaming and crying when I left him.  I'm the worst mother in the world!"

"I guess you finally got that goodbye you were hoping for," Sarah said sweetly.

No words can adequately capture my expression, but I believe my face looked something like this.

At least we have all weekend to recover.