First days of school

We didn't have one "first" day of school around here this year.  Regan and Jane started 3rd and 1st grade on Monday, Anna started nursery on Tuesday and Meredith started KG1 (basically pre-K but at the elementary school) on Wednesday.  Overall we are very pleased with our teacher draw this year!

Regan and Anna are thrilled to be back at school.  Jane is okay with it but happy that her good friend Ameera is in her class.  Meredith is a little unsure of the whole thing (although her second day today was definitely a happy day compared to her feeling a little tired and overwhelmed yesterday - when I asked her how her first day went, she just described it as "long!").  KG1 is a full-day which is a long day for these pre-kindergarteners!  She stuck *very* close to the teacher all day on the first day and had to lay down twice for a little rest but she got back into her groove today and played hard with her old pre-school buddy Alicia and even earned a "Star Student" sticker on her first day for her hard work on building a magnet house with Alicia.  Meredith's class room is a pre-K student's dream!  It has guinea pigs, fish, turtles, a reading loft, lots of pillows, lots of pretend play.  Even Regan and Jane walk in and say, "Wow, I want to go to KG1!).  We are *so* excited about Meredith's upcoming year with Mrs. Mary (who incidentally got her phD in education at the University of Arkansas - small world!).

Here are a few photos and some videos.  Anna keeps talking about how she paints and colors and does "Hot Potato" at school (I'm not exactly sure what kind of "Hot Potato" game they play with two-year olds but she clearly loves it).  Anna can barely be bothered to tell me good-bye when she gets there - it is very cute and oh, so much better for me as a mother than if she were sad about it.

Regan and Jane are doing great.  Regan didn't really like Arabic last year but just loves her Arabic teacher this year.  I caught Regan and Jane practicing their Arabic together after school today and captured a little bit of it below.

Here is Anna talking a little about her school (painting, coloring and "Hot Potato")

Elizabeth and Regan are over the moon to be in the same class
again this year

Who thinks there is no humidity in Abu Dhabi.  Well, this picture
certainly proves you wrong!  My camera was all fogged up as we
left the house for Jane and Regan's 1st day of school.  Those signs say
something about it being the first day of school!

A little fun for the little ones on Regan and Jane's
1st day of school.  Anna has always been terrified
of this train (it's pretty loud, fast and bumpy)

She clearly decided that it's pretty fun though!  And she was willing
to sit *far* from Mere (who can barely be seen in the front!).

Playdate at our house with best buddy Alicia before their first day
of school the following day.

This picture has nothing to do with the 1st days
of school - she just looked particularly cute in
Regan's Jessie hat!

Meredith's first day joining her big sisters
at The American Community School
of Abu Dhabi