And a big yellow school bus took away my little man
September 08, 2009
And then it brought him back again.
(Standard-sized preschooler-dwarfing backpack required by the school. He chose this one because of its color resemblance to YOU WILL NEVER GUESS WHAT.)
He made puzzles and there was paint and he ate a snack and snack was pananas and pretzels, yeah, two things! and yellow backpack and then the school bus. THE SCHOOL BUS, MOMMY. The school bus is coming back, Mommy? The school bus again tomorrow again?
(It was a little less exciting for us this morning. Something more like your throat collapsing from the inside, once we said goodbye and watched the bus drive off, knowing that he would be met by total strangers on the other end, people we haven't even met yet, ushered into a classroom we haven't seen, the veil of our all-encompassing involvement in everything he does slowly getting drawn, as it will more and more, but oh! not yet, not yet.)
(Seeing the [totally non-short, by the way] bus come back around our corner a few hours later was MY favorite part of the day, second maybe only to seeing his delighted face in the window and hearing him gleefully shout "THAT'S MY MOMMY!" to his fellow passengers. Take THAT, stupid veil, you dickwad.)
(Incidentally, the forms? ARE STILL IN HIS BACKPACK. I am starting to think that maybe my terrible fearful fear of real and/or imaginary authority figures is something I can let go of, a little bit.)
(SCHOOL BUS SCHOOL BUS SCHOOL BUS MOMMY MOMMY I RIDE ON THE SCHOOL BUS MOMMY SCHOOL BUS)
Oh, huzzah on all counts!
Posted by: Brenda | September 08, 2009 at 01:13 PM
This is too precious for words. He is growing up so quickly...
Posted by: Donna P | September 08, 2009 at 01:14 PM
Sigh... I love your family.
Posted by: Amy | September 08, 2009 at 01:15 PM
oh those days are hard, I am on number 3 and I assure you it DOES NOT get easier with every child!!! Enjoy it, because now my 9 year old wants me to drop her off and PLEASE don't kiss me in front of my friends MOM!!!(sigh) I heard it gets better, right?!?!?!?! :-)
Posted by: DeAnn | September 08, 2009 at 01:15 PM
woohooo!!! WTG Noah :)
Posted by: Jean | September 08, 2009 at 01:16 PM
It sounds like an oh, so fabulous day! (Noah has great taste on back pack colors, by the way!)
Posted by: Starbuck | September 08, 2009 at 01:17 PM
This is Noah, running happily toward a new experience! Fantastic!
Posted by: Judy | September 08, 2009 at 01:17 PM
YAYYY Noah!!!! :))
Posted by: Lisa | September 08, 2009 at 01:19 PM
I LOVE the photo of him running to get on the bus.
And, based on photo #2 - are you sure it's not taking him to high school?!?
Posted by: Whozat | September 08, 2009 at 01:21 PM
I have a lump in my throat. Your heart must just be bursting. I am so so happy for you!!
Posted by: PaintingChef | September 08, 2009 at 01:23 PM
I don't anything could have made me as happy as this post just did. FANTASTIC for Noah(and you and Jason too).
Posted by: Jessicawp | September 08, 2009 at 01:23 PM
OMG! You put your BABY on a BUS and did not promptly fall to the ground weeping? You are AWESOME!
He looks both so big and so little in these pictures. Way to go, Noah!!!!
Posted by: Michelle Madayag | September 08, 2009 at 01:24 PM
I've never met Jason, but that second picture of Noah looks SO MUCH LIKE the photos I've seen of your husband! To someone without kids, this offspring-resembling-parents thing is still kind of amazing to me.
So glad Noah is having a good time! And yay for you for all of the hard work you've done to get him to this point!!
Posted by: Rebecca | September 08, 2009 at 01:27 PM
Yaaayy!! That's so awesome that he loves it. I feel like kids either love it or hate it, and Noah really needed to love it.
Can I just say HOW BIG he is?! Sorry if that makes your throat collapse from inside again... but my god, BIG! And adorable!
Posted by: Belle | September 08, 2009 at 01:31 PM
Thanks for making me have to explain to my boss why I was splayed across my desk, openly weeping...YAY NOAH!!
Posted by: linka72 | September 08, 2009 at 01:39 PM
I started reading your blog before Noah was born and shortly there after my son was born. I can't believe this is happening!
Posted by: Mandy | September 08, 2009 at 01:39 PM
That is all kinds of awesome.
Posted by: Sprite's Keeper | September 08, 2009 at 01:42 PM
When did he get so big? I remember your blog posts of him as a wee. He looks so grown up.
Posted by: Amy | September 08, 2009 at 01:49 PM
Yeah Noah!
My preschool requires the same ridiculous sized backpack, and I carry it also, what is that about?
Posted by: jodifur | September 08, 2009 at 01:50 PM
Awesome day of growth for Noah and for you!! With a middle schooler and a high schooler, I miss the days of the kids being EXCITED to get on the bus and go to school. And I am way too familiar with the veil. I'm still not used to people I don't know knowing my kids. You and Noah are on your way to an exciting year. Here's to a fabulous year at school and on the totally non-short school bus!!
Posted by: Kathi | September 08, 2009 at 01:51 PM
Hooray Noah!!!! I'm so happy for you that he enjoyed it! Pananas and pretzels! The best.
Congratulations. My Jessica is in PreK this year, but it's at the daycare where she's always been. I'm going to be a hot mess on the first day of Kindergarten next year!
Posted by: Cheryl S. | September 08, 2009 at 01:52 PM
Man...he looks so OLD. And riding a bus? Wow.
Great entry - by the way. Odd how it reminded me of a few weeks ago when I dropped mine off at his first day of high school.
Don't tell him I said that.
Posted by: Zoot | September 08, 2009 at 01:54 PM
Yeah!!! How awesome it is that he loved it and can't wait to go back for more.
My only problem, who's that teenager in the second picture? Because that is NOT Noah, Noah is a young boy. That other kid is way too old.
Posted by: Hope | September 08, 2009 at 01:55 PM
"Throat collapsing from the inside" - I think you could totally make a living out of coming up with ways to say what others feel throughout our lives. That is totally how I felt just watching Noah approach that bus. I don't know if I could have let him go...you are a better mommy than I.
Posted by: Karen | September 08, 2009 at 01:56 PM
This post made me feel a little weepy. I'm so glad Noah had a good first day. You'll come around too. :)
Posted by: Susie | September 08, 2009 at 01:57 PM
This made me teary! So excited for you and Noah on this new journey!
Posted by: Jackie | September 08, 2009 at 01:59 PM
OH. MY. GOSH. SO. CUTE.
My throat collapsed on your behalf.
Posted by: Nel | September 08, 2009 at 02:04 PM
I'm TOTALLY choked up. I'm so proud of him!
Posted by: samantha jo campen | September 08, 2009 at 02:05 PM
This post is so very full of win.
Posted by: Charlie | September 08, 2009 at 02:07 PM
Awesome! That throat-collapsing part is the most accurate description I've heard...
Posted by: tsc | September 08, 2009 at 02:07 PM
Go Noah! He OWNS that school bus!
Posted by: Kristen McD | September 08, 2009 at 02:09 PM
It *is* a lovely school bus...
Posted by: cris | September 08, 2009 at 02:09 PM
That veil really is a dickwad.
Posted by: jive turkey | September 08, 2009 at 02:11 PM
I'm glad Noah is enjoying school. Let's hope this enthusiasm continues throughout the year.
Posted by: Cassidy | September 08, 2009 at 02:13 PM
Noah looks so grown up!!! =)
Posted by: Averil | September 08, 2009 at 02:13 PM
Okay, totally unrelated, and I swear, I'm a completely heterosexual, married woman who, while admittedly a bit of a voyeur to some degree (aren't all of us who read blogs and watch reality TV), is completely of the non-stalkerish wholesome variety, blah, blah, blah...
I just want to comment that your ass looks really good. I say this as another female who had a baby nearly 2 years ago and have yet to reclaim my figure. I'm full of envy.
Posted by: Wendy | September 08, 2009 at 02:22 PM
What a big brave boy!! I love it!! And, a brave mommy too.
Posted by: txmama | September 08, 2009 at 02:24 PM
This post makes me happy and smiley and generally <3 <3 <3.
(Also, I agree with the comment above mine-- your ass looks awesome)
Posted by: MButterfly | September 08, 2009 at 02:25 PM
oh my goodness. Happy!
Posted by: Lori | September 08, 2009 at 02:29 PM
What happened? A few weeks ago you posted pictures of him and he looked like the same 'ol handsome Noah. This is not the same kid. Tell me you've gotten really good at messing around with Microsoft Paint.
Such grown up, this one. Way to go, Noah!
Posted by: rkmama | September 08, 2009 at 02:30 PM
Love it, seriously just teared up over a kid who I don't actually know getting so excited about a school bus, so precious, yay for Noah!
Posted by: Shelley | September 08, 2009 at 02:30 PM
WOHOOOO!!! How exciting for Noah!! Man, but I can imagine what you guys were feeling though... Sheeesh, wish these milestones were just as easy as the early ones, right? Shame our kids can't take their first ride on the school bus right in the living room as they did YEARS AGO when they were just learning to flip onto their backs or crawl (BTW, wasn't that just 2 days ago or something? Are you sure Noah is already supposed to be riding the school bus??)
Posted by: Katie | September 08, 2009 at 02:32 PM
I thought to myself, "Good. The bus isn't short.", but I wasn't going to mention it. And then you did! So, double hooray for non-short buses!
Way to go Mom and Noah!
Posted by: Sherry | September 08, 2009 at 02:39 PM
Oh my gosh, SCHOOL BUS I RIDE THE BUS MOMMY does not end. Not ever. My three-year-old has been riding it since March and every day after she comes home I hear, "MOMMY! I ride the bus today! I ride the bus with my FRIENDS!" aboooouuuut, oh, twenty million times.
Posted by: schoolofmom | September 08, 2009 at 02:43 PM
Awe.Some.
Posted by: aimee @ smilingmama | September 08, 2009 at 02:45 PM
From the looks of photo #2 he does not need you intruding on his precious bus time, because he needs it to mack on the ladies.
And you say you just got back from the beach? What's that rumor about premature aging?
Posted by: sarahbeanne | September 08, 2009 at 02:49 PM
WTF??? When did Noah turn into a real person-like person??? What happened to the preshus baybeee???
But honestly, good for all y'all!
Posted by: Tiffany | September 08, 2009 at 02:50 PM
Way to go, Noah!
Posted by: Kristin | September 08, 2009 at 02:53 PM
My boy isn't even 5 months old and these pictures made it impossible for me to swallow, the lump is so big. I can't imagine how proud and scared and happy and sad you must feel today.
I'm not gonna lie, I was totally relieved that it wasn't a short bus.
Posted by: Hope | September 08, 2009 at 02:59 PM
"THAT'S MY MOMMY!" *sniffle*
Posted by: Heather | September 08, 2009 at 03:03 PM
Congratulations on a successful first day of school!
And I had a feeling it would be a regular ol' bus :)
Posted by: Kelly | September 08, 2009 at 03:06 PM
Oh I can really relate to this post. My little man (3yrs) rode off on the bus to his preschool also. He was so excited and I was just pretending to be. They get so big so fast don't they?
Posted by: Kristin | September 08, 2009 at 03:12 PM
Yay Noah!!!
Posted by: ksmaybe | September 08, 2009 at 03:15 PM
My lands, that is a handsome boy you've got there. :)
Posted by: Lori | September 08, 2009 at 03:16 PM
So sweet! And totally throat-collapsing! Love his guayabera, by the way.
Posted by: Miguelina | September 08, 2009 at 03:16 PM
YAY!!!!!
Posted by: jessica | September 08, 2009 at 03:20 PM
Holy crap! Noah looks so much like an 11 year old in that second picture!
Reading this post made my heart swell with pride for a child that I have never even seen. But that I think is totally amazing, just the same.
Go Noah!!!
Posted by: Jen | September 08, 2009 at 03:23 PM
Your family is awesome! Hurrah for Noah! And hurrah for you for not going completely spastic - I would have!!!
Posted by: Maria | September 08, 2009 at 03:28 PM
CAN I GET A WOOT! What a big boy! And yay for the bus!
Posted by: Amanda | September 08, 2009 at 03:30 PM
Yea for the school bus ~ and SNACK ~ snack rocks!
Posted by: Marcia Harris | September 08, 2009 at 03:38 PM
What a special guy. I think matching your outfit to your transportation is simple genius.
Posted by: LPC | September 08, 2009 at 04:04 PM
I am so glad that Noah was excited. And I can certainly see why the bus's triumphant return was the best part of your day.
Victory! One day at a time :).
Posted by: Stacy | September 08, 2009 at 04:05 PM
Here's to more happy days on the big bus!
Posted by: autismville | September 08, 2009 at 04:12 PM
Oh gosh did he grow up over night? He looks so big!
Posted by: Carrie | September 08, 2009 at 04:18 PM
Me... IN TEARS! Oh my god Amy! He's such a big man - sweetest little face. I just love him even though I've never met him! And my heart goes out to you... I am not at ALL sure I'll make it through the first day of Kindergarten for B (and it's over a year away!).
So glad he loves it and I hope that does your heart good so it's not so hard to let him go! Just remember, every day you'll get "THAT'S MY MOMMY!" *SIGH!*
Posted by: Katie Kat | September 08, 2009 at 04:25 PM
This is just the best news. Hooray for Noah!
Posted by: Hannah | September 08, 2009 at 04:26 PM
Rebecca, I thought so too! I looked at that second picture and saw Jason. Something around the mouth, I think.
Posted by: Judy | September 08, 2009 at 04:28 PM
The Noah rocks The School Bus.
I love your little guy. I really do.
Posted by: Missie | September 08, 2009 at 04:48 PM
Fantastic! I am so glad he likes it. Happy for you all.
Posted by: bunnybear | September 08, 2009 at 05:02 PM
Cryyyyyyyyyyy.
He looks so big. Proud of both of you!
Posted by: Jen L. | September 08, 2009 at 05:09 PM
definitely made me tear up a bit!! What a great story, and I hope this preschool does everything you've hoped for and more! Great Job Noah!
Posted by: Myranda | September 08, 2009 at 05:12 PM
I am SO proud of you Noah!
And a big day for you too Amy. Here's hoping this is the best year yet.
Posted by: Brandi | September 08, 2009 at 05:26 PM
Wow! Big boy! So great that he loves it.
Posted by: Becca | September 08, 2009 at 05:38 PM
Oh my goodness, I agree with the other comments, he totally looks like a teenager in that picture! Hey good lookin!
Posted by: Cristin | September 08, 2009 at 05:46 PM
YAY for the day the bus finally came! He looks so happy!
Posted by: Haley | September 08, 2009 at 06:08 PM
Oh my. I'm totally PMSing but your post just made me cry a little. He's so grown up. So silly... I don't even know you people....
Posted by: Nosaby | September 08, 2009 at 06:12 PM
awesome,wonderful, spectacular there just aren't enough words!!!! I'm so proud of him!
Posted by: lisa | September 08, 2009 at 06:25 PM
imagine if he hated the bus and the obsession was of fear and loathing and NOT wanting it to come back. That would be so much worse.
Posted by: Amie | September 08, 2009 at 06:35 PM
Yay! Infrequent commenter grandma-aged person is so thrilled for all of you! And yes, he looks so mature and handsome, heading for the bus! And "That's my Mommy!" Oh, sniffle and yay! He accepted this new world and was happy to see you at the end, and wants to do it again tomorrow. First Day of School grand slam home run! Yay!
Posted by: Catherine | September 08, 2009 at 06:36 PM
Go Noah! He looks so cute standing next to that huge backpack!
Did he start both preschools today? (the district one and the super-expensive camp one?)
If so, how are you feeling about the decision to send him to the camp one as well? I know you were struggling with that decision and I'm curious as to how the first day might have/might have not changed your mind.
Posted by: R | September 08, 2009 at 07:35 PM
way to go, noah!
Posted by: beyond | September 08, 2009 at 08:06 PM
Ok - who is that adorable little boy that replaced adorable toddler Noah? He grew up literally OVERNIGHT! Noo.... (seeing as he is a month older than my L... my L can't be THAT old....)
Posted by: momsmoo | September 08, 2009 at 08:07 PM
a) this entry totally made me cry, because there is nothing I can't handle more than little kids' first day of school.
b) Noah's practically a TEENAGER! He's gotten so big!
Hope the rest of the week and the school year just keeps getting better and better!
Posted by: heathabee | September 08, 2009 at 08:50 PM
NOAH!! "That's my mommy!" I love it. What a cutie! And he DOES look like a little man in those pictures. You're so brave to let go of that hand while he steps on the bus. I'm not sure I'll be able to do that.
Posted by: Karen | September 08, 2009 at 09:02 PM
I am so happy for you!
Posted by: Julie | September 08, 2009 at 09:06 PM
Oh, Amy-
How wonderfully, fantastically, awesome.
Go, Noah!
Posted by: Deb | September 08, 2009 at 09:09 PM
Noah has always been a mini Amalah in my eyes, but that second photo.... SO your hubby in that one, he looks like a different little boy! And the so big and so little comment, so true! Thanks again for giving me the tear cleanse I needed! Hooray for Noah! And Hooray for Mommy!
Posted by: Melissa | September 08, 2009 at 09:32 PM
Aw, Noah's so cute.
I'm glad you guys had a good experience with the bus. Let's just say today was the first day of school on the bus for my daughter, Aaand I'll be driving her from now on.
Btw! Finally saw you and your husband on Throwdown last night. Blue cheese mussels. They looked delectable but how ever did you eat those while pregnant? Brave.
Posted by: Linda | September 08, 2009 at 10:00 PM
SOB!
What an awesome job he did. :)
Posted by: robyn | September 08, 2009 at 10:05 PM
Dude! I totally shot wine out of my nose when you mentioned the non-short-bus part! I freaking love you! (But stop making me waste wine!)
Posted by: Jill | September 08, 2009 at 10:27 PM
R - the other program won't start until October 1st, actually. He needs to be officially four years old to go there. Still freaked out about the cost (the fees! Those blasted extra feeeeeees!) but we KNOW their approach works and they are really helping us battle w/ our insurance to cover shit they're *supposed* to cover. So right now we feel pretty good. Swinging for the fences this year, with all our might.
Posted by: Amalah | September 08, 2009 at 10:37 PM
I remember this as if it was yesterday...honestly. The only thing is, now I'm facing the same thing with my grandson. I just don't want to let him lose his sweet, trusting innocence already. If time could be frozen, I would seriously consider it. Come for a visit. You talk. I will listen.
Posted by: darnold23 | September 08, 2009 at 10:45 PM
The shirt. I love the shirt!
Posted by: Kelliqua | September 08, 2009 at 11:48 PM
i am having flashbaacks of the day the yellow (short) bus picked up my own son and took him away. ack! it was just 4 years ago. he loved it just as much as your, Noah and, even better, he was so cool at day care when the yellow bus dropped him off in front of all of his friends who rode the white day care 15 passenger van...oh yeah, he was the man...still is. good luck to you guys.
Posted by: Laura Scarborough | September 09, 2009 at 02:33 AM
Yes, way to go Noah! But also, WAY TO GO PARENTS!!
Posted by: Bea | September 09, 2009 at 05:33 AM
Nice backpack. I just had to pipe up and say, don't knock the short bus. I bused 22 miles to high school and only drove myself infrequently. Freshman year we rode a regular bus, but sophomore year there were only 3 of us so they downgraded sizes. And I must tell you, the short bus was AWESOME! First, it had a/c, which rocks in the Louisiana heat. Second, whereas the big buses topped out at 50-55mph, we could cruise at 65-70 and get home a little bit earlier. Third, I never had to look very hard for my bus in the long line of buses. Fourth, when it broke down once, our bus drive Miss Sharon came and picked us up in her Civic. And Fifth, when we had afterschool activities or carpooled, we called the bus driver and unofficially gave her the day off! She'd still make the loop in the mornings or show up at school to double-check of course, but if there was no one waiting she just headed back home. Yep, the short bus was pretty awesome.
Posted by: Elaine | September 09, 2009 at 07:03 AM
He's adorable!
So glad day 1 went well!
Posted by: Kylak | September 09, 2009 at 07:19 AM
Congratulations, Noah! I hope he continues to love the school bus :D
Posted by: Mama Coyote | September 09, 2009 at 09:22 AM
Wow. Who is this grown boy, who looks an awful lot like little Noah! He looks so grown up its scary - where oh where has the squidgy little gloworm gone!!!
Posted by: Jamie | September 09, 2009 at 09:29 AM
Cheers for Noah!
And hugs for Mom =)
Posted by: Sarah @ BecomingSarah.com | September 09, 2009 at 11:03 AM