And we're back!

Today was the much-anticipated first day of first grade for Calvin. He'd been a little nervous the past few weeks, but it helped to see so many friends on campus late yesterday, when the class lists were posted.

He is disappointed only two of his kindergarten buddies are in his class, but otherwise he came home today in very good spirits with a goody bag from his teacher.

The last few days of summer vacation were blisteringly hot -- triple digits hot -- but we did our best to enjoy them. We snuck in a few playdates, frolicked at the amusement park, and went on a lovely trip through the redwoods riding right behind a hulking, noisy steam engine. We bid farewell to summer with a celebratory dinner out, and tried to get a good night's sleep before the the first day.

This morning Calvin was greeted with homemade donuts, warm wishes scrawled all over the chalkboard table cloth, and a schultüte filled with school-day treats: a new shirt, a workbook, cool markers in a homemade pencil case, and more. One of his new classmates started chatting him up as they waited for class to start, and they seem to be well on the way to becoming friends already.

As expected, little brother Finn embraced the day with gusto. Sure, he got a new coloring book, and some balloons, but most importantly he got the place to himself. He and I went hand in hand to the coffee shop, where Finn picked out breakfast treats for both of us, and then he gleefully returned home: "I'm going to play with all Calvin's toys while he's at school!"

He's eager for preschool to start; we spent a half-hour in his new classroom meeting his teachers and checking out all the toys. He spent most of his time building the longest train I have ever seen, painstakingly filling each individual car under the water tower (inspired by our journey through the redwoods).

Calvin, meanwhile, seems to be settling quickly into rhythm. I'm trying not to be unnerved that he's already been assigned a number (posted on his deck, his backpack peg, his homework folder, his spot in line). And that his first entry in his afterschool journal is a bit worker-bee-ish: