Cheeeeese

This is Luke's current "Say cheese!" smile and I love it:

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Luke and I visited his potential pre-school this morning. It meets Tuesday and Thursday mornings in a small Lutheran church just up the road from our house (the same Lutheran church where I learned to ride my bike). We were able to watch the parent drop-off process, visit Miss Vera's classroom for 20 minutes or so and then get a tour of the rest of the building. I couldn't believe the happy feeling I got as I pictured Luke with his little backpack, the art projects brought home, the making of new friends.

We still have some work  to do before fall in helping Luke feel more confident when Mom and Dad leave, but I think we can get there. His problem is definitely not shyness. He has surprised me lately with how social he is, how he jumps right in to social settings and how much he seems to genuinely like people. I am so thankful to see this outgoing side of him develop. I was painfully shy through elementary school (I wouldn't even take my coat off the first two weeks of kindergarten!) and am hopeful Luke won't have such a hard time in new situations. Nope, shyness isn't the problem. The problem is simply that he hasn't had enough practice. So, we'll practice in church this spring and summer and we'll get there and I cannot wait to post pictures of Luke on his first day of school, proudly wearing his backpack. I'll withhold the pictures of me, crying like a baby because my baby is growing up.