Bunny saves the day! (Or at least makes it slightly more bearable)

Well, it was R's first day of preschool. We really did try to explain that we would be dropping her off, leaving her there for a while, then picking her up....and she repeated that back to us several times. When we got there this morning, she refused to walk in on her own. As soon as we stepped in her classroom, there were a few other kids who had fully comprehended the "dropped off" part at that point and were in full-wail-mode. This did not help things--Reese started crying immediately. And clinging to us. And screaming "Mommy hold you! Daddy hold you!" We got her stuff situated, said a few words to the teacher over the chorus of frightened cries, told her bye and we'd be back and ducked out. We didn't realize we'd be back so quickly--the school called, told us she had been pretty upset and asked if we knew what Reese was referring to when she repeatedly asked for Bunny. Well, anyone who has briefly encountered R has met dear, precious Bunny.
Here's an old pic from 2007

Bunny has literally been with us from the beginning--we got him at the baby shower my girlfriends threw me the weekend before R was born. On multiple trips, my dad has remarked, "As long as we have Bunny and a credit card, we're fine." And it's the truth--he's irreplaceable. We even located a similar lovey, by the same company, but R knew the difference and wouldn't have any of it. So, there I was, on the phone with the school office and amazed at my ignorance for not including the number one most important comfort item in R's bag on her first day of school. David volunteered to rush Bunny to the rescue and when he arrived, many of the office staff exclaimed, "It's Bunny! Thank goodness!"
Of course I fretted about how she was doing for the next few hours, and probably with good reason. When we got there, she was calmly eating her lunch, clutching Bunny and sitting by herself, but with a very blotchy red swollen face. She told me, "I cried and cried and cried." But this is to be expected: it's the first time we've really just left her with people she doesn't know at a place she's only visited twice. Hopefully it will get better each day. Hopefully she will have little friends to sit with during lunch. And never again will I forget to bring Bunny to school with Reese. They are clearly a team, not to be separated.
Before the reality of school kicked in, heading out the door. Mom, what is in this bag? It's really heavy!

With her backpack and lunchbox, insisting on holding both of them.

She also insisted on wearing a pink dress today, even though I had other clothes picked out for the occasion.

Since this blog has turned into an extended account of all things Reese, rest assured that there will be a follow up report after her second day of preschool on Thursday.