Off to work I go

I started back to work over a week ago and the kids came on Thursday.  I am usually really excited about the first day and come home exhilarated.  Not so much this year.  I don't think there is a single cause, I think it is a combination of a bunch of stuff.

1. I just spent the whole summer, all 8 weeks of it, with Caleb.  Watching him grow and progress in his movement and cognative development.  Each week seemed like he was changing by leaps and bounds.  At the beginning of the summer he had just learned to pull himself up but wasn't very good at sitting down yet. And now he can sit down so gracefully.  He is so fast now and he is climbing all over and into stuff.  He can even stand for a few seconds (up to 20) unsupported.  He now can make b, d and m noises and is experimenting with his volume and his lips while babbling.  He actually plays with toys.  Oh I could go on
2. I have always taught freshman.  Typically all of my classes except maybe one were freshman classes.  And this year I have one freshman class and four junior classes.  Such a difference in temperament. I know that I will enjoy my juniors but I really do love the freshman. They are so cute and innocent, and they are actually afraid of me on the first day.  Unlike my juniors which most of them already know me.   This should and will be a good thing but at the moment I'm just a bit bummed.
3. Last year I loved my classes, I had all honors classes.  This year only one of the courses I am teaching is honors.  My style and personality really clicked with the honors kids.  
4. Juniors have to take and pass the graduation test.  I am feeling a bit of pressure and I'm kind of letting it overwhelm me.  There are a couple of things that are making this a bigger deal than normal ( I have taught juniors before and didn't worry then) the math curriculum is new and the test will be changed to reflect the new curriculum, but I haven't seen it and won't get the chance to see it before my students take it.  My school has to have 81.2% passing rate to meet AYP.  This rate might not seem like that big of a deal but it is pretty high especially given the circumstance, not a lot of wiggle room.
5. I am teaching a class I have never taught before.  Which is normal since ever year I have taught at least one course I haven't taught before but for some reason it seems a bit more overwhelming.
6. Oh and volleyball season started and I'm no longer coaching.  I don't have time to devote to my family, my students and my players, but I do miss it a lot.

So I'm a bit blue, when I'm typically really excited and refreshed.  I hope this goes away soon.

Since you read this whole post I am rewarding you with a video of Caleb using his walker (this video took forever and a day to load so I gave up sorry,  oh and then it took me 3 days to actually click the publish post button, oops)