I cannot wrap my mind around the fact that school is over for the year. Am I the only one feeling like the last nine months just raced by? It was hard enough dealing with the fact that Sophie was in all day 4 Year Old kindergarten, but actual real-live Kindergarten? That’s a tough pill to swallow.
A few weeks ago, Sophie had her one and only Pre-K field trip of the year. We did this same thing with Ella and I remember it being so much fun! Since they aren’t technically Kindergartners, they can’t ride the bus and parents have to provide them a ride to the McWane Science Center downtown. Fortunately for me, it’s a short walk from my office, so Taz hung out for a few hours after breakfast while I got some work done. We met her class at 9:30 and had several hours to explore the museum and eat a sack lunch. She loved digging for fossils, playing in the bubbles and dancing in front of a green screen {just like her daddy has at home}! She ended falling asleep in a chair in my office that afternoon and didn’t even wake up when I moved her to the car. I navigated two elevators and a parking deck with a sleeping, 36 pound child, two lunch boxes, my laptop and some mail. It was quite impressive!
Last week was our last week of school. It’s funny because I always thought we got out of school late, but it seemed this year we were the school to envy. The girls had classes all day until Wednesday and then a half day on Thursday. Since they were all dressed up for class parties and awards, we went ahead and snapped their “end of the year” photos on Wednesday morning instead {they wore tshirts and Nike shorts on Thursday morning!}. I was lucky enough to get to hang out at their school most of the day and enjoy all of their last week shenanigans.
Can we pause and talk comparison for a few minutes? HOW did this even happen!?!? I remember thinking at the beginning of the year that Ella looked so grown up, but it doesn’t even pale in comparison to how I feel looking at that photo on the right. Her face doesn’t look nearly as “babyish” to me and she’s gotten so much taller. And those shorts on the left? Yeah they barely fit over her muscles these days. Dance class and workouts have helped her grow up way too fast.
And Tazzie? She is looking so much more confident and ready for school now. She was so timid last year {about school, not about anything else} and it’s hard to believe how much this first year of elementary school helped her grow. She is CRAZY tall and just as sassy as ever. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m missing that short haircut in a big way, but she is so thrilled for pig tails and pony tails and braids!
Really. Let’s just stop with the getting bigger. Mmmmmkay?
Kindergarten through 5th grade had an awards ceremony mid-morning and I sat close enough to Ella to see her sweet face. I didn’t get there early enough for a seat with a view of the stage, but she was willing to flash me a picture of her awards every few minutes, so I got some really cute snapshots.
These three girls right here are INSEPARABLE. They were so fortunate to be in the same class this year and we are crossing all of our fingers and toes that it happens again for third grade. Emily {on the right} and Ella have been together since Pre-K, so the day that they aren’t in class together all day will be a super tough one. I remember last summer after we went to check out our room assignments that I got calls from both of their mamas to see who our teachers were and there were lots of loud, squeally girls. They are adorable.
And this one? Jana is another of our favorite girls, even though they haven’t been together since Kindergarten. To make up for it, they have plenty of slumber parties and Ella even spent last weekend at the beach with her family. I’m thinking she would let them adopt her if I was okay with it!
After sending Ella back to her class {and a quick bite to eat at home with Josh}, I was back at the school for an afternoon in Sophie’s class. The Pre-K does their awards in their classroom, along with a sing-a-long of their favorite songs from the year and a few snacks. Sophie was still snoozing on her nap mat when I got there and I thought I would never get her to wake up. That is a stark contrast to her normal behavior, she has NEVER napped at home. Although I managed to catch a few smiling faces from the mat while they sang to us.
She looked like this for most of the afternoon! There might even have been a few tears a time or two. I think having so many people watch her so soon after she woke up was not helping her attitude. After a few hugs from mom and some snuggles from “Ms. Sandwich” she was all smiles again.
It always makes me sad that we don’t do caps & gowns for our little ones, but she was tickled pink with her “diploma” anyway. They got to walk to the front of the classroom as their name was called and that was just enough of a graduation to make this girl’s day.
Of course, we had to have one last snuggle with her bestie, too. These two started at Heidi’s together in diapers {they are just a month apart}, so they are pretty much inseparable. We love us some Maci Beth!
Both of my girls had a fabulous year and are already talking about who they hope their teachers are in August! I’m not even close to ready to think about school supply shopping or whose class they might be in, but I am certainly thankful for the wonderful friends and teachers who made 4 year old Kindergarten and Second Grade so perfect.
For now? We’re just soaking up the rays and dreaming about the sand between our toes. Just nine days and counting.
