Julia: A Kindergarten Graduate

In some ways, you've already seemed advanced for your age Julia. You've shown wisdom, wit, humor, and heart beyond your years for your whole life.

That said...I STILL can't believe my BABY has graduated kindergarten! In the blink of an eye we've gone from your first day of school ever to your last day of your kindergarten year!

...And from the first day we dropped you off at school for your first day....to today! 

I mean...look how much you've grown! It's madness, madness I say!!!!!!

But, mad or not, here we are! And we'll do this together!

Let's graduate you from Kindergarten!

It was a magical, wonderful, surprising, sweet day. You worked from home with me in the morning, and then I got the honor of escorting you to school for the ceremony!

We met up with your co-graduates, and family started to trickle in...Mimi and Pops, Yaya, Mommy, and Aidan!

And then we were whisked to your very special P2 Classroom for the ceremony.

Because Miss Lisa went next door to P1 to attend her son's graduation...MOMMY - I mean Miss Holly - got to help graduate you! How cool is that?

So Miss Holly read this amazing book, and each of you were called out as Miss Mary said some thoughtful remarks about you.

Miss Mary and Miss Lisa chose the following three words to describe you: Witty, Motivated, Creative...and we couldn't agree more. 

The reception had sunny faces and warm hugs-- and a bit of rain, but that didn't stop the fun with friends, your teachers Ms. Lisa and Ms. Mary, as well as your gardening teacher Ms. Ginger and your music teacher Ms. Wheeler:

I got to take you to lunch at her favorite restaurant, and hang out/work (you decided to transcribe a book) with you a bit more at home, before you left the nest to go on a playdate with one of your BFFs Zoey:

Fortunately, you came back to the nest not too long after. Although you're a graduate, none of us are quite ready yet for you to spread your wings too far!

You are an amazing young woman, Julia. You're an awesome kindergarten graduate:

By your own admission you are funny, brave, smart, and creative. You know who you are, and we see you and love you...and can't wait to be by your side on this next step of your amazing journey!

Onward an upward to Lower Elementary!

First Day of School!

I cannot believe that another sweet summer is over and another school year is here. Of course, you two grow day-in day-out and hit milestones continuously, but the first day of school- the official start of being one year and one grade older - is legit. It's bittersweet and amazing. As we send you two incredible young people off to White Rock Montessori for another year of growth and learning and friends and PB&Js and field trips and skinned knees and hard work, your mother and I just marvel in amazement at the incredible people you are and how much you continue to evolve and change and mature.

After a summer of reading BONE together, it seemed only fitting for the two of you to be greeted by the Bone cousins in your lunchboxes!

Aside from naming as your favorite, a movie which hasn't come out yet (Wreck-it Ralph Breaks the Internet...great marketing Disney), Aidan you have been pretty future-centric.

You're excited about 2nd grade, and hope you get to do the Metal Insets. (spoiler alert- you have already proudly brought home some metal inset works!) You tell us that when you're in 3rd grade, for graduation, you get a ROCK and a BOOK. You tell us that a lot; that means you must be really looking forward to that rock!

You are sweet, and sensitive, and getting so much better about sharing and regulating your emotions with us and those around you.

You worked really hard over the summer on your writing, reading, and object-addition skills, and we are so proud.

Your teacher, Miss Gwyn, was super excited to have you back this year. She already shared a funny moment with mommy. She often refers to her students as "Brother Bear" or "Sister Bear," and she was taken aback and touched when out of the blue on the playground you told her "Come on, Mama Bear!"

Julia, my big kindergartner, you are a high-achiever, a funny person, creative, driven and sharp!

You worked really hard over the summer on your cursive and reading (chapter books!). 

You are a sweetheart, and you have great kindness and compassion in you.

On day 2 of school you fell and scraped your knee pretty badly. On day 3 you banged the same knee again and got pretty bloodied. Miss Mary took great care of you and remarked to Mommy how TOUGH you are!

She also told Mommy at the end of your first week how grateful she is that you're in her class. She says that you are a natural leader and willingly and excitedly work with the younger kids and show them the ropes, leading them through their new Montessori environments. 

The two of you together are a super team. You wrestle, you work together, you get into each other's imaginations and games, you fight, you make up, you giggle. You are a fantastic bro-and-sis duo, and as you continue to grow through 2nd grade and Kindergarten and grow your social networks beyond each other, never forget that you're a team of truly awesome kids- and that your bro-sis bond can never be broken.