Graduation

First/Last

Last day of Learning Tree, first day of Jump Start. 

No Rosie

We are lucky in many ways to have found the preschool that both kids have attended. The staff is amazing, very nurturing and creative and I've always felt good about leaving my kids in their care. One of the teachers is a singer/songwriter and for the past three years she has written small musicals based on kids books, for the kids to perform. This year's musical was called "No Rosie" based on the book Rosie Revere, Engineer. 

The kids love learning the songs and sing them constantly. When they get up on stage, some of them take it very seriously and concentrate on getting the words right. Some of them just let loose and dance all over the place. It is beyond charming to watch. 

As our five years at this school draw to a close, I am so appreciative of all the wonderful things our whole family has gained from being there. 

Wild thing

                           One of Brixton's preschool teachers is a singer/songwriter and she writes musicals for the kids based on classic children's books. This year she wrote music for Where the Wild Things Are and the kids performed it. Brixton has loved listening and learning the music and sings it all the time, with the appropriate facial expressions. The songs are really catchy too, they get stuck in my head constantly.
We feel really lucky that Brixton gets to hang out with such creative people.

Aaaand, first day of Pre-K

Don't worry, he was wearing both shoes and a coat when he actually left the house, I was just trying to get the photos done before he and Chris had to catch the bus.

one is silver...

Yesterday we went to the graduation at the preschool. None of ours are graduating this year (thank goodness!) but it is always fun to see those big kids on the stage. This year they sang the old girl scout song "make new friends but keep the old." It was very appropriate since Unity ran into her dear friend Thalia from her preschool days and even though they haven't seen each other in a year, they ran around holding hands and dancing together. We made vows to try and hang out, different schools and schedules be forewarned!

Brixton of course, is still making his preschool friends. He has two buddies now that are the first friends he's made all on his own, without me already knowing the family. It's lovely to see how tender and aware they are of each other, while also ignoring each other, lost in their own world of play.

Silver and gold indeed.

Brixton's first day

 

Yesterday Brixton had his first day of preschool. He was excited and totally ready.

 

He has the little brother advantage in that he already knows the school and the teachers and has been hanging around the place for the past two years.
 He did have to learn that there is a difference between being the little brother who comes at the end of the day and runs around and being a student. He was very surprised when a teacher told him to sit down during circle time.

When it was time to lie down for nap time, he got very upset and told his teachers that he was never coming back to school again. Ten minutes later he was asleep.

He is so excited to go back. "You're going to miss me." he says. "and when you get me, I'll tell you all my things."

Ok big kid. It's a deal.

Graduation!

Well and now it's her turn to cross the stage. Graduation was full of all the fidgets and fancy and forgotten lyrics that you would expect from a group of 5 year olds.

 

 

They cheered for each other and admired each other's flowers. They hugged and chased and stepped on each others toes, while promising to always be friends.

They cleaned out cubbies and checked the lost and found for missing socks and outgrown jackets.

 

Her teacher told me that this year has been one of her favorite classes. "They are so kind to each other, so compassionate." she said.

 

She's grown well here. Been listened to and respected. Been challenged and excited. She's come home with bean plants and paintings, and stories about worms.

 She's grown deep tumultuous friendships, with sincere attachment and sibling-like squabbles.

 

It's been a good place for all of us.

 

 

 

But mostly for her. Which is all I was hoping for when I labored over my piles of applications. I wanted to find a place that would appreciate her, help her grow into herself only more so.
And it has, it did.

Walking across the stage, coming home with a paper certificate and a shiny ribbon metal. Ending one chapter. Turning another page.