As I'm writing this you've been in kindergarten for 5 hours already! Your longest day of school ever! I've been thinking about you all day, wondering what exactly you're doing, how you're feeling, if you're having fun, feeling lonely, tired, sad, confused, happy, excited, smart, making friends, playing a lot, enjoying lunch, liking your teacher, feeling big, feeling small. Let me tell you, it's HARD for a mama to not know the details of your day. To not see emotions passing over your face, to not get to ask how you're doing or offer help, or watch you learn and grow.
You've been looking forward to this day for a long time. Whenever we ask, you say your are excited about full days, riding the bus, eating in the cafeteria and getting more recesses :) Oh how I hope the day is all you wanted it to be.
You are the most wonderful girl. Five and a half years old, and so smart, curious, funny, creative, imaginative and sassy. You still, as always, love to play play play. Especially with Daddy, who is still, as always, the best player of all time. Your taste in activities is wide and varied. You enjoy barbies, legos, swimming, tackling, playing ball, playing college, and lately a little more pretending with dolls and stuffed animals. You passed level 3 in swimming this summer. You love hiking, exploring and adventuring. You are great at pretending to read to Georgie or your toys, and it is precious to hear you make up stories. You are also already reading for real! Dick and Jane books are your books of choice and you do a fantastic job of sounding out words. It's amazing, but not really surprising. You love to learn things and then tell us about them, and you prefer it if we don't already know what you're telling us ;) You like to know lots of things. Your favorite shows are Shimmer and Shine, Barbie movies, Wild Kratts, Elena of Avalor. Your favorite food is mac n cheese from KFC.
You rode the bus to school today. While you've been looking forward to it, this morning you were feeling a little nervous. Luckily we'd met Aralynn, another girl on our street who rides the bus, so we were able to hang out with her and ease some nerves while we waited for the bus. Oh the tears I shed when you walked up those steps! I met you at the school for my own sanity this morning. You were a little worried that I would be the only mommy at the bus stop or at the school, but of course I wasn't. You gave me a big smile when you came off the bus, and I hugged and kissed you, but you wanted to go into the school alone. Always wanting to be a big girl. So of course I snuck in after you to take a peek at you sitting in your chair.
One day you'll understand the struggle of wanting your baby to grow up, be independent, learn knew things, make knew friends, find her way, and yet wanting to hold on tightly, not let her out of sight, protect her from any possible hurts. You are a kind friend who usually lets others choose what to play, letting them borrow your toys, goggles, showing them how to do something they don't yet know, offering words of encouragement to calm jitters. You often encourage me when I'm nervous about something (like jumping off a rock or sliding down a water slide) by saying enthusiastically "you can do it mama! you've got this!" I love seeing you act the same way toward peers. You seem to be a follower, and there is nothing wrong with that. You can grow up into a woman who supports those around her, not letting them fall, while listening to words of wisdom and taking them to heart. My hope is that we can help you find the right people to follow. And also to give you confidence to lead at times, too, especially in situations where standing up for yourself or someone else is important. You seem to be a people pleaser, too, both with friends and people in authority. You like to follow rules given by teachers, doctors, life guards, etc, and don't ever want to feel as if anyone in those positions is mad at your, or like you've done something wrong. I'm proud of you for wanting to do what's right, and I hope you will have a strong internal indicator guiding you to know what rules are really important and what leaders are worthy of following, not just doing so because you want to fit in.
Oh there is so much to you, my little yet big baby girl. And there is so much for you in this big world. This day is a big first step into becoming YOU. continuing to become a kind, compassionate, generous, funny, smart, creative, friendly, empathetic, curious YOU. I am so excited about all you will do and learn this year. I pray you will know I'm here for you and with you. No matter what, when, why. I am your mama and together we'll roar! I love you fiercely and beyond description my love. Happy Kindergarten year!
PS, I'm happy to report you had a great first two days! You like your teacher, have a new friend who sits at your table, get to play with your best friend from PreK at recess, like eating in the cafeteria and even wish you didn't have a 4 day weekend so you could go back sooner!
