Elena's Last Day of Kindergarten

It seemed like this day would not come - everyone else has been out of school for a while, and now that it is officially completed, the summer will fly- for many reasons. One is just keeping them busy. One is that we are moving. The final reason, I guess, is that summer always flies! I have truly felt grateful for the lush, greenness of these last few weeks. I feel like I am more conscious of the heavy, humid air and all the changes that are about to swirl around us. I feel a bit like we are being swept up and moved along - apparently I am a little more planted here than I thought.
Elena's last day of kindergarten has ended a week of bringing home artfolios (I wondered what she was doing all year in there!), math workbooks, and journals. It all feels bittersweet as I have dropped her off a hundred times and more, watching her run to the kindergarten door, her arms out in front of her with her giant backpack slogging side-to-side, looking like it might tip her over. How she never, ever looked back once she left the car or hardly even said goodbye as she climbed out. It was all about the friends on the other side. And then her eyes searching a bit nervously at pick-up time, wondering if I would be there, always a little worried that I might not be. And, truthfully, I was a few minutes late enough times that I got to see her beautiful face framed in the window between the kindergarten classroom doors, and then see her disappear and come rushing out the side door.
I got to know the kids in her class by listening to her talk about them and by going in each Wednesday to read to the class. Papa got to go a few times, and Meme went once, too. I began to enjoy very much going to the class and seeing their intent little faces and hearing Evan say, "Hey, you got your haircut," and on the last day, "Not again!" So maybe I was the only parent who went almost every week, but I felt sad when I would ask Elena if any parent came to read to the class and she would say, "No, no one came!" If I'm not home from work to do things like that, I don't know why I am!

Elena did not want to stop for this picture as we were walking toward the school, but she did stop and give me a bit of a grin. Just for a second.

I have seen so many changes in Elena this last year and I have been amazed at how fast she has learned. One of the biggest things this spring has been the interest in friends. The neighborhood kids have become quite a bunch - playing "adventures," swordfights, tag, a water fight a few days ago, and making mud pies (one of my favorites.) Some of the kids, especially Maren, like finding bugs and collecting them. Worms, moths, butterflies, roly-polys... whatever they can find. This stage of childhood is brimming with discovery and it's fun to be a parent watching it unfold. It is also pulling at my heartstrings, watching them fly farther from the nest and needing us less - though there is still a lot to be taught and a lot for me to learn, too. That's what it's all about, yes? I'm not sure who is learning more from whom :)

The pictures below are from an after-school celebration today at a fellow kindergartner's house. The kiddos had a great time playing freeze game, drawing, a short stint outside in the cool rain and upstairs... 

 Everyone looks so happy! Love this~

 I had watched Olivia and Maren sit next to each other and scoot, scoot, scoot their chairs closer together. So cute! 

Rewind to October 2013

We spent many Thursday afternoons at a library in Chicago near the home of a classmate of Elena's, Naomi, at their storytimes, which lasted an hour and always included a craft and playtime. 

Elena and Maren would make themselves comfortable. 

 The BeanBag Song

 Apparently getting used to preschool was a little tiring. During quiet time, Elena began taking naps again. She would often cover her head with the blanket, and much to my surprise, she was out.

 This is Elena in my Grandma's earrings, given to me by Meme and kept in a box in my drawer. The fun of clip on earrings and dress-up!

 HI Mom! I picked out my outfit today!

 Maren with Sleeping Baby

 Maren and I took a trip on our own to Meme and Tim's and went with them to Ames, where they were doing a dance demonstration

 Maren dancing the polka

 Dinner at a local place in costume. Baby is safe!

 Crafts at Ms. Sharon's storytime in Chicago. 

Elena got the shorts from the learning center on loan... she loved them for a few days.

 Maren and her books

After storytime

 Elena and her bedtime crew

 At a pumpkin patch in the North Suburbs. We went on a hayride and learned about gourds, petted goats, had hot cocoa and lots of fun 

 At Wagner Farm

Collecting these eggs never gets old!!!

I can't help but wonder how Grandma Nedved would have giggled at this and if the girls would have loved collecting eggs with her. She told me I could have a penny for each one I broke as we were washing them :-)

 Maren (looking tired) waiting to put the eggs in the crates

 Outside the farm on a tractor

Oh, the wind!

 The scarf song with Ms. Sharon

 Ready for anything

 Beautiful fall trees at the blue and green park in Morton Grove

 Ms. Edyta's four year-old class in Halloween costume

 Dressing up for storytime with Ms. Sharon

 Maren and Ms. Penny

 So happy after going trick or treating with Ms. Diane's class

Dancing with babies

(but they took the fall off of dance classes)

 They were both looking so cute, I just wanted a picture of them. Elena was not in the mood for a picture so I told Maren to make her laugh. She started tickling her and I got better pics than I hoped for.

 Halloween in the rain 2013

 Pinkalicious - their first live show

That is gum- with peanut butter all over it, in Elena's hair. It probably took me a half hour to get it out. After almost no cutting, it was free. Messy!

 Playtime in our chonies

 Maren with her bug catcher, Elena smiling and having fun after the learning center

 Loving Lulu

 Catching snowflakes

 Sisters stop for a quick pose at Kyla's house

 Full blown leaf play