Little Graduates

With Rella graduating from pre-school today and 4 days left of school for Pink, Tink and CB, I can literally taste summer.  Yet, before ushering in the sun and fun, it is first time for a little closure. 

 Every Fall we begin a new year with nerves and tears, joy and pride.  Every Spring we end with wondering where the time went and sit incredulous at all our little ones learned.  

Rella graduates seconds after I held her 7 lb 2 oz body in my arms.  Or, so it feels.

Tink shares her writing portfolio at the End of the Year Kindergarten Party.

It's been an interesting year getting used to my Tink going to Kindergarten five days a week. With half-day kindergarten, my day has been carved up with buses for all the girls at 8:00, 8:30, 12:00, 3:00 and 3:30 plus transporting Rella to school three days a week at 9:30 and 12:15.  Add the evening activities to the mix and I've felt like quite a chauffeur this year with a revolving door of kids but always having at least ONE with me at all times. Apparently, this is the next phase of motherhood... after the kids phase out of diapers and toddlerhood and into school-aged little dynamos.  It's grown on me.

Why are my kids so goofy?

Tink sharing her writing portfolio with Pink after school.  I love when Pink is in her supportive mode.

 Rella's preschool graduation was short and sweet, just like her.  

Pink took this photo and as you can see, didn't factor in the lovely trashcans in the background.  

Ah, this one is much better.

Rella-Cakes enjoyed her preschool this year and it was really good for her speech and language as well as behavior by providing her with structure.  She has worked very hard for 2 years in individual, private speech but continues to have significant delays as evidenced by formalized testing by the Child Study Team.  So, we just found out this week that she will be classified and going to the district's inclusive preschool program 5 days a week starting this summer.  

Wait, didn't I do this with another blond-haired blue-eyed little girl already? 

Oh, well.  At least I know the drill.

The lovely Mrs. Brown whom Rella will miss dearly.  

The Besties and Carpool Buddies.  

Rella is a total bad influence on this little angel.  

So, I'll have 2 buses to contend with this summer, for both Rella and CB.  That's okay though, because these programs are only 6 weeks and Rella will only be half-day and home by 11:00... just in time for splashing in the pool.  This routine will hopefully get me adjusted to her being gone for 5 half-days a week starting in September.  I just wasn't prepared for that yet! She's my baby.  After she goes to school, it's done.  Stay-At-Home motherhood is done.  Time to find a job I guess.  

Blah.  

I didn't just say that.

I am going to try not to think about next school year because we're just finishing THIS year and have some time to chillax.  I won't think about Pink going into THIRD grade with her big ole new teeth all grown in.

I won't think about Tink going from half-days to FULL days in the first grade and Rella gone for 5 days in a program for kids with communication delays.  I won't think about me looking for a stinky job.  

We'll all just have to leap into the next phase of life, not knowing how we'll land 

but just knowing we will land somewhere, somehow.  We'll figure it all out.

We always do.  

Since it's tHERsDay too, I'll leave you with a rare photo of all 4 girls together.  

The three little ones have taken a liking to running out to greet CB as she comes off the bus and escorting her inside.  

It really warms my heart.