Clair is done with PreSchool

Clair got the pleasure of starting at Wee Folk school when she was only two. This is much earlier then the other two started school. I made this choice because she was at home all day with her siblings, family and our friend Sarah who watched her. We felt she needed more social interactions, so off to school she went at age 2 1/2.

From the first day clear walked into a classroom, she was happy and ready to go. Clair has always loved school days. Clair love spending time with others. Clair loves the opportunity to be new places. Clair loves learning. Clair loves teachers in the school setting. She thrives at school.

Each year we let her go another day. But in her mind she would love to have gone to school every single day.

As preschool was winding down, I knew she would be sad to see it come to an end. We don’t do a great job of setting up play dates, and she doesn’t have folks she runs to play with in the neighborhood is she still young. It is her social life. It is her place for knowledge. It is her energy.

As we were counting down the days to the end of school, the thing that made clear excited with knowing that after preschool means she finally gets to go to kindergarten. Clair is so excited to go to kindergarten next year and be in school with Max and Ellie. 

Yesterday was her graduation from preschool. She handled the day like a champ. She handled the day like any other school day. She went to school, she smiled as she went to the class, she did what she was told, and then at the end we celebrated.

She happily made cards for her teachers and gave them to her. She happily stood for pictures with each of her teachers, in fact after I got a picture of her with one teacher she ran to the next and said, “Miss Meghan can I have a picture with you to please ?” She enjoyed the reception in the hall with extra cookies and grandma after graduation. She enjoyed a walk around Frederick, a play at the park, sometime at the dancing bear, and a chocolate covered marshmallow with Miss Sarah. And then it was over!

Transition is hard. Change is hard and exciting. What will we do this summer without school and without Miss Sarah?

I’m proud of Clair and know she will bring exciting things to this world. Her teachers love her. One says she’s “an old women trapped in a kids body.” This makes me smile and think that the spirit of my great aunt Vonita who she is named after has imprinted in her too. This makes me happy. 

The other teacher yesterday told me, “you really should explore the gifted program for this on.”  I know she’s a smart cookie!

Here are a couple pictures from the day. 

The drama of the chore chart

I recently created a new chore chart that we have used for almost a week now. I have to get these kids doing more around the house. That’s a goal. The chores are really responsibilities in most cases with some help in the main areas of the house picking up after themselves and vacuuming. That’s it. 

Max has approached this like a champ. Each day he completes his chores diligently and proudly. He does great when he know expectations and has an easy way to remember them and meet them. I’m really proud of him 

Clair hasn’t basically paid it much attention at all. She could care less. I admit she’s a bit young and I haven’t figured out a good way to get her into it. 

Ellie hates this. She thinks this chore chart is the end of the world. She was so upset when she asked if they would ever get a day off and I responded with , “do I ever get a day off?”  Her response in an irritated voice, “so this is what it’s like to be you?!?” 

Another complaint,”we will never have time to play with friends again!”  Because the list is so long. 

Boy this girl likes to be lost in her own thing, in her own time, at her own pace. 

I must not give up. My goal is to keel this going. We’ll see. 

Thunderstorms

This spring, just this week, the thunderstorms are rolling in nightly. The kids are very worried about them since I’ve scared them away from water and baths and such. 

Tonight we waited for one to pass on the front porch. We had a nice chat about storms and the day. 

A day with Ellie in Annapolis

Today I had the pleasure of going on a field trip with Ellie and her class to Annapolis. We spent half the day touring the old town and getting a chance for the kids to understand what life in the 1700s was like. We broke for lunch and spent the afternoon touring the Naval Academy. 

The weather was a perfect Scottish summer day for those of us that don’t like him. I enjoyed watching Ellie take it all in and be in the presence of her classmates and enjoy them. I also selfishly enjoyed catching up with some others that I rarely see and whose company I do enjoy.

At the Naval Academy Ellie and I enjoyed playing with the camera and creating a bit of art with a pretty flower she found. I really wanted to take lots of pictures at the Naval Academy. We both enjoyed the cathedral a lot.

In the state capital and we reminded me of her Grampa when she walked around taking pictures of every paining in the entire building. This included the ones they talked about in the ones they did not.

I am grateful I got to take the day off work and spend it with her. Here are a few photos from our day. Ellie apparently took 140 some pictures. Like mother like daughter.

When Max is 100 years old

Max wrote this in school. He’s been working hard on good writing this year. He’s really coming along. This prediction also is fun for me to read. The photos a bit strange. But he will always be my handsome little man.