Kids on Bikes

Simon hasn't really figured out how to pedal yet, but he liked sitting on the bike.

And then it was her last day...

Wednesday was Alice's last day of daycare. It was hard to believe it had been five years already since we dropped this little girl off when she was 3 months old, and she rolled over on her first day. Zac did drop off and pick up for Alice's last day, since I knew I would just cry the whole time. Zac took Alice around to say goodbye to all the teachers they could find. Most of them have known Alice since she was a baby.

Ms. Kenia (infant room)

Ms. Susanna (infant room for Simon but not Alice)

Ms. Lottie (infant room)

Ms. Claudia (2 yr olds - potty trained Alice)

Ms. Saffa (2 yr olds)

Ms. Emma (3-5 yr olds)

Ms. Pauline (3-5 yr olds)

Ms. Georgiana (head of school)

Ms. Marta (3-5 yr olds)

Ms. Perin (2 yr olds)

Alice has left the building.

Goodbye Cards

This was a weird week. Alice went to kindergarten on Monday, but then was back to daycare for Tuesday and Wednesday. Knowing that Wednesday would be Alice's last day, I had her make goodbye cards for all her teachers. Trying to actually get Alice to do a specified task in the evenings is hard, so I dread the day we have to get her to do homework.

  

Kindergarten Assessment Day

On Monday, Alice had her kindergarten assessment day. This is where the kids are divided up alphabetically into three groups, and over the course of three days, each group of kids comes in for a full day and they do things so the teachers can assess how many headaches they will have this year.

Alice was ready to go and completely calm and confident on her first day. We've been talking about kindergarten for a year, she's read many library books on the topic, and, well, she's Alice, so the idea of meeting new people and having a new place to go for a whole day is the best thing ever.

She chattered happily as we ascended the steps to the school and I fought off tears. Not because I'm sad about any of this, of course, but just because I cry easily whenever something momentous is happening in life. The problem is that I can't focus on enjoying the momentous moment because I'm spending so much energy trying to not be a crying weirdo. Luckily, Alice didn't notice at all.

We found the intake room and I recorded that Alice had packed a lunch, had no allergies or medical issues, and that we'd pick her up by car at the end of the day. Then I said goodbye and off she went.

Zac picked her up at 3pm when school was out. She was tired but happy, and declared that the day had been "Awesome!"

Lukas's birthday party

Sunday was Lukas's birthday party at Pullen Park. Mostly the kids chased each other around in the grass, but they congregated at the picnic tables for a craft and snacks and cake. While the kids played, all the parents talked about kindergarten and how much we want to keep the gang together. This has been such a great group of kids and parents.

Simon's new anti-food mechanism

It makes it kind of hard to feed him.

Future kindergartners party

Our friend who lives nearby and also has a rising kindergartner put together a little party Friday night for all the people she knew who had kindergartners headed to Cary Elementary.  It was a really nice gesture, and fun to see the kids (future friends?) running around together. Alice was pretty bonkers.

All our training taking pictures constantly pays off. Alice is the only one ready and looking at the camera.

From the kids' point of view

Alice was very disappointed to learn the winner of the presidential race doesn't get a medal, not even a gold cup.

Simon, after watching me get him some pickles out of a pickle jar: "You caught some fish for me!"

Cicada taco, anyone?

Alice on the playground

As Alice's days at daycare wind down, we want to memorialize this terror of the playground.

Izzy, Alice, Oscar, Felix, Austin

Swift Creek Bluffs Nature Preserve

On Sunday we went to Swift Creek Bluffs Nature Preserve for a little hike. The hike was probably under 2 miles total, so Simon was able to walk the whole time. We spent some time playing at the creek, then enjoyed some old beech trees, and hiked up a bluff, then down to the adjacent golf course and watched some men play golf, then had snacks and headed back to the van. Even though we sprayed everyone in advance, the kids still got a lot of mosquito bites.

At the creek, Simon pretended to fish while Alice collected shells and golf balls from the creek.

We also appreciated some of the large beech trees that are about 200 years old.

The best part, as far as Simon was concerned, was that he found a dead cicada early on and carried it around the whole time. Alice eventually lent him her bug watch to hold it for a bit. Finally, towards the end of the hike, we found a dead cicada for Alice (who had been quite sad the whole time that she didn't have a dead cicada to carry around).

They even brought the dead cicadas home! Yay.

Getting ready for the 2028 Olympics!

We went to Ridge Road pool with the kids on Saturday and planned to meet Grayson's family there. Unplanned was the three other families from daycare that were also at that pool that day. So it ended up being really fun!

Simon continues to do well kicking around with his floaties on. Alice continues to make progress on her doggy paddling without floats. She swam about 3/4 of the pool length todaywithout stopping.  The irony is that doggy paddling is the hardest way to swim, so she will do much better once she learns some real strokes.