Today was Lilah's final day of Kindergarten.
When I look back, it was so obvious that Lilah, from day one, was SO eager to start Kindergarten. She has never once looked behind her, even with the new challenge of EFI (Early French Immersion) this past school year. She's taken on every new challenge with gusto and LOVED every single minute of her two years in Kindergarten. Of course, over the last two years, she has grown in so many ways: socially, emotionally, cognitively, physically, developmentally. She has buckets of confidence and her independence is wayyy more than I care for, as her Mama! She's even to the point now, where she can go into a shop (with money) and buy something (fairly simple).
She is such a great girl and I'm so incredibly proud of her.
The four report cards Lilah has gotten over the past two years, have each mentioned her enthusiasm and how kind and thoughtful she is. That's definitely my Lilah girl. She is all about putting her everything into whatever it is she has been assigned. And her thoughtfulness has grown to an even greater level, since Phebe joined our family. Lilah constantly proclaims her love for her baby sister and genuinely loves to care for her and look out for her. It actually makes my eyes wet, the genuine adoration my girls have for each other. Just tonight, at bed time, Lilah was chatting about our trip to the beach next week and how she wants to play soccer on the beach. She was trying to figure out (in her mind) who would play soccer and who would be in goals - she said to me, "Definitely Phebe can't be in goals, because if we kicked the ball, it might hit her chest!" - I love her compassion.
In September she starts Grade 1.... going from 2.5 hour days to 6.5 hour days. Well, I'm not sure I'm ready for that, and I don't imagine Phebe is either, but that's the way life goes. We're just going to have to make the best of this summer and the time we get to spend together.
after two years, her final walk to kindergarten
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her kindergarten diploma
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♥ we never seem to get through a photo session without these two wanting to hug each other ♥
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Today Lilah is starring as "Bebe Ours" in her first French play - 'Boucle d'Or et les trois ours'. For us English speaking folks, that's 'Goldilocks & the three bears', and Lilah is starring as "Baby Bear"!
The sad part, is that I'm going to miss her original performance today, as little sister Phebe is having her open heart surgery on the same day. However, the good news is, Aunt Sue has stepped in and she is going to be there to watch it... AND, she speaks and understands French, so unlike us, she'll actually understand what's going on! And the even better news is, last week when I was volunteering in Lilah's class, the children put on a performance just for the parents that weren't going to be able to make it... boy was I fortunate that it was my volunteer day!
I even got to take a movie of the play. I just love my little 'Bebe Ours'! Lilah Grace, I'm so proud of you! You did an amazing job!
Oh, and she told me afterwards that Aunt Sue told her she was the star of the show! After a few minutes she stated very matter-of-factly: "And I believe Aunt Sue, because she doesn't tell lies!" *grin*
I can't believe my big 5 year old is starting Senior Kindergarten this year! Wasn't it just last week that she started Junior Kindergarten?
Lilah LOVES school. So much so, that recently she's been dreaming about her school friends, because she misses them SO much.
Awwww.
And school has given her more confidence than I ever thought possible!
So Lilah was supposed to start SK today, but since we're heading to China tomorrow, I didn't think it would be fair to tease her with the idea of school and then we'd be gone for three weeks, actually 4 weeks, counting the time I've factored in to recover from different time zones and jetlag! So I emailed her new teacher this week and told her that Lilah will likely be starting school on October 1st. That gives us one whole week after returning from China, to try and adapt back into routine and time zones. I'm being a bit optimistic, yes?! Ha!
This is a big year for Lilah, the writing on her shirt says "bonjour"! Well, it's all too true, Lilah is starting French Immersion this year. So it's a big year of change for her, but I know she will thrive. And seriously, learning another language as a five year old, it's such an incredible opportunity.
I love her in bunches.
Oh yes, and I took some pictures of her last week outside her school, which is just a block from where we live. I figured I better get a few pictures now, because I might be a bit busy for pictures when we get home! You never know! Just trying to prepare myself for the inevitable! Ha!
