Last days

The Stenfeld-Dunn family is officially on summer vacation! Well, I'm half way there. I'll be working until July and then I have a glorious month off with no responsibilities.

For the first time in 8 years, Aleks isn't teaching a summer course and we're all looking forward to a slower pace. There have already been lots of trips to the gym, composing, and reading already happening.

My first born finished her year off strong, getting the most AR points in her class. Which means that she read a lot of books and answered a lot of questions correctly about those books. Apparently, she's also doing math at a third grade level, which shows an immense amount of improvement as she started off the year considerably lacking in math skills.

Along with improving her reading and math skills, Maia also took great strides in demonstrating perseverance and discipline. And, if I'm being honest, I care more about those character qualities than AR points.

Mrs. Camacho decided to retire this year after a long teaching career. I'm sure some of Maia's classmates helped make that decision.

We emptied out Maia's backpack and found all of this. Someone somewhere has really instilled in her the importance of reusing broken materials. 

The end of school always catches me off guard with its finality. Those last weeks of school we're pushing to get it all done, deep in the routine of the year and then, wham! it's all over. It's such a defined, tangible event that points out the growth my kids have experienced. Which is wonderful, but also involves a sense of loss.

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Ruby has had a wonderful year. I've seen exponential growth in her ability to control impulses and in emotional maturity. She's always been a very determined child and this year Ruby was able to channel some of that focus into school work. She particularly enjoyed completing work job cards and would proudly tell me about her progress each day.

It was especially difficult this year to say goodbye to Ruby's teacher. This woman is an angel on earth. She is a huge cheerleader for all the kids in her class, celebrating who they are and the accomplishments they experience. Her humor, patience, and wisdom have helped Ruby, and all her classmates, thrive. Teachers like Mrs. Burcham are the ones for whom monuments should be built.

About half of the kids in Ruby's class are staying at Collegiate for kindergarten and the other half are moving to other schools in the area. It's sad to see this group going different ways after being together for the last two years. They are especially bright and fun.

For me, one of the special things about Collegiate are the hallways, where the moms and dads wait to drop off or pick up. It's there that we share parenting joys and struggles, support each other through devastating circumstances, laugh about funny incidents, become friends. I'll miss these women and the privilege of checking in with them each day.

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I also experienced a last day at WSU. The semester has been over for a few weeks, but I've been slowly emptying my office having been asked to be out by the end of May.

Out of the 3 different offices I've had at WSU this one, by far, was the best. The gigantic piano was hard to control at times, but by the end of this year we had begun to get along. In the future I'm excited to visit the school as a guest, free of the baggage that had begun to weigh me down.

The last day of anything always means its the first day of something else. Here we go!

Preschool

About 45 minutes before we left for Ruby's first day of school, she tripped and skinned her knee on the pavement.

You would have thought her leg was cut to bone, the way she carried on.

(see bandaid on the left knee)

"Ruby, are you nervous about going to school today?"
"No! I'm not nervous!"

Only Baia would comfort her and she cuddled with Maia's pink bunny all the way to school.

Thankfully her leg wasn't TOO badly hurt, so she could walk into school herself.

You'd think it would be easier with the second one.

Nope.

Kelle says what I wish I had found the words to say "You're still going to leave feeling like you left your own beating heart in a cooler in a classroom, asking someone else to make it thrive for seven hours."

Thankfully I only have to let go for 3 hours at a time. Baby steps for this mama.

I definitely was crying down the hallway as Maia and I walked to the car.

At pickup I got the biggest hug (honestly, she always gives the best hugs anyway) and we were right back where we left off. Complaining about a hurt knee and cuddling Baia.

Girlfriend was tired.

First days need to be celebrated. For the courage to try new things. For putting our best face on, even though we're a little nervous inside and our knees are skinned.

Frozen yogurt for all!
Also, why does this week have to be the hottest week of the summer?!

My strong-willed, affectionate, dramatic girl has taken a huge first step today and I couldn't be more proud of her. This child especially has been strongly connected to her mama. The gradual separation is often painful, but we're both ready.

Last day of Pre-K

Maia just had her last day of pre-k.

Which means, she's no longer pre.

She's a k.

Hold me.

Over my salad today, it hit me that Maia will never again go into Mrs. Burcham's classroom and sit down to do work jobs or centers. I won't see her running out of the door at pickup time, cheeks red from recess, looking around for her friends. (She can never get enough of her friends.) 

All of a sudden, just like that, it's over.

In all the busyness of my teaching schedule and the end of the year, I didn't properly prepare myself for this day and milestone. 

What a gift that children are so adaptable. We ask so much of our little people, to be flexible and accept change and do what we say. When do we lose that ability to relinquish control so easily? 

Actually, maybe I'm idealizing a bit. I happen to know a certain 3 1/2 year old who has a terrible time with not being in control and is currently figuring out a way to deal with life when things don't go her way. Like when THESE PANTS DON'T FEEL RIGHT ON MY ANKLES or THE BLANKET ISN'T LYING FLAT or THAT'S NOT HOW I WANT PEANUT BUTTER SPREAD ON MY CRACKERS

I digress.

Maia has grown so much this year. 

She's gotten taller and her hair has gotten longer. 

She's also matured emotionally and socially.

Maia and Vivi like to sing for the class during snack time.

Her fine motor skills have markedly improved.

And here's a book she wrote and illustrated this month.

My Work Book

This is my dad and some pretty flowers. 

 This is me at my house. These are the pretty flowers.

This is my house. My sister Ruby is looking at me.

My sister Ruby is at her school. She is doing puzzles.

 Ruby and I are playing tag.

 This is my mom and me standing with our eyes closed. We are thinking.

 This is my mom. She is at work.

The E

(upside down) Maia.

She told me she couldn't focus on the last page.

It's been a good year.

Next year we'll work on looking at the camera.

So, onto summer and all the sunscreen and chlorine filled days as time keeps marching on!

Snow Day

Last night WSU cancelled classes for today and Maia's school wasn't too far behind.

It was supposed to start snowing at 2 am and dump 6 inches throughout the day.

At 5 am the ground was clear and I thought for sure Wichita had overreacted.

Just 2 hours later we had accumulated at least an inch and a half.

So of course a snow day calls for pancakes.

You can't tell, but they're purple pancakes.

At first I didn't put enough red in and they looked like swamp water and Ruby said "I'm not going to eat those," but then I added more red and they looked acceptable to everyone.

Maia was sad to miss school, so I said we could do our own version today.

We started with activity centers.

Maia pretended to be her best friend Reese and Ruby pretended to be Maia.

I, of course, was Mrs. Burcham.

On Tuesdays Maia has music and gym.

Today in music class we talked about wind, percussion, and string instruments.

I was Mr. Elmore.

Then we sang a song that my mom taught us the last time she was here.

Next we headed to gym class.

Maia wanted to go to library too.

Mrs. Mattix (me again!) read them 2 books, so they got to put 2 stickers on the wall.

(Honestly, doing this today was great, I got more details about school than I usually do.)

After lunch and nap, I gave in to the girls' pleas and we headed outside.

They lasted for almost an hour while I got half of the driveway shoveled.

By the time they wanted to go inside, they were soaking wet and freezing.

I guess I'm still a California girl at heart, I haven't given in and bought proper winter attire.

It was a super full, fun day.

I'm exhausted.

But guess what?

We get to do it again tomorrow during SNOW DAY #2!

Crumbs

Today marks the third week of my new workout schedule.

The one where I get up at 5 A.M. on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.

Don't they say that if you do something for 2 weeks it becomes a new habit?

I don't think getting up early is ever going to be fun, but I guess it's getting easier. 

The hardest part is the evening because I can barely keep my eyes open past 9.

On the positive side, I am feeling quite fit and good.

And in other news, Ruby is no longer sleeping through the night.

She wakes up between midnight and 2 and walks into our room wanting to sleep in our bed.

I'm not against co-sleeping from a philosophical standpoint, but for our family it doesn't work.

Last night we had a big talk about both girls staying in bed until it's morning (both girls have been waking up a 5 lately, we think they might have been hearing the garage door open as I leave for the gym, so now we're parking the car outside and I'm sneaking out of the house all ninja-like while I'm half asleep).

Something woke me up around 2 or 3 and I look over, and Ruby is sleeping on the little couch in our room.

And then at 4:40 she made her way to our bed, wanting in, and I nudged Aleks to take care of it because I wanted every last bit of that 20 minutes before my alarm went off.

We're a bit exhausted these days.

I think I'm starting to unravel...

Thank goodness she's cute.

Also, look at Aleks with his mini me.

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The past couple of weeks have presented several new and exciting possibilities for me professionally.

I hate to be vague, but I'm still sorting it all out in my head.

As I get older, I'm finding myself less willing to say yes to everything. 

Part of it is that my time is a limited resource and extremely valuable. And another part is that I have a better idea of what doing a good job entails, and I've really got to believe in what I'm doing if I'm going to invest time and energy.

But, alongside that hesitancy is excitement and anticipation for the good things ahead.

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Maia's teacher takes pictures of the kids throughout the week and then uploads them onto a website for the parents to check whenever they want.

I took a look at them for the first time yesterday and was so glad I got a peak into her school day.

Here are a few of my favorites:

(I tried to enlarge them, but the quality got really bad)

These girls are best friends

Dad's Day

Maia's class

I'm sure they're playing Lion King here. It's Maia's FAVORITE game.

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And this.
Because it is ridiculously cute and makes me happy and is full of love and being in the moment and enjoy!

Pre-K

"Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. 

I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address. 

On the other hand, this not knowing has its charms."

I love fall and the beginning of new schedules and school supplies and all of that.

I'm always a little disappointed when school starts and it's 90 degrees.

Where are the orange and yellow leaves?

But, 90 degree weather and all, the start of school inevitably invokes excitement and a quickening in my mood.

On Wednesday Maia started pre-K.

She will be going to school 5 days a week now.

I keep reminding myself it's just 3 hours a day, not that long... right?!

Aleks took her to school and sent me the following pictures:

I think she was a little bit nervous, although she denied it every time we asked her.

Some friends from last year.

Two of these precious girls are in Maia's class and one is right next door.

Apparently they all held hands and walked into class together.

We're really excited to have Mrs. Burcham this year, although, it feels a little wrong to walk past Mrs. Patrick's room and not go in.

Hopefully Ruby will get the Mrs. Patrick experience next year!

Last year I was choked up walking in to pick up Maia on her first day, holding back tears as she came to greet me.

This year is completely different.

I'm excited for her to be at school again and learning.

That's the biggest thing, this year feels more about the business of learning.

So, here's to a new school year, full of excitement and new experiences!

And just for fun, here she is a year ago, and then on her first day of school this year.