Growing, Growing, GONE!

My intention was to sit down and write a post about Sylvia starting Kindergarten last week so that I could be ready to write another post soon about Margot starting preschool.  However, while I was sifting through pictures, I realized that Albert's first birthday party was left completely off the books!  I blame Facebook.  Most of my pictures end up over there and it's times like these that make me think I really need to streamline all of this social media nonsense and figure out what the heck I'm doing.

ANYWAY, here's one, giant post about how ALL OF MY KIDS ARE GROWING WAY TOO FAST!  Get ready for the onslaught of pictures.  It just can't be helped.

"Yep.  It's my birthday."

 We were so lucky to have lots of family and friends with us to celebrate Albert's first birthday!  However, it meant that gifts and cake were a little....frenzied and chaotic.  I wouldn't have it any other way!

The boy would not let go of this truck.  Not even for cake.

His best Grandpa impression!

The Little Dude felt awfully special on his big day!  I can't believe he is a whole year old already!  His personality is really starting to shine and he is a happy, vibrant, fun-loving kid.  He wakes up happy and goes to bed exhausted from all the smiling and fun he has in one day!

Fast forward to last week when This One jumped feet first into the shark tank of public education:

I guess she's over the princess phase.  I have absolutely no problems with ninjas.  They are stealthy and disciplined.  Worthy role models, if you ask me.  Also - I had nothing to do with this.  She loves the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the movie Kung Fu Panda.  Oh, and I may have given her a book called "The Princess In Black" for her birthday, but only because I knew she'd love it. 

Anyway, how cute is this sweet little ninja's new back-to-school haircut?!  I could go on and on, but let's just say her coif finally matches her personality.  Sassy and sweet.  Smart and driven.  Downright adorable, am I right?

 I am so fortunate that I get to ride to work with Sylvia every day.  On the first day of school we were both so excited and I was so incredibly PROUD that she was about to experience the greatest school in the world.  She followed me to my classroom and she sharpened my pencils while I passed out the morning work and put the finishing touches on the classroom before my students arrived.  It was heaven having her RIGHT THERE until 8:25.

Which brings me to the very small portion of my day in which I was at a loss for words.  At 8:25, kids are allowed into the classrooms.  The first student of mine to arrive was Miss Olivia.  Her mama is also a teacher and Sylvia played with her many times over the summer.  I asked Olivia to walk Sylvia downstairs to her classroom and she was happy to do it.  I gave her a hug, a GIANT kiss, and watched her walk out the door and down the hall.
  

And there you have every mama's teary kindergarten moment.  Off she went.  Down the hall and into the big, wide world of school.  I knew she would have a great day and a great year, but there went my baby.  And at the end of her day, she had grown up into this...

A full-fledged kindergartner, with a name tag and a smile on her face!  My lunch starts five minutes after her lunch starts, so I get to drop my kids off at the cafeteria and say hello to my Little Falcon and all of her friends.  It doesn't get better than that, does it?  We have a half day program, so Sylvain picks her up after lunch and she spends the rest of the day at home doing DADDY'S kindergarten, which means she practices lots of reading and writing in French while the babies nap.  It's been a wonderful first week and she has fully embraced her new identity as a FW Falcon and a life-long learner!    

Margot has her first preschool "play date" tomorrow, so stay tuned for updates.  I feel like we're sending her to her home away from home since she already knows most of the teachers and a couple of the kids.  She asks me every day if her teachers are ready for her yet and when I tell her "not yet!" she whines, "But it's TAKING TOO LOOOONG!"  The girl is dying to get out of this house and into a school.  I can't wait for her to have some time away from all of us.  She is itching for the chance to be herself and be around other people!  Independent Margot Louise is as ready for the big, wide world as her big sister and it's going to be a great school year!