Last day of the first year of preschool

Thursday was the last day of preschool. My intention was to write and publish this entry on Thursday night so that I could participate in the We are not the Cleavers movement that occurred this past Friday. Alas my best intentions were dashed. My hope is to be a week late and post something about this this Friday.

I still have not gotten a picture of the elusive Aunt Jenny even though she has been through here a couple of times in the last couple of weeks. She is pretty much my exact opposite so when La-La and Me-Me hang out with her they are always amazed that we are even related. I think it is funny. Aunt Jenny thinks I am boring and I guess maybe I am. Compared to my sisters I am the one who is the most tame. Funny I do not think of myself as boring.

Yesterday marked the half-way point of my two classes. I am on the downward slide and it feels great. I could not imagine taking both of these classes without Gerard's help. I am pretty sure it could never have happened well if he were still working. What a blessing.

Back in September I was so torn about sending Anna to preschool. Her speech was so limited. I worried how she was going to be perceived by her peers. I worried about how upset she would be when I left her there. Would she make it to her classroom? I worried about everything. Then we decided sending her would benefit her so the decision was made.
I think sending her was a good decision. Her speech has exploded. I will admit those first couple of weeks were difficult. On a couple of occasions when I greeted her at the door she would run up to me, I would pick her up, you know expected a kiss and hug but instead I received a cold hot slap across my face. The teacher's face flushed and she tried to make the situation better but I knew it was just that she was upset and did not have the words to tell me.

As time went on and I learned the names of some of the kids we would talk about them on the way to school. I would tell her that Gerard or I would be picking her up. I would tell her she was just going to play for a little bit. Getting out the door in the morning got easier. Towards the end of the year we even started to make it there on time. For the first half of the year I insisted she was to be picked up at the door by an adult and walked to class. Then I became comfortable with her walking down with a friend from her class.

For the last two months we allowed Anna to walk to the classroom alone, I was assured that adults were posted throughout the hall way to direct her. The funny thing is the first couple of times she went alone she had this look on her face of "I'm getting away with something here." I am so proud of how she has blossoming.

Anna will be going to the summer session of special education preschool due to her speech delay but we have decided to keep her home this week. We are still deciding on what our baby sitting arrangements will be for when I am sleeping during the day so that Gerard has time to interview and job search. I feel like everything is just starting to fall in place.


Here are the pictures from her end of the school year party




Now to the before and after pictures. I was surprised I was the only one taking pictures of the last day of school.

September 2010

June 2011


Here are two funny pictures from this week. The first was taken after a swim in her kiddie pool. She came in told me she was cold and put on a hat.


This one was taken as she got ready to give Gerard his Father's day kiss.