Keira starts Preschool!

It seemed like this day would never come, and then it came all too quickly!  Ryan and I started looking for a good preschool when she was a little over a year old, so we had been anticipating and preparing Keira (and ourselves) for this day for quite some time.  We finally settled on Around the Son, which is a part of Skyland Methodist Church in South Asheville.  Not only is it a Christian school, but we had more than a few friends give it raving reviews, it's close to our home AND they provide early drop off.  We both work, so this was a huge need for us and an answer to prayer.  As soon as we found out they added 8AM early drop off, it was a done deal and because of Ryan's ever changing schedule we made her full time, five days a week, 9AM to 1PM, and 8AM when need be.  Based on how well it's gone so far, we are very happy with our decision! 

School started the day after Labor Day, Tuesday September 2nd.  We decided to spend Labor Day weekend in Myrtle Beach visiting Ryan's sisters for one last hurrah! It was the perfect weekend to end the summer... to mourn, err, celebrate the end Keira's baby years and the start of her school years. 

As soon as we got back, we started preparing for her big day!  I wanted her lunch to be special and fun, mostly so that she would actually eat.   I found this elephant sandwich cut out at Walmart.  I also have a puzzle cut out and when given the choice, Keira chose the elephant. I put cream cheese on both tortillas and put a piece of ham and cheese in between to complete.  It's one of her favorites.

She also got some veggie straws, a bell pepper and some cut up grapes.  Keeping this up 5 days a week is going to take some creativity!

 

All the weekend fun tired this girl out.  On the plus side, it resulted in a great night's sleep and she was happy and ready to go bright and early.  Ryan prepared her a hearty meal of eggs and cheese.  Breakfast of champions!

After breakfast, it was time to get dressed.  I picked out this adorable polka-dotted Hello Kitty dress that her Anma bought her over the summer. I love it because it has a cute vintage vibe... a nod to the forties.

She was excited to say the least! After getting dressed, she settled down enough... a lot actually, to get her hair done. How could I not put her in pigtails?

Perfection!  It should be noted, she can FINALLY get down off our bed without assistance.

 

An outfit is not an outfit without the perfect shoes!  Army green Chucks... yes, please.  It's her first pair of lace up shoes and while she can be girly, she's definitely a tomboy, making the shoes and the dress a perfect match.

 

She gets a little help from Daddy with the laces! She's not quite ready for the bunny ears around the hole and what-not.

 

She takes a moment to check herself out!  She thinks she's hot stuff.

 

We almost didn't get the photo below!  I totally forgot to make a '1st Day of Preschool' sign.  Luckily, we still had plenty of time to spare, so I ran inside and rummaged through her art supplies and stumbled on a piece of black foam paper.  I grabbed a white chalk pen I use for our weekly menus and tada... instant sign.  I'm glad we got the photo.  The tradition has begun!

Off to school we went!  Five minutes later, we pulled into the parking lot, a little before 9AM as all the other families were pulling in.

They had donuts and coffee prepared for all the parents, but we were too busy doting on Keira to partake.  Next year though, totally grabbing a doughnut to go!  

Keira loves her "pack-pack".  Although she really doesn't need one, she insists on having it, so we put her lunch and jacket in it.

 

Yes, we each had to get our own picture with her!

It was time to say goodbye.  Weeks before this moment, just talking about it brought tears to my eyes, so I was incredibly surprised that I didn't feel like crying at all!  It helped that we had brought Keira to meet her teacher and see her classroom the Friday before.  She was so happy, that I was happy.  

As soon as she gets to her classroom, she grabs a the frog with her picture on it and puts it on the lily pad.  It's to help her realize that school has begun. Keira seems to like her teacher.  Ms. Amy is great!

She's all about it and goes straight to playing.  We barely get hugs goodbye!  Duh, mommy & daddy... my frog is on the lily pad.  School has started.  Our bad. 

 

 

I rushed to work and counted the hours until pick-up.  Ryan could have gotten her by himself, but I wanted to be there too.  We met in the school yard and practically ran to her classroom.  I peaked in.  And there she was, my baby not being a baby anymore!  Eating her lunch at the little table like a big girl, talking up a storm with her new friends.  I could have watched her forever had I not wanted to hug her so badly.

When we got to the door way and let Keira know it was time to go home, she barely moved and continued to eat!  When I walked up and knelt down next to her she said, "I don't want to go home, mommy."

Gah, heartbreak!  Ouch?  No, this is a good thing.  I'm so proud that she has a healthy sense of independence about her.  For most of her life she's been very clingy, crying if I left a room.  Less, than a year ago, we couldn't leave her in the nursery at church without her wailing for us.  She wouldn't go to family if Ryan or I were around.  I was worried that preschool would be the same.  In fact, it was the total opposite.  She is a complete social butterfly now.  I know exactly what contributed to her opening up, but that's worthy of a post all its own.  More to come on her transformation and its cause later! 

I told her not to worry, she would be back the next day and the day after that and the day after that!  Without knowing it, I told a half truth, though.  She made it back the next day, but then got sick with a cold.  Seriously... we had to call her in sick after just two days!  Oh well, such is life and our new reality.  We are praying her immunity builds up quickly.

Here is her very first daily report!  I love seeing what her favorite activity of the day is.  On this first day it was coloring.  Since then we've seen dancing in the hallway, playing with acorns and pretending to cook in the kitchen. Her disposition is always 'smiley face'.  Yeah, that's my baby, I mean... big girl!

 

My "first" Mother's Day, I mean weekend.

I didn't have a Mother's Day as much as I had a Mother's Day Weekend!

Friday
It started on Friday with a surprise visit at work from Ryan & Keira.  I love hearing the patter of her feet and the giggle in the voice as she runs towards my desk.  As soon as she turned the corner my heart skipped a beat and there she was with a huge smile on her face, holding a balloon that read Mommy & Me.  She was so proud!  Right behind her was Ryan with a pot of hydrangea flowers that Keira told me she picked out herself.  She brought me fow-ahs and a bah-woon.  She is my precious.  I will have to plant the flowers and try not to kill them!

Saturday
Ryan had been asking me all week where I wanted to eat for my special day.  I value a great brunch way more than dinner, so I suggested a little hole in the wall called the Local Joint in Fairview.  A friend had been telling me about this place for months, so I was excited to finally be able to check it out.  I knew our Sunday would be hectic, so we decided on Saturday instead.  Hey, why not celebrate early?!?

 

It really is a little hole in the wall, attached to a gas station, albeit a very nice gas station!  I'm not positive, but it looks like it may have been a Waffle House in its former life.  Don't get me wrong, I actually like the Waffle House, but this place provides a more of a mom-is-WAY-worthy type dining experience and not so much of a  I've-partied-too-hard-and-everything-tastes-AMAZING type experience.  Now that I'm 33, I know the difference.

Love the sign - Eat Local! 

A friend told me to expect Sunny Point quality food without the Sunny Point crowd and he was right. The service was great and the food was amazing!  I can't remember the exact name of the dish, but it was like Eggs Benedict, sans the ham and in its place was roasted tomato, spinach and avocado with a side of grits.  It was delish.

   

Ryan got Huevos Rancheros and while he prefers Sunny Point's interpretation, it was still very good.

 

Keira LOVES bacon & eggs, so she was a very happy camper.  She actually ate very well without a lot of prompting, making for a very peaceful meal for everyone!

And of course, we had to share a pancake, something I actually learned from my grandma and mom.  Everyone gets a meal and everyone shares a single pancake!  I debated getting it, but it reminded of the two women who raised me to eventually be the mom that I am today, so I declared a new Mother's Day tradition and ordered it.  Ryan was scratching his head at first, but he was glad I ordered it the end! 

I loved my Mother's Day Brunch.  It was simple and quiet and wonderful.  We will definitely be back and we won't be waiting until next Mother's Day!  I highly recommend The Local Joint!

We did some running around but eventually returned home for Keira's nap. Not sure if it was all the food or if I was worn out from the week, but I actually napped while Keira napped!  That's a Mother's Day gift all in itself!  Not only do I not typically have time for a nap, but my insomnia prevents me from falling asleep during the day.  I usually just lay in bed and rest my eyes, but this time I dozed off, even dreamed.  It was a miracle! I woke up shocked but refreshed.

Sunday

In retrospect I'm glad we celebrated on Saturday because Sunday turned out to be as hectic as I thought.  It started with Keira wetting her pajamas... and the bed... and carpet.  She really had to pee!  It was my fault, really.  I rushed to take a shower thinking she was asleep, when in fact she had woken up.  So there I was in nothing but a towel, stripping the bed and rushing Keira downstairs for a bath hoping to be ready in time for Ryan to pick us up for church.  This is what mothers do right?!?  It's why we have a special day? Ha! How ironic, I thought.

Needless to say we were not ready when Ryan got home from work.  Even though we were running late, he & Keira quickly handed me two cards at which point I really didn't care about being late.  

Like the balloon on Friday, my daughter actually handed me a card.  It's hard to wrap my head around it.  For the first time, my little girl is big enough to give me a card.  "Here mommy!" she said. This was my third Mother's Day, but in many ways it was my first.

Although I loved my Super Mom card, it was more the expression on her face that almost brought me to tears.  She was so happy to give it to me!  She had an adorable look on her face, as if to say "I did good, right mommy?"  That means more to me than any gift. She did do good.  I could care less about cleaning up pee or all of the other craziness that comes with being a mother.  She is worth it! 

ON THE OTHER HAND, I have to say, gifts are great too. In fact, the spa day that came in that little green card helped things later in the day when Ryan pulled into the garage a little too fast and too far.  He put a hole in the wall and a scratch on the car.  I still can't believe he did that!  It was really hard to stay mad at him though, considering the near perfect Mother's Day weekend he had just given me.  I really am a lucky wife and mommy.  Ryan's an expert at making me feel appreciated and it's rubbing off on Keira.  This was definitely a Mother's Weekend worth remembering! 

Dear Keira, please stay 23 months old forever...

Keira will be 2 in just a nine days.  As hard as I try, I can't quite wrap my head around the fact that our baby girl is not so much a baby girl anymore!  Where has the time gone?  I just put Keira to bed and at this very moment, I've never wanted anything more in my life than to freeze time and keep her as she was this weekend.  It was a good one, nearly perfect.

On Friday she went to bed daddy's girl, but woke up Saturday morning wanting me and only me.  While comforting Ryan, I was not-so-secretly flashing a smile on my face and loving my baby girl's attention.  The tables are usually turned, so of course I was enjoying every moment! 

My favorite activity of the weekend was spending some time with Keira in the kitchen.  For Christmas, her Nanny Jess had gotten her some sugar cookie mix and we finally had some free time to bake them this weekend.  I pulled one of our dining table chairs up to our island so that she could help knead the dough.  To my surprise, she took to it right away!

 

Although I don't want her to grow up, I am looking forward to all the memories we will make together in the kitchen.  I think she may be a natural baker.

Once the dough was nice and soft, I brought out the rolling pin.  I assumed she would just observe, but she took it from me and started going for it.  She refused to give it back.  I do!  

After rolling the dough, we started to cut them out.  I bought some football themed cookie cutters and set of alphabet cookie cutters to help her with learning her letters.  Amazingly, she can identify almost all the letters of the alphabet by sight, completely blowing our minds away!  This is the great part of her growing up.  I love seeing her learn and do new things day after day!

After cutting out all of our shapes, she took an hour nap.  When she woke up, I went to get her, and instead of quickly bringing her downstairs I sat with her in her rocking chair.  She nestled her little head in my shoulder and we rocked for a good thirty minutes.  I'm not sure if she ever fell back asleep but she was as still as could be, only moving to readjust a couple of times.  Moments like these are rare.  I'm not home often when she wakes up from her naps and we had nowhere to be, so we just sat and rocked.   I focused on the quietness, the calmness of the room, how her head fit perfectly in the nook of my neck, her gentle breathing, how she was holding me tight and how I was holding her back... and for thirty minutes time stood still.  I kept thinking, my precious little girl, mommy loves you so much!  I don't ever want to let you go.  Of course, eventually she lifted her head and the weekend moved on.

We spent a fun evening with Ryan's son, Jeremiah and his family, so we waited to decorate until Sunday afternoon.  We picked the cookie shaped like a football jersey and I frosted, while she sprinkled!

 

 

She picked her colors by name.  Just like her letters and numbers, she now knows a lot of her colors.  She can identify red, pink, purple, blue, green and yellow.  She still has difficulty with brown, orange and black, but we'll get there!

 

Of course she had to taste test during the process! Yum!

Daddy helped keep the sprinkles on the island and not on the floor.

She ended up with a mostly blue, little bit of pink, green and yellow football jersey with an "F" for Felten.

She had more fun decorating and could care less about eating the actual cookie!  Of course, I thought the sprinkles and 10 chocolate morsels she ate during the process where more than enough for the day.

She was in a playful mood the rest of the night!  While watching football, she yelled, "Go, football, go!" as the Broncos ran one into the end zone.  She sang "Hurry, hurry!" with the mice in Cinderella as they sewed her dress.  When she wanted a snack, she pulled my hand toward the pantry, begging "Come on!"  She then had me read her book after book, cheering "One more time, one more time, please!"  She even started saying, "Jus kiddin!" and uses it in the appropriate context.  After months of trying to get her to say, "thank you" it finally took this weekend.  And if we make a request of her, she says "Ok! Ok!" in the cutest, most playful way.  Who taught her all of this!?!  And can I hug her any harder than I already do? 

I say it during every stage, but I really think I love THIS stage the BEST.  I don't want her to turn 2!  I really don't. I want her to stay 23 months forever!  Wah!  Too bad Keira's in bed and Ryan's at work because I need a family hug.  Haha!  Hopefully, you are laughing with me.  I know I'm being a little ridiculous.  2 will be great and I really am looking forward to her next year.  God has so much more planned and it would be selfish for me to keep her from all that HE has designed.  I can't wait to see how much she learns and grows and all the funny that comes out of her mouth!  This weekend though, I tried to put the future aside to live in the moment... in the 23 months!  I have just 9 days left and I'm going to cherish every. Single. One.