Preschool Graduation-2015

Tonight was Preschool Graduation.

Are you ready world? Here comes the graduating class of 2028.

I sucked in my tears throughout the entire ceremony. Whew. 

This guy has spent 5 years at the most fantastic center with people that care about him and care about his future. 

There stood his class of 9 in their blue caps, holding their diplomas, ready for their next adventure. Harrison is going to miss the friends he made especially his besties Logan and Kyle. I am a little sad for him too---I know he will make new friends, but saying goodbyes are always hard.

This evening we were surprised with a memory book from Harrison's time at school. This will be an awesome reminder of the fun times he had during his preschool years!

I can not resist sharing his Preschool Thoughts on Life.

What do you want to be when you grow up? Police Officer.

How much money will you make? A lot.

Are you going to get married? No. 

How many kids are you going to have? No.

Where will you live? At mom's house.

What kind of car will you drive? Dad's car.

Whats the best thing about school? Playing with toys.

Alright buddy... Here you are as a Preschool graduate. Congratulations.

Pre-K 2

Today marks the unofficial start to fall; it's the day after Labor Day. Kids head back to school and we slowly start the "everyday," routine again. It's not that I don't like the "everyday" routine... but it makes me miss summer, even before it's really, REALLY gone. It's making sure the kids get to bed by 8/8:30 as opposed to "oh crap, it's 10 PM already."  Summer is when... it's ok to eat chicken nuggets and French fries for the third evening in a row. Summer is playing outside until 9PM , because it's still light out. We make every moment count of a Minnesota Summer.

I was listening to the radio the other day and suggestion they had, especially for us northerners is start a fall bucket list, so we are not consumed with thoughts of the next 9 months of cold and darkness (I may have added the 9 months part, because it totally feels that way around here).

There is one thing I particularly happy about this September... He isn't a kindergartener, just yet.

Today Doug dropped Harrison off as an official Back Yard Kid. At our child care center, preschool is divided into two groups. Preschool 1 and preschool 2. Harrison is now one of the "big kids." Since his birthday falls in late November he has one more year of preschool before he enters Kindergarten next year. Which also means his mom and dad only have one more year to debate Public or Montessori school.

New classroom. new teacher. I'm sure he'll rock his last year.

Happy Back to School!

 

4.75 years old

 

As lots of kids head of to kindergarten this week and next. I am reminded of just how fast these first 5 years can go. 

 

Next week he starts his final year of pre-school with "the big kids."



 

 

Week 3: Pre-School

MY MAN.

 

 

This is how Mom feels about pre-school...

 

• nap time = potty accidents
• drop offs = horrible
• play time = biting
 

NAP TIME:
 

I thought the transition itself from the toddler to pre-school room was going well, but that was very short lived. The last two weeks have been a BIG struggle. Harrison went from dry nap times to having an accident EVERY single day during nap time. It seemed I would talk to the staff everyday, each said they would make notes. I also found out they weren't using any hands on for toileting, just standing in the door way---so there was no way to know if he was actually going to the bathroom before nap time. I requested more help and he be taken last before nap, but there was no change, the nap time potty accidents continued. It was even suggested that we could bring diapers again. ABSOLUTELY NOT. This is not an option as we are transitioning from a family of three to a soon family of four. The ironic part of all of these nap time accidents is that he is dry for nap time Friday through Sunday, so accidents are ONLY happening at pre-school. I am not sure if this is a behavior or just a plain reaction to the transition. Last Thursday I lectured Harrison about having potty accidents. That morning he wanted a Fruit By The Foot fruit snack. I brought it in the car and set it next to him and told him, "if you don't have any potty accidents today, you have have these fruit snacks." I picked him up that day in the same clothes that I brought him in that day. It was a small victory. I asked him when I picked him up that day, "What did Momma say you could have if you had an all dry day?" He replied, "More fruit snacks." At Monday's drop of this week I lectured the same and promised Harrison a car wash if he had a dry day. When I picked him up that evening he had a dry day. I asked him, "What did Momma say you could have if you have a dry day today?" He said, "car wash, clean car." He gained mini cupcakes on day 3 and since then the struggle has started over.

 

With toileting being an issue...there could be worse things than this, however this certainly is a frustrating part of this transition.

BITING:

It started again. A staff member told me the other day, "I think it's his self defense." Self defense? Do we need to get this kid enrolled in a class at our local police station to protect himself against the 4 & 5 year olds?  Words (vocabulary wise) he talks really well now, often in complete sentences. This behavior isn't typical for him...usually if a toy is taken away from him or he gets frustrated he completely shuts down (throws himself to the ground/cries). So this whole biting?!?! Another piece to this puzzle that just doesn't fit.

DROP OFFS:

Horrible. He is back to crying everyday. Normally I can just walk away and know he will be fine, but I don't have this same feeling for pre-school. He isn't greeted the way he was when he was a toddler (and that was just a couple of weeks ago). I honestly don't know if the staff in there pay attention during drop off---there is so many kids and such few staff which is another frustration of mine. I feel like he has just become a number. The staff in the toddler room were awesome at distraction and very receptive to his needs. I had one staff member in the past two weeks in the pre-school room that has taken the time with him...She sat on the floor and started playing---a little girl tried to direct her away and she responded, "Let's play with Harrison, so he doesn't get sad when his mommy leaves." Whoever she was I haven't seen her since...But oh how I liked her.

I feel like I am nagging. I don't think my kid needs extra attention or privileges but I feel like I am repeating myself everyday. We talk about toileting issues. I found out in the beginning staff stood outside of the bathroom, but weren't in there with him so there was know way knowing if he was going or not going. I have asked for staff to be in there with him to make sure he uses the potty and goes. Despite this it seems like we aren't getting anywhere. What I can't understand is he can be dry the three days a week he is home with us and wet himself 4 days in a row at pre-school (during nap time)---this doesn't add up and I can't be there to see if the staff follows through or not.

Also when Harrison transitioned I (we) understood that Harrison was going to be in a class of 3 year olds. This isn't happening and doesn't sound like it will be happening anytime soon. He is two months shy of 3 and in a group of 3-5 year olds. I think this gap in age is too much. There needs to be a middle class for 3 year olds or 3-4 year olds, not 5 year olds. In a most recent news letter Harrison will be in a 3-5 year old group termed, "Whales."

I actually needed to flex my hours a few days in the last couple of weeks and picked up Harrison early without notice. Both days I picked him up was during story time. With so many children I think it's harder for him to stay on task. I found him in the back of the group turned around not engaged at all. This is where I feel like smaller age groups would be more appropriate.

Lastly the room is very much set up for older children. There is no stool for him to reach the sink, the gate so tall he can't even see over it---he looks so little next to those big kids.

Ok, I lied, one more gripe. This may make sound super picky, but seriously upset with when staff if changing his clothing. The other day he came home in one of those stretchy swim tops and pair of khakis. Another day he came home in his shorts and someone elses top---2 sizes too big. Seriously? They had to go to the bin to get his shorts, how do you manage to go to another cubby and pick out a tee that he was swimming in? I know this is minuscule---but I am the kind of parent that bathes my child nightly (and cleans the dirt out of the toe nails and finger nails), combs his hair or spikes it up ever day and people, my kid looks cute when he leave the house in his matching outfit---yes, I am one of those mom's. I know it's only pre-school...but I don't think my standards are too high to have him match.

Oh and boogers! YUCK. I hate them. The kid has a package of Kleenex in his cubby, coat pocket and a couple of sheets in his pair of jeans--how his is face dried with snot and boogers on it when I pick him up? I know my standards aren't too high for this.

How is Harrison liking the transition to pre-school? I have mixed feelings about it. He comes home in a mood like he always has, but when I talk about what friends he played with he always refers to his toddler friends. I don't blame him for not knowing names---there are SO many kids, none in which I know their names.

There maybe big changes to pre-school/daycare for Harrison/Miles. The director resigned this week. Harrison will have a teacher starting soon in his classroom (he's been without since the transition).

What will week four bring?




Just a little note:

I am way behind in blogging! I started this post more than a week ago and I am FINALLY posting it now.

I have some incredibly cute series of photos to share. Harrison decided not to participate in our maternity session last weekend, but he made up with it with flashing me some smiles and silly faces when we got back home---go figure right?

Stay tuned for a Linked 52 post, 34 month update and possibly a surprise addition to our family (no, not Baby Miles, he is still baking). I will get caught up, I PROMISE.





Pre-School Transition (EEEK the night before)

I can't believe in just two short days Harrison will be 33 months old...these days that considered pre-school aged. PRESCHOOL? Wow. No way had the reality of this kicked in until TODAY.

What does this mean? Harrison will begin the transition to the pre-school room at the center TOMORROW. His transition will be short (just 3 days) as the center is closed Thursday and Friday this week. He will be a FULL time pre-schooler September 4th.  I am totally excited for him, don't get me wrong and he is totally ready, but I am not sure his mom is. It's something about any transitioning that makes me feel a little (or a lot) uneasy. It's a new teacher, new classmates and whole new routine. I am the kind of person that likes things the way they are. It's not that I don't like change...I just like the motto, "If it's not broke, don't fix it."

Harrison toddler teacher is AMAZING. We love Jaclyn and we are totally going to miss her. Even though she is one room over from Harrison, she won't be HIS teacher anymore. The head teacher to the pre-school room began a new job last week at a new facility, which is probably fueling this uneasiness until they hire a new teacher for his soon to be pre-school classroom.


Here are few photos I snapped last week when we visited the park on a gorgeous evening. I have an amazing sunset photo to include, but you have to wait until Friday's linked post unless your already friends with me on Facebook; I just couldn't resist sharing on there.

 

He flashed me a smile here before an ambulance drove by!

 

I am obsessively (and compulsively) drawn to these everyday moments lately---this post is consumes by them.

 

LOVE, LOVE LOVE.

 

Do you remember how fun it was to pile rocks at the bottom of the slide and plow in to them? Some things never change.

 

Deep in discussion.

 Whitney Dog comes with us to play.

 One happy pup.

And saving my favorite for last... Love that tongue out, it helps him climb higher. 

It's hard to believe at the beginning of summer he couldn't climb these ladders or use the staircase without any rails. In just 3 short months he confidently can climb both independently.

Now it's time for his mom to let go and let her toddler become a pre-schooler.

Expect a full 33 month update sometime this week. It may include official pre-school photos if the subject cooperates.