Last week was Kai's last week of preschool. How that's possible I don't know. Our little man is growing up and on his way to elementary school!! This past year was wonderful in so many ways while still having its share of ups and downs. At the start of the year, Kai and another boy at his school had a few run ins of which Kai did not have the upper hand. It was rough and we had to work through a lot of emotions around that experience. There were a couple times I wondered if I had made the right choice in switching schools, but by the time the new year came that little boy had moved on to another school and Kai had the chance to really settle in at school and truly enjoy the amazing community we had become a part of. I am so happy I chose to do the co-op preschool with Kai. The community we have formed, the love and support we have received and the friendships we have made are lasting and such a huge blessing.
I have seen Kai grow so much this year. He is a super social and active kid. And smart as a whip. His emotional vocabulary has also grown a lot and it has been a joy for me to see him learn more and more about how to put words to his feelings and express himself more fully. He is a special kid.
His teacher Miss Deanne was a constant source of guidance and support for us, and we will truly miss her amazing spirit. Here's Kai with Miss Deanne:
Next year Kai will be moving on to Transitional Kindergarten which is basically a program in public schools that offers an extra year of kindergarten for kids born between Sept and Dec. These kids would otherwise be very young going into school but with TK it's awesome because they will be getting an extra year of preparation. Mark and I think Kai will thrive in TK. He is such a smarty pants. His memory alone is astounding. And we are both looking forward to seeing how this new environment and curriculum challenge him. As much as we will miss our preschool we are excited about the new horizons of TK.
On the last day of school we had a little ceremony for all the kids. We made a big nest for them all to sit in and the children who are going back next year received a small downy feather and returned back to the nest. The children who are moving on got a larger feather and then they stepped out of the nest and went to sit on a bench with the other "graduates". It was more emotional for me then expected. I really savor these milestones knowing Kai will never be 4 1/2 again. It's bitter sweet. I can't wait for what is next and I will miss the little person he is right now. We love him so much and are so proud of him.
Up top is a photo of me handing Kai his feather and here's a video:
Preschool Graduation from Jenna Hales on Vimeo.
The words to the song we are singing:
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