She Learned her ABC's and 123's

"All I really need to know I learned in Kindergarten"

-Robert Fulghum

Kindergarten was a big year for my little girl.  She was so scared to start the year, but settled in, and began to love it. Starting math was a breeze after what I had taught her before school started, and reading has taken off, much to this mom's delight.

There were snacks every day, and we made sure to make ours cute and fun.

She survived the 100th day of school and even had her own fun poster for the parade.

For Dr. Suess day she refused to be something "weird" so she chose to be fox in sox, from Fox in Sox of course.

She even had a tail!

When field day rolled around, she wanted to know what it was.  From my experiences as a child I told her it's a great day of competitions like big kid field and track, with relays, dashes, distance runs, high and long jumps, and distance throwing.  I wasn't sure for her, but in my school there were first, second, and third place ribbons; but for if you didn't place you still got a participation ribbon and could be happy.  She was excited for the event, and hoped she might even place.

Boy was I wrong!  Either they do things different here or they had changed a bit since I was at field day.  There were several events such as stick horse races, little scooter riding, jump roping, parachute play, hurdles, and obstacle courses.  Not a single one was highly competitive, some not at all.  No prizes were given, and no ribbons.  I guess in the name of equality they chose to keep it more of an event day instead of a track and field day.  I personally enjoy a  bit of competition to encourage kids to try their best and learn to be gracious when loosing, but in this was not the case and I guess that's okay too.  She had so much fun with her friends, but was a little sad I had mentioned ribbons, and been a big fat liar.

Sometimes you get bucked off!!!

Her kindergarten class.

Then there was kindergarten graduation, an adorable ceremony  where kids get confused on their cues, sit in the wrong places, and parents gush over their first big accomplishment.

They even performed a few songs.

They sang, "We learned our ABC's and 123's, we learned to get along...now we're going to be a part of it, first grade, first grade." to the tune of New York New York by Frank Sinatra and also sang What a Beautiful World by Louis Armstrong.  Later when I sang it with her, she asked me if I had learned the lyrics to What a Beautiful World when I was in kindergarten also.

One of the biggest disappointments she's had this year was when she turned six this May.  On her birthday, she asks me if she has a loose tooth.  I check, and nothing is wiggling; so I ask if her tooth hurts.  She says, "The dentist said I would loose a tooth when I'm six."  I explained it was likely, but he was referring to sometime during the entire year she is six.  That was not her understanding and she feels jipped. I'll be sure to inform the dentist of his mistake.  :)

Now if she would just stop growing up!!!