A Song for Preschool

Each morning as we head to the car to go to preschool, Maya likes to sing this song.

"I'm on my way to go to preschool."

"It's a beautiful day to go to preschool."

"Hmmhm, hmmhm."

"It's a beautiful day for preschool."

"Yes it is. Yes it is."

She made it up. She varies up the song every so often, but mostly these are the words. By the way, she loves her school.

Maya's First Day

Before school

Maya had a great first day of preschool and can't wait to go back tomorrow.

We pulled into the parking lot today and she was giddy.

"Am I going to preschool?" she asked.

"Yes," I replied.

"And my teacher will be there?" she asked.

"Yes."

"And she will teach me a lot of things?" she asked.

"Yes, Maya."

The director said Maya was very busy at preschool, moving from activity to activity, and her teacher said she made friends quickly with another girl in her class. She left school with two of her own paintings in her hands and she was so proud to show them off to me.

And on our way to pick up Guillermo from school, she fell asleep in the stroller and took a nap that lasted two hours.

After school, showing off her painting.

When I'm 3, I go to Preschool

Dancing and dress up, two of her favorite things.

Maya heads to preschool for her first day tomorrow. Finally! (her words, not mine, though I am happy to be getting some time to myself!)

She is so excited, and has been for months, telling everyone '"When I'm 3, I go to preschool." We made a calendar a few weeks ago to count down the days until Guillermo started kindergarten and she started preschool. She was so disappointed to see that she had to wait an extra week.

I love her new preschool. She'll go for three hours, three mornings a week. Her teacher sent an e-mail to parents a few weeks ago asking us to tell her about anything special in our children's lives, any likes, dislikes, etc. I told Maya this and then asked what I should tell her teacher she liked.

Maya thought it over a bit and then said "I like lunch and snacks."

That's my girl.

(My e-mail to the teacher said Maya likes butterflies, she has an older brother, Guillermo, and wants to be Super Girl when she grows up.)

5 years old vs. 3 years old

Here is Guillermo, after his first full day of kindergarten. I thought he might be exhausted but he was full of energy. We walked home from school by way of the woods.

Here is Maya, after Guillermo's first full day of kindergarten. She fell asleep on the way to pick up Guillermo, after a hard day of cupcake making and playing at the park and at our house with a friend.

Guillermo seemed to have a good day today. As usual, he didn't offer up too many details but this is what I was able to get out of him: After rest time, they had play time and he played with blocks and buttons and strings, he didn't nap at rest time, he didn't eat all of the snack I sent with him, he likes Pirates Booty, he sits at the rectangle table that is really shaped like a circle, and he sat next to a friend from preschool during lunch. And, they sang songs

I was so excited to pick him up from school today. We walked home through the woods and had a nice time collecting sticks and playing near a fort made out of vines. We even stopped at Storyville (a rock along the path where they sit while I tell them stories). When we finally made it out of the woods and onto our street he said:

"Do I have to go to school every day?"

"Yep," I answered.

"Oh man," he said.

First Day of Kindergarten

At his new school on kindergarten orientation.

He was so proud of his lunch tray.

Guillermo had his first day of kindergarten today. His day started with a classroom scavenger hunt and ended with lunch of pizza and chocolate milk. I'm pretty sure he wants to go back.

He went just two hours today for kindergarten orientation with half his class. The other half went yesterday. Thursday is his first full day.

I think he liked it, but a few times he seemed pretty unsure, like when he beckoned me to join him when his teacher called all the kindergartners to the carpet for a book, The Kissing Hand. (I held it together and did not let one tear fall, but it required several deep breaths and a lot of glances around the room, where I discovered I seemed to be the only emotional parent in class.) After the story, Will and I went to a parent meeting and the kids stayed behind with their teacher. We joined Guillermo for lunch in the cafeteria after the meeting. He seemed pretty pleased to be carrying his own lunch tray.

Will is going to take him to school tomorrow on the trail-a-bike. It will be Guillermo's first full day and you can bet I'll be waiting at his classroom door to pick him up when school ends tomorrow afternoon.

Goofing around before school!

Goodbye Summer, We had So Much Fun

We've spent the past two days playing before summer vacation ends for Guillermo. He goes to kindergarten orientation for a few hours on Wednesday. His first full day of school is Thursday. (I won't cry, I won't cry).

Yesterday we went to the Museum of Life and Science to explore the new Dinosaur Trail. We were especially excited to see the Maiasaura, our favorite dinosaur for obvious reasons. We didn't spend much time digging for fossils, but we chased some birds around the butterfly house, built two towers and a ship out of Keva planks and spent some time in the space shuttle.

Today, we went to the North Carolina Zoo. I always forget what an amazing zoo we have. The last time we were there we had to rush home when it became clear that Maya's cold had caused an ear infection. Poor girl. (Poor me, a bottle of Tylenol cost $11). This time, we arrived shortly before 10 a.m. and left around 4 p.m. We may have overdone it, but it was fun.

Messy Maya, digging in the garden in KidsZone at the zoo.

Guillermo, climbing up the slide at the zoo.

Best buddies hanging out before they start kindergarten in different schools.

Counting down the days

Guillermo and his kindergarten teachers.

Guillermo, Maya and I printed calendars last week so we could begin the countdown to school. Guillermo starts Wednesday with kindergarten orientation and his first full day is Thursday. Maya starts a week later.

Guillermo is starting to get a little more excited and when he marked off another day on his calendar this morning he happily declared "Yay! Three more days until kindergarten!" I'm so glad he is excited.

Friday night we met Guillermo's teacher and the teacher's aide and checked out his classroom. He seemed to like both teachers and the class, as did Maya, who quickly found some lego-type blocks that are likely used for counting and starting playing with them. The daughter of a friend of mine had Guillermo's teacher last year and loved her. I hope Guillermo does, too.

On Saturday, Maya had her second playgroup with her preschool class. She was really shy the first time, opting to explore the park only with me. Yesterday, she was her normally bubbly self and talked to one of her teachers, the director and tried to make friends, especially with anyone who wanted to help her sell mulch ice cream, which by the way is delicious when served by your 3 year old.