Graduation Overload

In the past two weeks we've been to two high school graduation parties, last night my stepson graduated from middle school and tonight Boobah graduates from preschool. Needless to say I have been up to my eyeballs in creamy cake icing, hamburgers and hot dogs. The world's second most expensive preschool does preschool graduation up right, real caps and gowns, community auditorium and they even took them yesterday morning for practice walking across the stage and singing their songs. I am sure I will cry like a baby.

Given the parties of the past two weeks, including a high school graduation party complete with Sumo Wrestling suits and a dalmatian moon bounce (pictures to come), I should have seen it coming.

Boobah (from the back seat of the van): "Mommy, do *I* get a graduation party?"
My mind: You are 4, its preschool, we are not having a party!
My mouth: "how about Rita's?"
Boobah: "That's good."

Esmerelda and boys are coming to celebrate Boobah's big event with us tonight, she demanded that Tippy Tornado and Es be in attendance. Es said that she has some graduation decorations so I am sure that will endear her to Boobah forever (as if she isn't already!)

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I ran 3.5 miles this morning at 5:50, my longest run yet. It felt good, morning is definitely going to be my go-to time of day for the summer, the heat really kills me. This morning was in the upper 50s and it was actually nice to be outside.

Maven Says: Barrettes that WORK

My oldest daughter has lots and lots of hair. My youngest daughter is not nearly so lucky. She was nearly three before she had her first "real" haircut because I just couldn't bear to see her curls disappear. Despite the fact that Boobah has so little hair I could never bring myself to put corn syrup in her hair and stick a bow to her head. Most of her life she's spent with just plain hair. My ill fated attempts to put barrettes or pony holders in her hair generally end up with lost hair-dinis (the Gman term for girly hair stuff!) because they slide out of her hair. For a girl who likes to be girly, this is a tough thing.

Then, in rides Maiden America and Parent Bloggers Network to the rescue! The cute barrettes come in singles and "pony pairs" to use with a pony tail holder. I ordered one set in a size small so that both girls could wear them and the other in the XS just for my younger daughter. As soon as they arrived in the mail there were many ohhs and ahhs and demands to have them put in their hair immediately! I was thrilled that the barrettes snapped easily into place and STAYED PUT! Unfortunately they don't require a combination to get them undone, four year old Boobah did manage to get them out of her hair and into her mouth during the day and I ended up with a soggy flowered barrette at the end of the day. My seven year old loved the way the barrettes looked and we could secure a small piece of her heavy hair in the pretty barrettes.

I know I will head back to the site the next time there is a special occasion, the barrettes and headbands are just begging to be worn to a wedding, dance or any occasion that requires Fancy Nancy clothes. They are a great combination of beauty and function and a great solution for thin, fine hair that refuses to be tamed by regular hair-dinis.

All growed up

We got big news at our house this week, five years of worrying has been put to rest (yes, I was worrying about this before she was even born!). Boobah was born on September 3. The year she was born the state declared they were moving the age for starting school back from the end of December to Sept. 1 with the phase in of full-day Kindergarten. After months of filling out forms, testing and waiting (mostly waiting) we got word that she has been accepted to Kindergarten!

I think she is so ready to go to school and she is a really tall girl so I had visions of her being a head taller than her classmates if she had to wait another year to go to school. She is a kid who gets bored and finds something to keep herself occupied and it isn't always what others would want her to be doing--learning to pee standing up for instance. There is also the small issue of money, we are now spending a boatload of money to send her to the World's Second Most Expensive Preschool (BuilderMama has us beat with THE most expensive). I love the place and she has really flourished there but another year of a tuition bill for preschool equal to what my parents paid for a year of private college makes my stomach churn just a bit.

On the other hand I have what I would guess is typically mommy doubt--are we pushing her into something because it saves us money, we are convinced she is brilliant and are sure she can handle being with kids who are generally older than she is? My friends have been reassuring that they think we'd be crazy not to have her tested. A few people with kids who are a few weeks or months younger than she is are a little surprised we would have her tested because they want their kids to be the oldest, biggest, smartest in the class and see waiting as an advantage (or course most of them also have the luxury of a parent at home full time). Oh The Joys had a post about the trend to "red-shirt" Kindergartners--hold them out if they have a birthday in the summer and send them to school when they are six rather than five. Her post generated a lot of discussion (144 comments!) among her loyal fans. If you Google red-shirt and Kindergarten there are articles from the New York Times to TIME magazine on the subject of the "right" age to go to Kindergarten so at least I don't feel alone. But I do feel confused and maybe even a bit guilty.

The questions, oh the questions. Am I making the right decision? IS there a right decision? Am I disadvantaging my child by sending her to Kindergarten and making her among the youngest, if not the youngest child in her class? Will any of this matter two years from now? If I waited would she be on the fast track to Harvard?

My gut says this is the right decision for this child at this time. The system says yes, this child is ready to go. The child says, yes Mommy I am ready to go to Kindergarten. The only part that nags me now is the little part of my heart that is releasing my baby to the wonders of public school and giving up yet a little more control to her and other adults.

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In other news, the Think Thin Thursday Update is minus 3.2 pounds for a grand total of 18 pounds in five weeks. Honestly I am stunned but certainly not unhappy! I got to go shopping in my own closet yesterday for clothes that hadn't fit in awhile. Training continues to go well, need more time on the bike outside if I can get the weather to cooperate!

Huh? Where did January go?

Somehow it seems like the holidays were just yesterday. How could we be on the cusp of the longest (despite being the shortest) month of the year? I guess I am getting old because more and more it seems like I think about how fast time is moving. Maybe its the realization that its something I have no control over and you know, I likes me some control! Gman and I were looking through some old pictures and video the other night and its hard to believe how much the kids have grown and changed in such a short time. My babies are slipping away and becoming real, honest to goodness people. Boobah summed up it well the other day when she said "Mommy, don't you think I just look like a little grown up?" Yes Boobah, yes you do.

I had such grand plans for getting organized in the new year, it hasn't exactly happened yet and the steps we have taken aren't as well maintained as I've liked. I guess we add that to the February list.

The exercise program is rocking. I am loving the tri training class despite the hard work and excruciatingly early hour for swimming. I graduated from the "learning to love the water" lane this morning which felt like a huge accomplishment--even moreso when I realized that not only could I keep up with them, I could pass many of them.

Ah, the love expressed only as 4 year olds can

Boobah's Teacher: Has Boobah told you about G?
Me: No
BT: Oh, you should ask her

Last night in the tub

Me: Boobah, is there a new boy in your class
B: Yes, his name is Gavin and we got to be friends really fast
Me: So what kinds of things do you do
B: Well, I call him trash bag and he calls me poopy
Me: That's not very nice
B: We laugh when we say it (she says with a big sparkly eyed grin)