My mom and I arrived at the ceremony a full 45 minutes early so we could get a seat down front and have room for Princess in her umbrella stroller. (Without being strapped into the stroller, she would have never made it through the ceremony.) And thankfully Little Sticky was having a year end beach party with his class.
Big Daddy arrived just in time before the ceremony started. All the Fours walked in to Pomp and Circumstance (and yes I got a lot teary!), and then proceeded down front to sing a few songs for the parents.
Overall, we were so very proud. With one exception. As each graduate approached their teacher for their diploma, the Director shared the child's future aspirations. Most of Big's classmates dreamed of becoming a Firefighter or an Olympic Athlete or a Teacher or even a Doctor. Big? He aspired to "Put his shoes on by himself." Since he was the very first one to step onto stage and accept his diploma, I thought, "Oh, that's so (kind of) cute." Soon after though, after hearing everyone else, I was a little embarassed, mortified, hoping no one would remember that first kid...
That got me wondering, why he would aspire to put his shoes on by himself? Afterall, he had been doing it since he was three. Then I remembered, a few days earlier, Big had left his sneakers on the trampoline in the back yard. The sprinklers came on, soaked the already tight shoes, which when dried, no longer fit.
The only option was a pair of canvas sneakers with a super thin tongue that Big struggled un-bunching each morning as we were rushing out the door in our usual late manner, causing me to assist him. So there you go. The mind of a pre-schooler. The future is the present and the present is all that matters.
Notice how all the little children are facing forward... except Big.
He's the one on the corner... talking.
Getting his "diploma."
This is what a preschooler looks like when he stays up until 11:30 the night before.
With a few buddies.
His cap and gown picture. SO grown up but still SO cute!
