Kindergarten

Having a real-life Kindergartner has been such an experience for me.

I taught Kindergarten for several years before getting out of the classroom and now my first born is in Kindergarten and it has been so awesome to see this grade/age from a parent perspective.

Ryan is so smart, observant, proper, and most importantly she is a thinker.  I love watching her because it's like you can see the wheels turning in her head to make sense of the situation and then she always asks a question...that I did not see coming.  (I give much of the credit to Ms. Cindy and Ms. Terri her teachers at Little Rock Montessori School for 2 years)

Witnessing your intelligence is pure delight for me and even her Daddy.  Ryan and her Daddy have the most mature conversations about everything.  It is the best thing to witness.  Makes me feel like a million bucks plus infinite. Hopefully one day I'll catch them at the right time so I can record one of these conversations.

My favorite favorite thing right now is when she writes something.  As a teacher I LOVED teaching writing. It was the beginning of my students ability to express their true thoughts and feelings.  Not to mention you see so much growth from the beginning to the end of K by reading their writing.

Recently Ryan's awesome K teacher decided to take another position out of the classroom.  As a teacher/professional I totally understand her decision.  But as a parent I was, let's say, a bit disappointed.  My baby was adjusting to her new school and class and teacher so well and now she has to readjust. Ugh.
Sidenote: So far I can't really get a 'read' on the new teacher and I can't really tell how Ryan feels about her...sigh..smh...fingers crossed.  Anyway...

Ryan,

You are the best reader and writer.  You are beyond any Kindergartner I've ever seen (and I'm not just saying that because you're mine!).  Daddy and I are so proud of you.  You have no idea.  You rock.  You are the bomb.com (even with your morning attitude and smart mouth!).  You are my sweetheart.

Here is something she wrote at school a couple of weeks ago.  I love love love this.  I have framed it, dated it, hung it in my office, and taken a picture of it, and sent it to lots of people.

Big Girl Bed

This weekend Reagan's transformation into an official big girl began.

How?

Daddy converted her crib into a toddler bed!

I almost cried.  But somehow kept it together.  My baby girl is growing up too fast.

Every night before she climbs in she says, "Daddy did dat" and points to the bed.

She loves her new bed.

The first night she slept in it, you could tell she didn't know what to do with the freedom.  It was so funny because she would lay down, then sit up, then step down and then get back in.  She was a little confused.

Then after we said her prayers and tucked her in and turned out the light, and left the room - 3 minutes later she miraculously disappears.  Out of her bed.

She goes wherever she can find light.  Our bedroom, the family room, her big sister's room, and even came downstairs to find me in the laundry room one night.

I 'fuss' at her and then walk her back to her bed.  One night this happened 5 times.  It was really cute.  Finally her daddy scooped her up and rocked her to sleep in his recliner (love him).  Sweet sweet sweet.

Reagan the big-girl-toddler.