Hunter and Hailey eating breakfast on our first day of school.

Hailey all ready for her first day of third grade.

Hunter all ready to start preschool.

Hunter and Hailey growing up way too fast!

Hailey

Hunter

Harper

Eating a yummy breakfast on the first day of school

Hailey all ready for second grade

I can’t believe how fast she is growing up!

Hunter all ready for tot school and Hailey all ready for second grade.

All ready for the last day of 1st grade

My pretty little miss

Officially a 2nd grader   We are so proud of how hard Hailey worked this year and how much she has learned!!

Hailey eating her breakfast before school today- she had peanut butter toast, sausage, and some milk to drink.

All ready for school and showing off her new outfit.

The Ariel lunch box

Rapunzel book bag

All ready to go to first grade.

Sitting in her chair in her new classroom.

Rich and I took Hailey to school for her first day (Hunter came along too, of course).  She was worried and not sure she really wanted to go to first grade.  She thought she was better prepared to go back to kindergarten again.  She didn’t think it would be possible for her new teacher to be as nice as her teacher from last year.  I reassured her that she was indeed ready for first grade and that she would find kindergarten boring this year since she already knows all of that information.  And I told her we should give her new teacher a chance to see what she thought of her.

This morning Hailey told me she was feeling excited and shy about going to first grade.  When I picked her up from school she told me she had a great day and that she really likes her teacher.  It turns out that her new teacher is indeed very nice.  Hailey said her favorite thing she did today was coloring.  She also enjoyed the stories that they read.  She is glad that some of her friends from last year are in her class this year.  I know she’s going to have a great year and I can’t wait to see what she accomplishes this year!

Eating peanut butter toast and sausage for breakfast (and her vitamin too) on the last day of kindergarten.

All ready to go, with her Smurf lunchbox.

Only hours away from being a first grader… sniff sniff

Hailey wanted to pose with Rich on her last day.

And she’s off…

At the end of the day:

Now an official first grader, opening a gift for a job well done in kindergarten.

Hailey told me that on the last day of school she felt sad

Hailey’s last day reminds me of the book by Karen Kingsbury- “Let Me Hold You Longer”

Long ago you came to me,
a miracle of firsts,
First smiles and teeth and baby steps,
a sunbeam on the burst.

But one day you will move away
and leave to me your past
And I will be left thinking of
a lifetime of your lasts…

The last time that I held a bottle
to your baby lips
The last time that I lifted you
and held you on my hip.

The last night when you woke up crying,
needing to be walked,
When last you crawled up with your blanket,
wanting to be rocked.

The last time when you ran to me,
still small enough to hold.
The last time that you said you’d marry
me when you grew old.

Precious, simple moments and
bright flashes from your past-
Would I have held on longer if
I’d known they were your last?

Our last adventure to the park,
your final midday nap,
The last time when you wore your favorite
faded baseball cap.

Your last few hours of kindergarten,
those last few days of first grade,
Your last at bat in Little League,
last colored picture made.

I never said good-bye to all
your yesterdays long passed.
So what about tomorrow-
will I recognize your lasts?

The last time that you catch a frog
in that old backyard pond.
The last time that you run barefoot
across our fresh-cut lawn.

Silly, scattered images
will represent your past.
I keep on taking pictures,
never quite sure of your lasts…

The last time that I comb your hair
or stop a pillow fight.
The last time that I pray with you
and tuck you in at night.

The last time when we cuddle
with a book, just me and you
The last time you jump in our bed
and sleep between us two.

The last piano lesson,
last vacation to the lake.
Your last few weeks of middle school,
last soccer goal you make.

I look ahead and dream of days
that haven’t come to pass.
But as I do, I sometimes miss
today’s sweet, precious lasts…

The last time that I help you with
a math or spelling test.
The last time when I shout that yes,
your room is still a mess.

The last time that you need me for
a ride from here to there.
The last time that you spend the night
with your old tattered bear.

My life keeps moving faster,
stealing precious days that pass,
I want to hold on longer-
want to recognize your lasts…

The last time that you need my help
with details of a dance.
The last time that you ask me for
advice about romance.

The last time that you talk to me
about your hopes and dreams.
The last time that you wear a jersey
for your high school team.

I’ve watched you grow and barely noticed
seasons as they pass.
If I could freeze the hands of time,
I’d hold on to your lasts.

For come some bright fall morning,
you’ll be going far away.
College life will beckon
in a brilliant sort of way.

One last hug, one last good-bye,
one quick and hurried kiss.
One last time to understand
just how much you’ll be missed.

I’ll watch you leave and think how fast
our time together passed.
Let me hold on longer, God,
to every precious last.

Hailey at the breakfast

Hailey was the “Star of the Week” last week and this is the poster they made about Hailey.

Pa and Hailey at the breakfast

Hunter slept through the whole breakfast.

After the breakfast all of the kindergarten classes put on a concert.

They did an amazing job!!  They were so cute too   I still can’t believe Hailey is in kindergarten… and the year is more than half way over.

My Valentines:

My littlest Valentine on his very first Valentine’s Day.
He had a rough first Valentine’s Day since he had his 2 month doctor appointment today and had to get 3 shots

My medium sized Valentine.

I love them so much!!

Valentine’s Day evening wasn’t quite how I imagined it would be… Hunter was super fussy because of his shots and would not settle down.  Dottie peed on our couch   My parents brought Murray over because we are watching him tomorrow for them and he decided to pee too (on the floor) .  Hailey was extra wild (sugar anyone?) which made Dottie bark and go crazy and it was just so chaotic.  We ended up not eating dinner until after 7, which is late for us since Hailey goes to bed at 8.  The whole evening was just non-stop and a bit stressful and crazy.  It was a good thing Rich and I had already went out on Saturday to celebrate Valentine’s Day.  Anyways, that’s just how life goes sometimes and I’m thankful for my 2 little Valentines that made the evening so crazy.

Hailey having some lunch

Hailey holding her ticket to get on the Polar Express to go to the North Pole.

She wore her birthday shirt to school and was very proud of it!

Another quick pose before heading off to school.

I brought in cupcakes to celebrate her birthday at school.  While waiting for Hailey and her class to come back from the playground I was able to talk to Hailey’s teacher for a few minutes.  She told me that Hailey is the sweetest little girl ever.  So I told her I thought so too  Hailey’s teacher said, “I really mean it.  I’ve met a lot of kids and Hailey is just the sweetest girl.”  It made me so happy to hear her say that!

Here are the cupcakes that Hailey picked:

Rapunzel for the girls

Cars for the boys

When the class came back Hailey got to pick a friend to help pass out the cupcakes and drinks.  She picked a little boy named L… according to Hailey’s teacher L is in love with Hailey.  During sharing time that day he had told the class that Hailey was the most beautiful girl in the class.

After the cupcakes were passed out Hailey got to wear the special birthday hat while the class sang to her.

She was so excited!

The next day (Friday) was Hailey’s actual birthday and there wasn’t any school.  She woke up nice and early, very excited about it being her birthday.  After she quickly ate her breakfast and got dressed we let her open her presents.

She was very excited about everything she got!  She spent the day playing with all of her new toys.

To celebrate her birthday, Hailey had requested we go to the Olive Garden to eat dinner- she loves eating there!

Hailey’s favorite part of her meal- cheese!

She loves the pizza too, but it’s really all about the cheese!

After dinner we came back to our house with Grandma and Pa to have cake and some more presents.

My mom made this beautiful princess cake and Hailey absolutely loved it!

Hailey and her Cinderella cake.

Blowing out her candle!

Posing with her new American Girl Doll (which she named Aveena) from Grandma and Pa, wearing their matching pajamas.

Hailey said her birthday was wonderful!  I’m so glad she enjoyed her special day!!  (Her party with her friends is next weekend, so I’ll post more pictures after that party.)

Hailey was really excited about riding on the school bus for the first time.  She has to catch the bus at 7:24am and school starts at 7:45am.

Getting on the bus!

She was a little nervous about what to do when she got to school since she didn’t remember where her classroom was but we told her there would be a teacher to help her find her class.

School gets dismissed at 2:25pm and Hailey’s drop off time at our house is 2:37pm, so it’s a nice short ride for her.

At the end of the day…

All smiles as she got off the bus!

Since I was in the driveway when Hailey left for school and was waiting there for her when she got home from school, she asked me, “Mom, did you stay out here and wait for me all day?”

When I asked her if she liked kindergarten she said, “Mom I LOVED kindergarten!”  Later when I asked her if she was going back to school again tomorrow she said, “Of course! I LOVE kindergarten!”  I hope this love of school always lasts.