wrapping up the school year

Well, it's official: school is out and summer has started. Part of me is glad for a change of pace. This last school year has been a difficult one for me, what with two separate school pick ups, OT and speech therapy appointments to get back and forth from, and a pregnancy, in addition to all the other aspects of life during a school year. I'm a little worn out.

The rest of me, though, is a little terrified at the prospect of having all four of them home all day every day where it's hot and swelteringly humid outside and cramped and crowded inside. I have a rough plan of how we'll survive, which entails regular morning park visits, followed by lunch and early afternoon quiet/nap time, and a little bit of homework/reading time when it's too hot to be outside.

But enough about summer. It will happen whether I'm ready or not. Onto the pomp and circumstance!

Two days ago, Caleb wrapped up his pre-kindergarten year. He went to a small nearby school called the Tiny Tots Playhouse, which he seemed to quite enjoy. Late last week his teachers held a simple Stepping Up ceremony that I attended.

 The pre-k graduates.

 The face Caleb pulled while the rest of his classmates smiled and sang a few songs. I'm still trying to decide if he was happy to be there.

 With his two friends, Lola and Mia.

 With his friend, Sabil.

With one of his teachers, Ms. Adele.

 And with Mom (and Daniel).

Ready for kindergarten!

As we walked home from Tiny Tots for the last time he said, "It's happy and sad, right?" I couldn't have summed it up better myself. He made a lot of great friends, absorbed the awesomeness of Magna-Tiles nearly every day during centers time, and learned a lot about how a school works. Now onto kindergarten!

In addition to pre-k, Caleb also this week wrapped up his OT and speech therapy sessions. He'll resume them again in the fall, only this time they'll take place at school so I, happily, won't have to cart him to and from them. I've been kind of "meh" about his OT experience and am actually relieved that it's over. Speech with Miss Zarina, on the other hand.... She was wonderful (and she came to our home for his sessions, which greatly added to my love for her). We will both really miss her.

Miss Zarina

Today was Garrett's last day of 1st grade at P.S. 185. He had a fantastic year with amazing teachers. I attribute his marked improvement and intense love for reading almost entirely on Mrs. Caramanico, who also encouraged his love of science. She, along with the other classroom teachers, Mrs. Clinton and Mrs. Blake, were the best things that could have happened to Garrett this year, and we will both miss them. But he's as excited as ever to be a second grader in the fall!

 With Mrs. Caramanico.

 Look! He's reading chapter books! He kept his nose buried in Mr. Popper's Penguins and finished it last night after starting it only a week ago.

Garrett's 1st grade year was also generously sprinkled with wonderful friends. Here he is with his best girl friend, Ava. These two were apparently partners in crime, especially when they were assigned to sit at the same table. (Isn't she adorable?!)

 Making silly faces with his best boy friends, Ben and Abel.

This afternoon, to celebrate their last days of school, I took them to get Slurpees at 7-Eleven. In the process we unfortunately managed to ruin a lot of clothes, both from cherry-red Slurpee drippings and heat-induced dye transfers (from my shirt onto Daniel's while I was wearing him in the Ergo). Hopefully the rest of my attempts at fun this summer don't turn out as disastrous because, as exhausting as I know it will be, I really would like to make our days as memorable as possible, given our circumstances. So send your prayers and best wishes this way because I think I'm gonna need them.