Kindergarten

Elizabeth started full-day kindergarten over a week ago. She has been doing great with all of the changes, despite a double-whammy of painful urinary tract infection and head cold. She's going to bed earlier, getting up earlier, and having to get out the door on time in the morning. But the biggest change of all is just being away from Mom for six hours per day five days per week. That's huge, but Elizabeth is embracing her new lifestyle. She likes school, for which I am very grateful.

Her best friend Lily and some of her friends from preschool were originally slated to be in her class, but the class got too big and was split into two. Lily and Elizabeth's preschool pals were all moved into the new class. But Elizabeth didn't mind! She sees Lily on the playground at recess, and that's fine. (Barb and I -- and probably Lily's parents -- are kind of glad they were split up. Their friendship and sisterly competitiveness might have proven to be a distraction in the classroom.)

Tonight we went to an open house at the school, and Elizabeth eagerly showed off her seat, her cubby, some of her artwork, and, the things she was most eager to show, the tiny toilet, sink and water fountain. Suzanne was so psyched to see the toilet that she spent 15 minutes on it conducting business while a line formed outside. She didn't care. Suzanne is unflappable.

After the open house, we went to the playground, which was Bedlam: dozens of kids ranging in age from one to probably ten were swinging, sliding, jumping, running, in all directions. Elizabeth strode into the thick of it to show off her much improved skills on the monkey rings. I was proud of her bravery -- the playground was nuts.

I really liked seeing the school. It's an old building with lots of beautiful wainscoting in the halls, and it's bright and cheerful. I only said hello to Mrs. Doss, Elizabeth's teacher (because Elizabeth was dragging me across the room to see something), but she gave a good first impression.

I think it's going to be a good year.

Here's Elizabeth sporting her new haircut and practicing her reading.

Suzanne looking very comfortable in Elizabeth's seat in Mrs. Doss's Room 2. (No wonder she's comfortable: she's still wearing her nightshirt.) 

Elizabeth's portrait of her family. Two things are notable, and might make it worth your while to click on the picture to enlarge it: her drawing is fine-lined and detailed -- no crayons here -- and her family includes not only her sister and parents, and not only Joey, Clara, Oliver and Rusty (the puppets) but Handy and Lefty (Daddy's hands, which are puppets when no puppets are around) and Fingerman (which is just Daddy's first two fingers walking around -- he doesn't talk or have a personality, so I was surprised to see Fingerman included). God only knows what Mrs. Doss thinks. 

Elizabeth's self-portrait.