No show

Last week, Rowan laid down outside the doors to the gym at our weekly gymnastics class to illustrate for Mary just how much she didn't want to go inside.  And this week, she was a no-show for dance class.  With nearly all her extracurriculars getting the snub, it's good to know there's at least ONE place our tuition money isn't technically a donation...

Jilliness

It's like The Hunger Games around here this weekend. 

But not due so much to a post-apocalyptic politically-oppressive regime, but more so related to extremely picky eating habits.

No good in goodbye

Tonight, only four hours after hugging Mary goodbye on her last day, I sobbed in my bed.  Because I missed "My Mary" so terribly.

Six-Month Check In

In anticipation of her 6-month check up with the doctor earlier this month, Remy decided to finally roll over (in both directions) just two weeks shy of her appointment -- perhaps only to save my mom the trouble of trying to explain how chunky thighs can really thwart even the most serious of efforts to get around.

Now, only a few weeks later, she is very close to locking down the whole sitting maneuver.

With Rem's newfound mobility, the monthly chair photos have gotten a bit more challenging.

She's making a break for it!

But, alas, we still got a good one!

1 month

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

Back to school

Since we moved into our house 4-and-a-half years ago, we have driven past the elementary school in my neighborhood almost every day.  I started to take notice of it last year and by the spring, my eagerness to start kindergarten reached a fever pitch.  One day in April on my way to preschool, I informed my mom that I was going to announce to all my friends that morning that "I am going to elementary school and I am NEVER coming back."

She suggested perhaps I wait a couple months, as I was setting myself up for a somewhat humiliating return to preschool the following day.

After the 5-year-old equivalent of 57 YEARS, last month it was finally my time to become a real and actual kindergartener.

First Day of Kindergarten

After my first day morning, I came home thrilled with the institution that is elementary school and announced that I had the greatest kindergarten teacher in the history of man.  Nearly four weeks later, it remains impossible for me to love kindergarten even one tiny ounce more.

My mom says she could possibly love it one tiny ounce more if half-day kindergarten lasted longer than 45 seconds.

Two-and-a-half loooooong weeks after my initiation to the elementary school, it was finally Rowan's turn to hit the books at her new school.  Because Rowan tends to enjoy routine, Mom talked up the new school in a BIG way -- particularly the fact that Rowan would be in the extended day program made the "lunch team."

One week in, Rowan decided that the "lunch team" wasn't the sort of extracurricular she was interested in joining and insisted on being picked up after her regular studies for the morning had concluded.  Mom's hopeful that they'll recruit her back eventually.

First Day of Pre-Pre-K

First Day of Pre-Pre-K

In a somewhat anticlimactic fashion, Remy didn't get to go anywhere at the conclusion of the summer.  And to add insult to injury, our beloved nanny Mary announced that her studies would prevent her from coming over to hang out every day.

Understandably, Remy feels jipped.

Whatchu talkin' about, Mary?

We looked far and wide for a replacement, and after road testing a couple, finally settled on one named Jenny.  And not just so my mom won't feel bad/be able to tell when we start calling her by the nanny's name.

And when Jenny reports for her big first day next week, we have plans to school her in such challenging subjects as Preschool Rage (aka "Beware the Wrath of Rowan"), Schedule Management (8 drop-offs/picks-ups on Tuesdays alone!), Blow-Outs 101 and Healthy Eating (for Kids Who Only Like Chicken Nuggets and Squeezable Yogurt).  A grueling course load, for sure.

Here's hoping she doesn't transfer!