Moving On Up!

There have been a lot of  milestones around here lately.  First, on May 23^rd, Eliana and the rest of the "Froggies" graduated from nursery school, and Leah was promoted up from the “Lambs” class.   The girls were excited for the graduation/moving up ceremony, and even more excited that their Gran was there for the special day.  Eliana has been sentimental about graduating, and vocal about her anxiety to start kindergarten.  The expanse of summer before kindergarten starts is a little confusing, but we’ve been talking about kindergarten a lot around here.  Eliana has said that she only wants to go if Leah can go with her, and Leah is fully on board with this plan. 

On our way to graduation

Leah and the "Lambs" teachers

Eliana in her Froggie Graduation Cap

The week after graduating, Eliana turned the big 5.   Because she is the youngest kid in her nursery school class, she was awaiting this day for a long time.   As her birthday approached, she became a little obsessed with the idea of her birthday gifts.  It seemed that for months every time she asked for something I replied, “We can put that on your birthday wish list.”  Because of her excitement, and my overuse of that birthday wish list phrase, I really wanted her to wake up to a nice pile of presents to open.  And boy did she wake up early and excited to start the festivities.  The day was spent fulfilling Eliana's birthday wishes.  Strawberry pancakes for breakfast.  A trip to the library to get new Fairy books and rent DVD's.  Lunch out at the bagel shop.  She loves to hear the story every year about how all I wanted after she was finally born was a big cup of coffee, and a bagel with cream cheese and lox (aka "salty fish), and how this has been one of her favorite foods since she acquired teeth. And of course she had to have her Birthday Cheese Curls - since May 29th is the only day of the year I'll buy them for her.  Leah did not actually like the cheese curls, so Eliana got a double portion.  (Leah, you're so strange, who doesn't like cheese curls????)

The pile of presents

Opening up her new rollerskates

Ready to Party at 6:30 AM!

Birthday Cheese Curl Tradition 

 Eliana's birthday was the first really beautiful warm day and we spent the majority of the day outdoors.  She got to try out her new rollerskates.  She was incredibly cautious at first, then more confident, and continued to fluctuate:  "Hold me Mommy, No, let go now I can do it.  Wait a minute, hold me again.  Hold me with only two fingers."   After skating I turned on the sprinkler for the first time this year, which was pure ecstasy for the girls.  They shrieked around soggy and soaked, spraying each other (and me) with water guns. 
 

 

 

The birthday culminated in a trip to Nifty Fifty's, where we met Auntie Arsenia and BFF Seniah.  Thankfully Leah was revived by a little nap she took in the car, and everyone enjoyed their milkshakes and food.  Eliana looked a little shocked by the boisterous birthday song the staff serenaded her with, but overall it was a very successful birthday. 

The birthday girl's hat features her original artwork, a drawing of Eliana and Leah

She might not have eaten much else, but Leah liked the milkshake just fine.

Eliana's birthday celebration did not end there.  Over the weekend we went in to NY so she could celebrate at Chuck E. Cheese with her cousins, another birthday dream fulfilled.  Because of the madness that is Chuck E. Cheese, and the madness that happens when cousins get together, I did not get any photos in NY.  But the memory in my mind is the ear to ear grin Eliana had on her face the entire time.  (That, and the look of sheer terror on Leah's face when she saw the big costumed mouse walking around!)

School is out, and summer is officially here!  Eliana went to an all-day Vacation Bible School camp last week, and did great!  She was nervous to go at first, but had an excellent experience.  She came home exhausted every day, saying she only wanted to listen to lullabies in the car, but also had many stories of the fun she had.  It was a great practice run for kindergarten, and Eliana seems a lot more confident now.  Leah and I had more time alone together than we've ever had before, which was both strange and wonderful.  In many ways I had a glimpse of what Fall might be like, and it was good practice for me too!  Leah was upset that she was not old enough for VBS, so I told her that she would be at "Mommy Camp," and that we'd have a lot of fun together.  We got off to a rough start when after running a few errands, I pulled into the driveway and Leah started bawling saying that she did not want to go home, she wanted to go to Mommy Camp.  I realized that she had taken me quite literally.  Don't feel too bad for her though, she had a great week!

And of course, there is no better way to kick off the summer than with a town fair!  The girls had their first pony rides, got their faces painted, pet some furry farm animals, and split a really messy Klondike bar.

Pete is thinking, "She better not try to touch me with those grubby hands."

And lastly, Leah has reached a new stage of maturity and speech development, and she is talking nonstop, to anyone and everyone who will listen to her.  This was her prayer at dinner before Eliana cut her off with a firm "AMEN!"

“Thank you God for this food.  Thank you for today.  Thank you for my very own Mommy, and my sister’s Mommy.  Thank you for my very own Daddy, and thank you for my sister’s daddy.  Thank you for Mommy’s beautiful earrings and Mommy’s eyes and arms (Stops prayer to hug Mommy).  Thank you for my sister and for the carrots and the tortellini and the cheese.  Thank you for Spike and my toys and my own sisters toys.  Thank you for the rabbits and the backyard and the swings and the slide and the grass and the birds that sing me songs . . . "