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Wet Noodle Posse | Blog

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Sneaky summer milestones

by Charity

Yesterday, I took my daughter to her final meeting for early entrance into kindergarten. In one sense, this was a formality. She was born five days after the cut off date. Everyone from the pediatrician to the director of her pre-school says she’s ready.

But it was still a test, one she had to navigate all by herself, with me sitting in a hardback chair outside the room. I caught snatches of conversation, a question from the principal, my daughter’s answers. Does she know her last name, the principal wanted to know.

Yes, yes, she does, I answered silently.

My daughter? Not giving up that information. She’s a few weeks shy of five, but she knows an adult with an agenda when she meets one.

That was my biggest fear. The principal wouldn’t see all of who my daughter was. But I suppose the woman isn’t an educational professional for nothing. My daughter did just fine. And in a few short weeks, she’ll head to kindergarten.

We celebrated. First, we bought school supplies at Target. And because she’s an almost five-year-old fashionista, some school clothes as well. We headed next door to Barnes and Noble. We split a vanilla bean blended crème and a cupcake with pink frosting.

We found books. One about kindergarten for her, A Wrinkle in Time for her brother, and The Rules of Gentility for myself.

When I strapped her into her booster for the ride to pick up her brother, she said to me: “This was the best day.”

And she was right. We make much out of the big milestones, but I wonder if it’s the smaller ones, the sneaky ones, that might matter more.

So, did you experience a sneaky milestone this summer?

6 Comments:

At 4:41 PM, Blogger MJFredrick said...

Aww, Charity!!!

My son started driving this summer. GULP! But those hour long driving lessons at the abandoned mall were bonding time for me and him. Hard to do with a teen-ager.

 
At 8:48 PM, Blogger anno said...

Hooray, congratulations to Kyra -- that's wonderful news! Exciting for you, too, I expect.

Not sure if this counts as a milestone, but this afternoon, m. told me that The Scarlet Letter was "lots of fun" and that she thought it would make an awesome opera. It's at least a refreshing change from endless manga...

 
At 6:46 AM, Blogger Jen said...

Oh, my goodness... this made me tear up! And yes, it was the BEST day. I just had one of those with Con returning from camp. He's a young MAN now. And we're having so much fun with him and he had a blast and is so self-confident and really happy. (And yes, Charity, he was still as stinko as I predicted he'd be, lol).

Oh, and COOL, Anno - I'm so glad she enjoyed it! At least I'll have one happy student. And why doesn't she write that opera?

 
At 7:56 AM, Blogger Janet Mullany said...

Awww. I hope your daughter loves kindergarten!

Two milestones for me and my daughter:

Twenty years ago, making her first public test drive as a Panty Person (her term) in the Air & Space Museum, Washington DC. A great step for her, a small one for mankind.

This last week, getting her first job after graduation, with a lobbyist company on Capitol Hill. She's one of those hip, serious young things you see there.

I am so proud!

And thanks for buying my book!

 
At 12:23 PM, Blogger bridget said...

adults with an agenda--smart cookie! This was a beautiful post, Charity!

 
At 5:16 PM, Blogger Trish Milburn said...

What a sweet post. Good luck to her in kindergarten.

 

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