Back to Preschool...repeat of the 2's, but a whole new girl!

Leeza went back to preschool today! She is going to go 3x a week this year, (up from twice last year) on Monday,Tuesday and Wednesday from 9-12. I think I will let her stay for "lunch bunch" some too, she got so excited last year when I had a "parent teacher conference" and let her stay. I got her (and Sean) a Scooby Doo lunch box (also to double for snacks and such for our outings to Busch Gardens, the aquariums, and the new Chilren's musuem opening up here end of September). Althoogh she was confused on why her friends from last year were accross the hall in the 3 year old class, she walked right up to a lil girl in her new class and said "Hi, what's your name, wanna play with me?", and there were no tears, no clinging to my leg, just an excited lil girl ready to play!

Leeza misses the "cut off" to start school by 4 days, as he birthday is September 5th, and you have to be 5 by Sept 1st to start kindergarten. I knew I wanted her to start preschool last year, but could only find ONE preschool to take her once she turned 2, knowing that we'd have to repeat the "2's" again this year. I LOVE this preschool and it's amazing how much she grew in a year. It was so weird for me to imagine THIS LEEZA going into the SAME CLASS as the Leeza of "yesteryear".





As a mom, I think you worry about everything. I worry that she won't be stimulated enough, I worry she will model after younger behavior, I worry she may be bored, I worry, worry, worry. However, after watching her interact yesterday, and on Monday at preschool orientation, I threw my worries out with the wash. :)










She is one of the older kids (but Austin is back, and his birthday is Sept 17th) but several of the girls are "Older 2's" turning 3 in the next few months. The Leeza of last year wasn't really socializing with other kids yet. She wouldn't sit for circle, and she mostly "played by herself". I know most of that is age appropriate, but it seemed to me, that Leeza was a little "behind the curve" compared to some of the other little girls in her class. Thankfully, after watching Sean struggle thru different phases of toddlerhood and seeing him now as a very intelligent, hilarious, and extremely independent 12 year old, I worry much less. By the end of the year, Leeza had grown expotentially, and not just physically. Her teacher told me she not only caught up, but surpassed a lot of the kids in her class. GO LEEZA! The child that I couldn't take to story time cuz she ran around like a wild banshee, can now calmy sit in circle, and was disappointed that circle time was short on the first day of school. Yeah, she's still a wild child (especially when she knows bed time is nearing, she gets a crazy "second wind" and it's been HELL trying to get her down to bed lately, but she has matured a GREAT deal and cognitively, she has changed a ton, even the last couple of weeks.

Here is the CUTEST picture of her and Sean "snuggly buggly" watching Scooby. I LOVE this of them. They really do have a wonderful relationship, even though he's teaching her all kinds of habits I am not thrilled about....





So, CHEERS Leeza, here's to a great year in preschool!

Last year..




this year...

She PUT the headband on herself....and left it on 5 hours. THIS IS HUGE! Next stop...bows bigger than her head. And, she did say "Mommy, do i get a special treat for this?". :) yeah, i got her a sprinkle cookie. :)