Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Kindergarten!

My sweet little Bowen Naomi,

And just like that, the time is here. Four and three quarters years down and off you go into kindergarten, or "big-kid school," as you call it. 

How did it happen so quickly? The days are long but the years are short, as they all say. And now, in the seeming blink of an eye, you are entering the next chapter of your life. 

The summer has been amazing. We completed every single item on the "Bucket List" and you were thrilled to no end at each adventure. You swam in the ocean, finished your library reading club, spent weeks on Bowen Island, ate ice cream, and had countless hours and picnics at the park. You laughed and cried and stomped and got a little less sleep than usual. You grew and learned new words and I marvelled at how suddenly you are so easily understood and your vocabulary is so vast. I wonder all the time how this suddenly happened, but these wonderful last few years have all been leading us to this very moment in time. 

My girl: you laugh easily, but you also anger easily. You love playing with your brother, especially a game where you get to be the Mama and call him "dear" all the time. In fact, he often asks for the dear game himself and you love leading him around and making the rules. You love riding your bike with training wheels and your helmet. You dream of one day having tassels on the handles. You have come out of your shell: you talk like there's no tomorrow and you're having an easy time incorporating yourself into groups of new friends. You have absolutely no qualms about what this next year is to bring. These days you love dancing, farting, music, swings, climbing, helping with the garden, making jam. You are kind and loving, and you're the best translator in the world for your brother. This summer you learned not only to fall asleep on your own, but also to stay in your own bed for the night. You're still fiercely cuddly, especially in the morning. You thrive on routine, and you need five kisses as well as intricate knowledge of "what are we doing tomorrow?" before you sleep. You are the sweetest little girl and these last 4.75 years of life together are have been amazing.

As for me: I'm nervous. I've raised you with constant reminders that "you are brave, you are strong, you are smart, and you are beautiful." This is something you've heard every night at bedtime for your entire life. What if there are mean kids? What if someone excludes you? What if you can't open your lunchbox? What about wiping your bum? I'm feeling like this has all been a great dress rehearsal and that real life, or life on your own, begins now. I'm pulling for you, baby. I know that you will fly.

Today, on the eve of your last night before being a kindergartener, I asked if you'd be my little baby forever. You answered quickly and with assurance that you'd be my big kid forever. You are ready to take this on, my beautiful girl. I'm so excited to see what this year brings. 

I love you forever,

-Your Mama