Safety Town

Since Hannah is going to start Kindergarten in the Fall she got to participate in the same beloved Gahanna tradition Alyssa did...Safety Town.  I love this program so much.  It is so great to know that my girls learned so many life safety lessons and had a blast while doing it.  Of course she loved riding the bus over to the graduation.  Alyssa was really disappointed she didn't get to come to the ceremony because she was at GS camp, but Hannah's smile says it all.  Now the only thing that stands between her and Kindergarten is a few short weeks of summer.  It will be here before we know it :(

 Wearing her hat from Fireman Dave and patiently waiting for her badge from Officer Bill.

 Best friends in class together!  I wish they were going to the same school for Kindergarten!!

 She has such a great smile!  Congratulations, Hannah...you are one safe little girl!!

Silly Song

Oh my. 

Alyssa just told me Kevin (a little boy in her class that has a crush on her...she wouldn't admit it, but she likes him too.) sang her a silly song today that went like this: 

"Alyssa and Kevin sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G." 

Then she giggled and said, "I think he spelled out 'tree'!" 

YES, that is exactly what he spelled!

 No worries though. He also, apparently, sang it to Connor! ;)

Hooray for Pre-K!!

I cannot believe it, but today was Hannah's last first day of preschool!  She looked so grown up and was so excited to meet her teacher.  This year she is doing the 5-day-a-week program, still at Stonybrook, but more than what Alyssa did.  Last year Hannah was bored and lonely with Alyssa in school all day. Even though it is still only a few hours each day she will be gone, by the time she gets home and plays for a little while it will be time to pick Aly up!  I hope I don't regret this decision...

She was so excited this morning she wore her backpack around for 40 minutes before it was time to leave!

We talked about how she was going to have to let me take pictures for at least a week before to prepare her. I have found this is the way to get her to smile. She agreed as long as I took a picture of 'her back so we could see the princesses'.  I think this was cuter though ;)

 Sisters!!  They are truly BEST friends!  I can't believe that they will be in the same school next year!

 I know...I think you are growing up to fast too!

 Daddy and his girls.  I forgot to get one with me and them :(

 Gotta' have a silly pose to start your day off right ;)

 This is a slightly different picture than I got last year...and I didn't have to beg, borrow or steal anything to get it ;)

In front of her classroom door.  She has Miss Kim (who is also the music teacher) and Miss Susan this year!

 Making a hand print banner with Miss Susan!

Just playing around!

Waiting to music time to start! 

Because of my schedule this year I will be able to pick Hannah up from school some days this year like I used to with Alyssa.  I always loved seeing her midway through my day!  That time was always so special with her! I am really thankful it worked out how it did so I can have that with Hannah too!  Hope you have a super dooper fun year, Hannah-babe!

First Day of School '12

It is that time of year again!  And, now our baby is a 1st grader!

That is a million dollar smile.

 With our girls!!

 Another million dollar smile.  Our girls really have the most beautiful smiles in the world!  Hannah doesn't even start school for 2 more weeks!

Having this smile makes going to school myself so much easier!  Plus, Alyssa is going to love her teacher, Mrs. Sengstock! Have I ever mentioned we LOVE her school?!?!? ;)

Bring it on 2012-2013...It is going to be such a great school year for all of us! 

Kindergarten...check!

It has been one heck of a year.  Even though second semester was a bit of a roller coaster year, we made it!  Alyssa has officially graduated Kindergarten!

I can not believe how much she has learned in just a year.  Putting her in the full-day option was definitely the right choice for her!  It gave her the perfect blend of structure, confidence and challenge that she needed.  She is even reading (above grade level) and writing on her own...with occasional help.  I don't remember being able to do that after Kindergarten!  It seems so surreal that she is old enough, but it is so fun to see her personality come alive as she discovers her strengths and work through her weaknesses.  She is self-motivated and has such a strong natural love of learning.  She says she wants to be a teacher...I can totally see that!  There really isn't anything she doesn't like about school (except riding the bus and gym class...both of which make her cry ;), so I can't wait to see what kind of extra-curricular activities she gravitates towards.

  

And, let me tell you, a good teacher is worth their weight in gold...Mrs. Bourgeois is worth every penny.  She has been such a blessing to our family.  I am praying that she sticks around long enough for Hannah to have her.  Here is Alyssa with her on the last day of school. 

I found this idea on Pinterest and it is one of my favorites.  I bought a copy of "Oh, The Places You Will Go!" for each of the girls and I am planning to have their teachers write them a little note to them somewhere in the book at the end of the school year.  Then, we will give it to them when the graduate high school.  This is what Mrs. Bourgeois wrote to Alyssa this year.  Have I mentioned we LOVE her school? If not...we do!

We are so proud of you for finishing the year so strong, Alyssa!  You have such a bright future ahead of you! Oh the places you will go...

2012 Resolution

When we got a Christmas card from Alyssa's teacher there was an extra surprise in it...a note that said her most recent Writer's Workshop journal was attached.  I guess, after reading 'Squirrel's New Year's Resolution' in class, they decided to write their own resolutions for 2012.  They talked about a resolution being a promise to do something that would makes things better in the new year.  Here is what Alyssa said:

"I resolve to halp mi sasdr to hola hp"

~translation~

"I resolve to help my sister to hula hoop"

Of all things, she is going to help Hannah hula hoop. Oh. My. Gosh. I smiled so big and literally laughed out loud when I read this.  Not to mention her illustration of them hooping together. And, she also has a thing with initials right now...that is why they are down the side of the paper:

'AB' - Alyssa Bender

'HB' - Hannah Bender

'DB' - Daddy Bender

'MB' - Mommy Bender

'GM' - Grandpa Miller

'GM' - Grandma Miller

'AM' - 'Amily' Emily Miller

'BM' - Brittney Miller

I am amazed at the skills she has learned in just four months of Kindergarten!  She is so flippin' cute I could just burst!  Too bad our hula hoops are broken...

Pilgrams and Indians

It only seems appropriate, with the amount of sibling rivalry going on in our house these days, that the girls would be on both sides of the historical table this year.  Hannah and her class represented the Indians, while Alyssa's classes represented the Pilgrims. 

Hannah continues to have an aversion to the camera.  I hope this is something that is short lived...because I like to take pictures!  Anyway, Dan and I went to Hannah's Thanksgiving Feast at school.  Just like Alyssa's pre-school feast, there was an assortment of popcorn, goldfish, raisins and corn bread.  All of which are appropriate for her vegetarian diet ;)  She was an adorable Indian...

until she realized I had a camera.  Then, she ripped off all the Indian attire and had a complete meltdown at the Thanksgiving table.  Miss Lynne actually thought she was sick or injured.  Oh, no...just an attack by the joy-sucking camera lens.  It took a while to redirect her, but eventually she warmed up to the idea and allowed us a few shots with the iPhone.  It may not be HD quality, but I'll take it :)  My favorite part was watching her participate at music afterwards...so cute!

Alyssa, on the other hand, was a willing participant in the photos.  Her paper bonnet, innocent smile and 'thankful placemat' made my heart melt!  I got to volunteer and helped serve the chicken noodle soup and carrot sticks at Kindergarten interpretation of the feast.

After the feast ended we got to go back to her classroom and play games and do crafts with their Indian counterparts.  She had so much fun! 

Even in the midst of uncertainty, we have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.  We are truly blessed!  And, I sure am thankful the Pilgrims and Indians decided to work it out all those years ago!!

Official Yearbook Picture

Cute as a button...goofy smile and all!

Joe-Joe the Traveling Lion

Aly has THE best kindergarten teacher in the world!  After she found out that Alyssa had pneumonia, she made sure to make her still feel special.  Their class has a traveling lion...similar to a Flat Stanley.  Each Friday a different child gets to take Joe-Joe home with them.  At the end of the weekend they write about his travels with the family and pass it on to the next classmate.  Aly's teacher sent him home to keep her company while she was sick.  It made her entire week.  It was kind of sad we didn't get to take Joe-Joe anywhere, but I don't think she let him leave her side for a minute.  It was such a special thing, I don't think it is something she will ever forget.  Here is what she wrote in Joe-Joe's journal and some pictures of their fun times together!

When Daddy picked up my homework, Mrs. Bourgeois gave him Joe-Joe to bring home to me.  I was so excited to have him visit me!  He was with me the whole weekend!  I have been sick so it made me happy to have him with me.  The first thing we did was work on my homework.  Joe-Joe was a big help!  They we played babies together.

I had pneumonia so I was not allowed to go anywhere or be around other people who may be sick.  We just camped out in our family room and watched a lot of movies so I could get rest and feel better.  We watched some of my favorite movies: “Monsters Inc.”, “Beauty and the Beast”, “Tangled” and “Hocus Pocus”.  Joe-Joe said his favorite was “Hocus Pocus”!

Joe-Joe also played lots of games with my family and me!  We played ‘Go Fish!’, ‘Clue’ and ‘Guess Who?’  We also watched the Buckeyes game together.  Joe-Joe got to wear his very own OSU jersey! 

I loved having Joe-Joe visit my house!  We will miss him!

Thank you, Mrs. Bourgeois!!

Hannah's Turn!!

Hannah has been waiting for this day for months!  Today was finally her first day of school!  She picked out her outfit all by herself and was eager to get dressed and go.  Since it was the first day, I got to go with her and stay for the day.  It was so cute, and surreal, to see Hannah in her very own classroom!  She does not seem old enough...but completely ready at the same time. 

She was shy at first like Aly, but pretty much opposite from her in just about every other way.  She is much more independent and far more outspoken than her sister probably ever will be.  When we got there, she went right in and hung her backpack up on her hook. Then we had to find her name tag and place it in her mail slot.  She was willing to let her teacher help her find the right spot.  After that we had some time for 'free play'.  She whizzed through the puzzles and outfitted all the potato heads...in a nice neat line, of course.  

During carpet time her teacher said that it was really nice of everyone's Mommies and Daddies to come visit for the day, but that they wouldn't get to stay this time.  Hannah looked looked around and announced, "My Daddy didn't come to preschool..." After the introductions, she did a craft and had music time. She also sat and listened to the stories, like a good listener, while half the class rolled around and talked to themselves.  I could never be an pre-school teacher.

It just so happens that her lead teacher is Alyssa's teacher from last year, Miss Lynne, and her assistant is Miss Ronee.  Miss Ronee's son is one of Aly's kindergarten classmates and her daughter was one of Aly's friends from preschool last year!     

All in all, Hannah absolutely LOVED her day!!  She loves to learn and is so inquisitive that this year will be a blast for her. As a side note, I tried dozens of times to get a picture of her.  She outright refused.  Don't blame me when she looks back someday and wonders why there is a slew of Aly's pictures and only a handful of hers. I finally bribed her for an opportunity.  Let me be clear, the only reason I even got this picture is because she wanted french fries.  Period.  She literally stomped up to the sign, crossed her arms as tight as her little body could get them and stuck her lip out far as humanly possible.  I took a couple pictures and she started screaming, "I want my french fries!!"  Everyone who had witnessed, which was half the school because there was a line behind us since it is a tradition to take your child's  picture in front of the sign, was laughing out loud. Jokes on her though...I love this picture even more than one with a smile because it is so typical!

This little girl wasn't giving up a smile for anything. S-T-U-B-B-O-R-N!!

Love you, Hannah Babe!! You are going to have a GREAT school year!

Class of 2024

Alyssa has been waiting for this day for months, her first day of kindergarten. 

We have had the supplies for two months.  As soon I downloaded the list she made me run out and buy them for her.  The backpack is one she had her first year of pre-school but never really used because she got a princess one instead.  I bought some iron on princess patches and an 'A' and, presto...it is a brand new, custom backpack that she loves.

Eating Breakfast: Chocolate Chip Pancakes

 

Tell me this is not the cutest kindergartner you have ever seen!! She picked out her new plaid dress, shinny flats and a flower headband all by herself.  Looking at these pictures makes me tear up because my life flashes before my eyes.  I can just see these pictures plastered on cakes and invitations to her HS graduation. In 2024.

 

Mommy and Aly...and I am not crying.

One last kiss before she is too 'cool' for it.

 

Getting in the car...normally she will ride the bus, but we weren't ready to 'let go' yet so we took her the first day to make sure she got where she was supposed to go! 

 I could barely get her to stand still for a second and Dan called me a 'tourist' because I was taking pictures.  I can't be the only one doing this...

Once inside, she had to find her name on the paw print and wait in line for the rest of the class to get there.  I got one last picture before leaving her.  Even though I know she was excited and was going to be fine, it was hard to walk away.  I had no way of talking to her all day long to see how her day was going, to see if she ate her lunch or if she was having fun.  I swear if it wouldn't make me the president of 'Crazy Mom of the Month' club, I would give her a cell phone to text me.  Then again, she needs to know how to read and spell first to use it.  Maybe next year ;)  I am just kidding, of course...kind of.

I think this was one of the longest afternoons of my life waiting for school to get out!  Dan came home early so we could all be there when she got off the bus and enjoy her requested first-day-of-school snack: brownie sundaes.  We asked her about her day, but got little out of her.  She said she had fun and her favorite part was recess.  After resting and getting her princess 'fix' in we had tacos, her favorite, for dinner and played outside. 

She didn't have school Friday because Kindergarten does staggered start to evaluate the kids and assign teachers, so we got to have one more day of summer.  We also found out that she is going to be in Mrs. Bourgeois' Full Day class.  Her friend, Reese, is also in that class so she is even more excited!  Monday she starts full time: everyday, all day.   

Seriously, is she old enough for this?!?!?  I feel like I want to put her back in the Baby Bjorn and carry her around, not put her on a bus by herself...to a school with 'big kids' and tray lunches (which she is not going to be allowed to by very much...ugh!). But, ready or not, she is a school girl now.  So here's to a successful and fun school year!! Just 283 days 'till summer ;)