Together at Home

Today begins a new month, and that means a lot of things in my mind as I make plans for the months ahead.  It means we're one month out from Ella's birthday, which means it's time for me to get busy planning her "awesome surprise" birthday party and making her "really good" birthday dvd.  Those were her stipulations this year.  It means I'm two months out from doing the same thing for James; however, he is not old enough to give any stipulations yet.


Most eminently, this week means we're one week out before the beginning of Kindergarten.  Kindergarten.  This is the last full week at home I will have with Ella until her Thanksgiving break.  It is the end of nearly five years of 24/7 care of my daughter.  It's made me think about my first full week in charge of her.

She fit just right on our sofa pillows,

and she loved sleeping there.

Looking over at the girl on my couch,

I can hardly believe this is really her.

I guess she slept a lot that first week.

I didn't.

She even slept in Uncle Kam's lap when he came over.

She was the sweetest little girl ever,

and she still is.

She's not a baby any longer, though, and she's ready for school.  She's ready for daily interaction with friends and structured times of learning that are hard for me to provide with little man constantly interrupting.  Although I will say, I think I've been able to teach her a lot.  The first grade teacher who conducted Ella's entrance interview at the school last week was very impressed with her reading skills.  I took a moment to pat us both on the back.  :)  

Now it's time for last minute preparations, getting into an earlier bedtime routine, and making lots of fun "last week" memories.  I'm excited.