The Countdown

It's June 5th and I'm starting a countdown to summer: 10 more wake-up calls in the morning, 8 more lunches I have to make for Michael, 6 more trips to Pre-K and back. In 4 days, Nicholas will "graduate" from Pre-K and become a kindergartener. In 10 days, Michael will be a 3rd grader. This means that I only have 15 more hours of precious free time and then summer vacation will be upon us.

This is the end of an era for me as next year both boys will be in school all day long. I have to admit I get a bit teary every time I think about it. It's not just the fact that for the first time in 8 years my life won't exclusively revolve around my kids and I can start to pursue something that is just my own (which is a little scary). It's that my youngest is growing up and the preschool years are over. It's a bittersweet feeling. I've been both waiting for and dreading this day.

The preschool years - what a busy time! While I'm happy to put potty training, naps, and hour-long tantrums behind me, there are many things I look back fondly upon: leisurely picnics in the front yard, playing baseball all afternoon, watching the Imagination Movers, taking "nature hikes" at 8:00 a.m., and going "garage-sale-ing" for treasures.

I admit it will be nice to be able to get the laundry completely done without having to leave it half folded because I ran out of time before Pre-K pickup at 11:30 a.m. However, I will no longer be able to use Nicholas as my excuse if the house is still a wreck at 3:30 p.m. I imagine that at first I'll be a little lonely without my little entertainer to keep me company. I do, however, have 8 years of writing backlogged in my imagination to attend to.

Regardless of my feelings, Nicholas no longer thinks that he can be home schooled and accepts that he is going to Kindergarten next year. In fact, I think he's a little excited. He talks about who will be in his class and is curious about how the bus ride to school will work. He's also entered the world of pre-reading: sounding words out on his own and matching words with pictures. My heart is full because it is evident that we made the right decision to put him into Pre-K this year - he's confident, self-assured, and so much more mature (well, as mature as you can be when you're 5!).

The fact that Michael will be entering 3rd grade seems impossible to me. I remember 3rd grade, that time when kids begin to really mature. I've been told that the work load increases dramatically. Next year Michael will be learning cursive writing, more complicated multiplication and division, and he will be taking the standardized MEAP tests. Michael will handle that fine as he's a very bright boy. It's the behaviors that come with the upper elementary grades that often concern me. Michael has managed to get through grades K-2 as if he's encased in a bubble - he still retains that innocent quality that I was worried would disappear when he entered grade school. Either he just lets teasing and taunts roll off his back or no one messes with him. In this age of bullies it's truly remarkable. I hope the bubble remains for a long time!

I know I can't keep my boys young forever but sometimes I just want to freeze time. Nicholas still requires lots of hugs and kisses and Michael is not yet embarrassed of the love I shower on hm. This will all change someday - after all, there's one constant in this world and that is change. So I will continue to enjoy all the moments I have with them and savor this summer break, knowing that while it might be the end of one phase of our lives, it's also the beginning of another.