They Grow Up So Fast

So FKO finished up its school year on the 22nd of May. And though I thought I had prepared myself for this day, I ended up balling like a baby. Like I have said before, many of the kids I had this year I had had for 2 years, so I got to watch them grow up. Now, 3 of them were moving up to the next class and I just couldnt bear to let them go. Kate, Jacob, and Brooklyn will soon be Grasshoppers (Thats the 4-5yr. olds class) and won't be Dragonflies (my class) and so everytime i looked at them on that last day i kept tearing up. Needless to say it was a hectic day all around- it was Water Day so it was playing in kiddy pools and sprinklers-- but when it came time for nap time I didnt even care if they slept or laid down-- the 4 that stayed awake (Brooklyn, Jacob, Kate and Reagan) all moved their mats into a circle and talked and laughed. And of course seeing that made me cry to. And although I know that I will be getting new kids this summer-- there is still a selfish part of me that wishs and hopes those 3 will still run to me first thing when they get to school-- or come to me when they fall down or something-- and while I know that that really shouldnt happen because Shannon is their teacher now-- They will still be MY kiddos!!

(From Left to right: TOP: Kate, Brooklyn; BOTTOM: Jacob, Kylee, Reagan, and Madison)

On a similar note, Maddy, one of the girls I nanny for, just finished up her first year of school. I got to go pick her up on Friday and I felt like I was in a daze the entire time. It was soo hard for me to comprehend that I had been watching her and her sister for a full year already. They really do grow up way to fast. When I first started watching the girls they were quite timid around me. But funny enough, it only took them a couple weeks before it was, "April, lets play zoo! April, lets play Little People! April, can we play this, etc....."

As should be expected, the more I was with them the more they tested the boundaries as to what they could get away with. But I loved how when it came time to leave they never wanted me to, and always wanted to know when I was coming back. So Maddy started school in September and it became just Brooklyn and I most of the time. We got to grow closer and got into a routine, so when the rare occasion came that I watched both of them Brooklyn would wonder why she didnt get me all to herself. It was actually an adjustment for me as well. Brooklyn is very much the independent little girl, she usually played by herself and rarely asked me to play with her. But when her sister was home everything she did she wanted me involved!

(One of the things the girls love for me to do is take pictures of them with my cell phone. They actually posed for this picture and it took several tries because Maddy kept on saying she looked weird in them lol! Maddy also like to grab my cell phone and make her own movies of her running around going crazy and then sit back and watch them. Its out little thing!)

But as time went on this year Maddy started to grow up. Thats pretty much the only way I can describe it. She made it seem as though it wasn't as cool to have me over as it was when I first started. She always said she couldnt remember what she did in school that day and never really wanted to talk about it. So I started to re-learn my place with her and give her space accordingly. Then, the last week of school came, and everytime I was over there she came home and wanted to show me what she had done all year in school; she made me look at every piece of arts and crafts and made sure i didnt miss anything! I had gotten my Maddy back! So to sum up; between Brooklyn moving up a class and Maddy graduating Kindergarten-- I have been an emotional mess! I have grown attached-- and for a while I didnt think that was a good thing-- But i wouldnt have it any other way now! I was a little worried about this summer and finding enough to do with the girls to keep them occupied-- but i'm looking forward to it now! They are doing this summer kids movie thing at the Century theater (the nice theater in town) to where there is a different movie playing every Tuesday and we have tickets for all the showings so movies on Tuesdays will be my thing with the girls and i cant tell you how much I love that!! So I'll leave you with 2 pictures of the girls all grown up-- these are pictures of them after having watched them for a year-- the change is astounding! Till next time.... hooray for attachement!!