life with a 5 year old

So as I sat down to write this tonight, I realized I haven't posted since July. Yikes, it was a pretty hard time for me on so many levels. I was truly broken for a while and still am some days but each day is a new one, which is why I am posting about all of the fun of Dora starting kindergarten. I have worked in schools in some capacity or another since 1993, mostly working with children who have special needs. This is a great career and I love the children I work with. These children give me a perspective of simple life pleasures and how hard it is to learn some the the skills that Dora is picking up each day easily. In September I became the mother of a kindergartener. Sitting on the other side of the table is fun, happy, exciting and down right scary place to be. As a mother I look at things so much more personally than I do as physical therapist. I have always tried to realize this is their child and their school experience when I work with families, but now I have a completely different perspective on it. I think the first day of school was so exciting (or exhausting) that I really didn't cry until day 2 when I could see my baby was really a big girl and ready to start school. She amazes me every single day with how much she is learning. She started school knowing her letters and most of their sounds. 9 weeks later she is sounding out the words and writing her own sentences. I love to watch her excitement of reading and words. Tonight she read to me, Go Dog Go, a story she has heard a 100 times but not in several weeks. She read the entire book to me. When she finished she asked me why my eyes were leaking again. I was so proud of how she struggled but did not want to be helped as she figured out the words in the book. It is moments like this I want to hold onto forever. As we struggle through our morning routine, her little voice keeps says, Momma I am not a fast girl I can't get dressed any faster, or brush my teeth any faster, or eat my egg sandwich any faster. Until I say, I will wake you up as I leave for my run and you will have a lot more time for these things, Oh Momma you are so funny, I need my beauty sleep I can move faster. I just turn and smile. It is hard to believe we are 1/4 of the way through this year, I am not sure where the time has gone...I am just sitting back and savoring the moment as best as I can.

Have a great day!!!