Jenna moves up in the world.

Jenna:

Proud new member of the Four Year Old Class

Friday night was Jenna's Moving Up ceremony for her preschool, complete with a potluck dinner for the kids and their families, a slideshow with pictures of the kids throughout the year, a song performed by the three and four year old classes, releasing of the butterflies the kids studied in class, and an adorable graduation ceremony for the four year olds.

We really do it up right.

Jenna was fairly unfazed by the whole affair, very happy that the school year is over and asking if she can have a new teacher next year "because Mimi gets a new teacher every year." She did a good job singing the song and seemed pleased to get her little certificate and goody bag.

(A funny story about the butterflies: a few years ago, right after they released the butterflies the class had cared for from the time they were caterpillars from the mesh pop-up cages, a bird swooped down and ate most of them. How's that for the reality of the cycle of life, right before your eyes??)

The teachers, who are two just phenomenal women, always get a little teary eyed at the graduation. After all, they have seen these children 2-3 times a week for two years and have watched them grow from little three year olds into big soon-to-be kindergartners. I will never forget the first graduation of the kids they had taught for both years (the second year the preschool was open): one of the moms figured out all 15 graduating four year olds' birthstones and had a bracelet custom made for both teachers from all those stones. I was practically weeping I was so touched just seeing them presented to the teachers, and the teachers and audience just about bawled. Moms + little kids + milestones= guaranteed crying.

Here are some pics from the night.



Jenna and her friend Emma R.

Singing the song

Getting her certificate (with Bitty Baby)


Jenna and Mrs. Glaser