Alpha and Omega

With every beginning there is an ending and this ending was filled with mixed emotions.  While growing up is inevitable, it seems to be happening far too quickly for this Mommy to handle.  You always hear Moms talking about how fast our kiddos grow up and how they wish they could have days back…well I agree, I don’t like it and I want some days back.  I know it will sound cliché but at the risk of sounding so…it seems like just yesterday I dropped Kayla off at pre-school for the first time.  She was two.  She couldn’t quite walk independently and was only using sign language to communicate but was of course dressed to the nines complete with her Ralph Lauren dress, matching school-themed hairbows and apple backpack.  

I was scared to death; she was excited and soon proved to me that my fears had no merit.  She could do everything the other kids were doing.  Perhaps in her own time but she quickly grew into her own…walking, talking, painting, playing…loving school.  That year flew by and blurred into the next year…and the next.  Now here we are approaching kindergarten.  Preschool is over.

All three years of preschool a fog of amazing memories.  That chapter has ended and a new one is about to begin.  And while with every ending comes great fear of what lies ahead, I have no doubt that my girl will meet kindergarten with a huge smile and a gigantic don’t doubt me or I’ll prove you wrong attitude.  So to this Omega I say…I am sad.  I am sad to see the end of preschool.  I am sad that my girl is growing up far too fast…but I am so looking forward to the Alpha…the beginning of kindergarten…and so is my big girl.  In fact, she tells everyone that she meets that she is going into kindergarten. 

The last lesson Kayla learned from preschool was the life cycle of a butterfly.  I know because Kayla gave Rick and I a lesson on butterflies from the back seat of our car while we were driving down the road the other day.  It went something like this...“Look…those are trees.  Trees have leaves.  Butterflies eat leaves”.  At this point Rick and I looked at each other…in disbelief that her conversation skills have emerged so much.  Knowing they discussed the four stages in class {remember...I spied...err...I mean...observed from the booth daily}, I asked her "do you remember the four stages of the butterfly?".  She quickly replied "the egg, larva, pupa and adult.  The adult is the butterfly".  Just amazing.  She looked out the window, thought for another minute and stated "Metamorphosis means change”.  At this point my chin was on the floor.  I could feel my eyes filling with tears of joy and pride.  She gets it.  Metamorphosis?  An amazing word for my amazing girl that is changing herself…everyday…changing and growing.  So what could be more ironic than rescuing an injured butterfly from the parking lot on her last day of school?  We picked up the butterfly and it instantly took to Kayla.  Climbing up her shirt and onto her face...

I didn't have my camera on the right settings...but I think these turned out cool...sometimes mistakes are good!

She has indeed changed...and game review proved it {think Jeopardy...only the categories are what you learned in pre-k}.  Kayla chose Language Arts for 500...the biggest value question.  I sat in the booth and took a deep breath...hoping and praying that she would do great.  Her friends were all depending on her to get her question right.  They needed the points to win a prize.  Her question required her to listen to instructions and follow them...Kayla, walk over to the independent writing center, get a crayon, hop back and hand it to me...I sat there with my heart pounding...As she walked to the writing center, her friends watched...

She walked toward the colored pencils and just as I thought for sure she was going to pick one up and return with it, she picked it up, turned to her friends, held it in the air and with the most devilish grin declared "just kidding"as she picked up a crayon, hopped back and handed it to Ms. Nancy.  Had she just completed the task, I would have likely cried...but adding in her little sassy sense of humor made me laugh out loud.  She has certainly changed, come out of her shell and become a confident, beautiful five-year-old.  I am so proud of my girl...my preschool graduate...and she was clearly proud of herself...

To celebrate the end of preschool we were off to the beach...enjoying sand and seashell filled days...

You gotta love the 25 pounds of stuff for two little kids...and that was only half of it!

And tell me this doesn't make you laugh...Kayla loves looking at gossip magazines on the beach...

that's my girl!

After the beach we were onto ice cream, french fries and boardwalk-filled nights...

Rick and I have been dying to take Kayla to the Ice Cream Castle for years.  You can order your sundae in a sand bucket...and we did just that...it was a bit ridiculous but I always say...when in Rome...or this case at the beach...she even let her friend Kennedy share...

A girl after my own heart...shove as much in as you can...

And there you have it...10 scoops and 5 toppings later and our ice cream bucket was kicked...all gone...

Onto the boardwalk...the lights, the rides, the games, the salt-filled misty air, the sounds of kids squealing, the fries...I love it all...

Kayla could care less about the kiddie rides...in fact she hates them...there has never been a love affair between my girl and rides.  Chalk it up to being cautious, I guess.  Now arcades...that's another story...Kayla will play games until they pull down the rickety, rusty gates at midnight.  How do I know, you ask?  Let's just say experience...

  

And quite possibly her favorite part of the boardwalk?  The entertainers...you know the ones I am talking about...the injured vet in the wheelchair playing the saxophone, the magician, the juggler on a unicycle, the silver-painted statue man...and my personal all-time favorite...the one man band...

That guy was incredible.  He had so many contraptions and du-hickeys attached to him and each appendage made something ding, ring, gong or boom...all while singing and dancing...amazing.

And so...summer is in full swing, complete with 92 degree temperatures and high humidity {and I have the hair to prove it}...and while my hair is not, I am loving it...

Bring on the memories, bring on the Alphas, the Omegas and the metamorphosis.  We're ready for it.  One chapter has ended and a new one has begun. 

I couldn't resist sneaking this picture in here.  I love photographing creatures and this little guy greeted us when we returned home from the beach.  Cute, eh?

We are changing, life is changing and it is perfect.  Being right here, right now is perfect...and while I do wish I could have days back from when she was a baby or a toddler and I look forward to all of the days ahead, I am simply enjoying today...etching each one of her faces, expressions, phrases, Alphas and Omegas into magical memories...