Last Day of School

Today marked the completion of Jillian's first year of school. Wow, that went fast for me! She enjoyed her class and lunch buddies to the fullest, and had a positive experience. Jillian was excited about school each day, and never once put up any resistance about going. I thought it would be fun to compare the photos I took of her this morning to those I took on that first day back in September.

First Day: September 7, 2011

Last Day: May 23, 2012

Besides the obvious physical growth and maturation, these photos reveal an increase in the desire to assert her independence. Jillian and I discussed (and laid out) a last day of school outfit at bedtime last night--a cute yellow flowered skirt with a flowy yellow shirt. You can imagine my chagrin when she presented herself at my bedside wearing the above outfit at 6 a.m., insisting this would be a much better outfit for the last day of school (nothing like a pair of leggings 2 sizes too small to serve as some cropped pants....my fault for not getting them out of her drawer!). I took a deep breath, withheld my comments, and let it go. I guess I should just be thankful she "allowed" me to semi-brush her hair and pull it back in a ponytail....I digress.

Jillian--Your passion for learning is awesome, your memory is amazing, and your curiosity is astounding. I'm so proud of you for having a great first year of school--for making friends, for (mostly) obeying your teachers, for trying new things, and for doing it all with heaps of enthusiasm.