Sunday, May 24, 2009

Kindergarten...DONE!

Well..she did it! Caitlin finished kindergarten. Man...time flies so fast I can NOT even believe it!!! It seems like just yesterday she was starting and I was walking up the steps from taking her to her classroom bawling like a little baby. And it pretty much was just yesterday that I watched her 'graduate' from kindergarten...bawling like a little baby again. I'm so proud of her, she's growing up much too fast. Her teacher said that all the 1st grade teachers have 'dibs' on Caitlin...and her chubby cheeks too. :o)

1st Day of Kindergarten

Last Day of Kindergarten.

1st Day Nerves

Last Day Excitement!

1st Day getting off the bus...when she was actually excited to see me after.

Last day geting on the bus...not so much excitement about Mom watching over the fence.


Survived the 1st day...

Survived the 1st year!
Caitlin's sweet teacher Mrs. Giffin.
We'll always remember her...she was amazing. Besides...who doesn't remember their kindergarten teacher?
Ok..this was so cute! They laid out the red carpet and the kindergarteners walked the red carpet and the principal sprinkled them with '1st Grade Dust'. It was so darling!
Things I will remember about Caitlin's kindergarten year:
  • The 1st day she rode the bus...and I was SO nervous about it. Then about 15 minutes later I get a call from a number I didn't know...and it's Caitlin on the other line. I asked her who's phone she was on, and she said it was someone's mom from her class. I started panicking wondering what the HECK was going on. We had a little miscommunication. I told her when she got ON the bus...that I'd be waiting there for her after school at the bus stop too. She thought I meant that I'd be waiting for her AT her school as soon as she got off the bus, to take her to her class. So apparently she got off the bus and stood there and waited for a while for me...in the meantime all the buses had left and she was still waiting for me. (sad!! This is where my motherly insticts kick in and say, "Why on EARTH didn't the bus driver or any other teacher outside show this poor new kindergartner where the playground was they were supposed to go to? C'MON!!) Luckily the other sweet mom took her to the playground with her daughter.
  • The many visits to the nurses office. Between bonks and stomachaches, and anything else you can imagine....they should've given her a frequent flyer card!!
  • Going in to her class every other week to help with centers. I really enjoyed spending time with Caitlin in her school setting. You see kids in a different light in that setting and it was really enjoyable.
  • Eating lunch at school together. All the kids think you are THE BOMB if your mom comes to school to eat with you. Until about the 2nd grade. ;o) But it was fun to make Caitlin feel like the big man on campus and eat lunch with her once in a while.
  • The report cards. Caitlin did great and excelled in all the different areas. But every note..every report card..everything always said she gets distracted easily and is always the last to finish her work. In her defense...the work wasn't super challenging for her, and she DOES get distracted easily. But we worked on it and by the last week (finally) she was turning on the turbos and finishing her work faster than the others. I know I'm terrible..but it's kindergarten!!! So most of the time I would just smile to myself when I'd get those notes...and picture in my mind her watching everyone else and getting so distracted. Bad mom..but still funny. :oD

We are so proud of you Caitlin!! GREAT JOB THIS YEAR!!!!!


7 comments:

Carrie Johnson said...

I can't believe she is so big! And I'm pretty sure I know where her 'distractedness' comes from...have you ever tried to have a phone conversation with roger hatu?

Peggy Nielson said...

Wow, where did that year go? I remember talking to you the first day of school last year and wondering if you had cried like I did!! Caitlin is so beautiful and such a sweet girl. Can't wait to see her! Oh, and everyone else too.

Peggy Nielson said...

OH, and the picture of her with her graduation cap on looks exactly like your sis Sarah!! Holy cow, maybe she isn't a Nielson after all!

Scott and Katie said...

I can't believe you'll have a daughter in first grade!! She looks so cute and that little graduation sounds like it was darling. We love Caitlin! What a sweet girl!

Lindsay said...

Way to go Caitlin! She really has grown up a lot this year!

Becki said...

sniff sniff. It's one of those happy/sad things! I almost felt like crying for Logan at his little end of school program. On to first grade huh?

Rikki said...

I can't believe she is that big either. I remember when she was just tiny and now she is going to be in first grade. Cute pictures.