This is Harlow’s school picture. Is it not the most adorable photo you have ever seen? Excluding photos of your own children? Or maybe not excluding photos of your own children? YOU DECIDE.
Harlow just finished up what I call pre-preschool. It was drop-off twice a week for two hours. She loved it. And I think it was the perfect preliminary step to what will be a more regular preschool schedule next year.
This year, more than anything else, Harlow has learned to be comfortable around people besides her immediate family. The teachers told us that in the beginning of the year (after the transition period was over when parents and caretakers are still in the room), Harlow would often take her “About Me” book to a corner by herself to flip through it. The book is made by each family before school starts with photos of familiar people and places, to be used for comfort if necessary.
The teachers told is that if they went over to comfort Harlow while she was looking at her book, Harlow would take her book and move to a different spot. No tears. Just a very clear message that she wanted to be left alone. Hearing that story made me feel sad, like maybe she wasn’t as ready for separation as she seemed the first day. But I also loved that she had a coping mechanism and knew exactly what she needed to comfort herself.
That phase ended up being pretty short-lived and Harlow soon became so excited to see the kids and teachers each day, giving them big hugs when she entered the room. She referred to all of her classmates by name at home and she talked about her pre-preschool class probably more than Mazzy talks to me about kindergarten.
On the last day of class, we had a little party and it was amazing to look around and see how much the kids had grown from the beginning of the year. On the first day, they looked like babies and here they were looking like little kids. We went into the play yard and Harlow showed off how she could climb the rope ladder and the rocket ship to the top, two things she most certainly couldn’t do back in the fall.
It was also heartwarming to see the well-worn pages of Harlow’s “About Me” book, which had clearly served her well. It looked like someone had read it 100 times over the course of as many years.
One of the things Harlow did every class was sing at music time, so I’ll end this post with my favorite video to date. It a 12 second clip of Harlow singing “Everywhere I go, I’m gonna let it shine…”
You most certainly will, my love.
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She’s always a cutie and I really love her songs and her scooting skills! Keep on rocking Harlow! 😀
Llama, Llama Misses Mama… Harlow is your little Llama!
She is just too cute!! I love her little head shake at the end of the song *squeee*!
I can’t get over the cuteness of Harlow singing “Let it Shine!” We got a little guitar for Addie (to be given to her from her new baby brother Avery when he’s born) and I can’t wait to see what she thinks about it!
Way to go Harlow! So little, yet so awesome!
I know you probably hear this all the time, but I love reading your blog and seeing your gorgeous (and funny) girls as they grow up. You are totally relatable and I feel like if we met we would be friends. We have a few mutual friends in common, a few of my dear college roommates, and they certainly sing your praises as well. I have 3 girls myself and am also a working mom, so your blog puts things into proper perspective and you always seems to articulate what I could never properly put down on paper myself. Keep doing what you are doing because I know I am one of probably millions of readers who enjoy following you and your family in this nonstop adventure of life!
I cant stop looking at that sweet face! Too adorable.
harlow’s ramona quimby haircut is TOO cute
My son is Harlow’s age (within a month), and he went to Mother’s Day Out this year. When I got his spring school pictures, I was very surprised. First of all, he refused to take the fall school pictures. I figured that was going to happen, and just assumed the same for the spring ones, too.
So I get the pictures, and he is sitting on a tree stump with his hair combed with his ankles crossed, hands on his lap, looking at the camera. While it was freaking adorable (cue tears), I couldn’t stop thinking how in the world they got him to sit still, cross his ankles (???!!!???), and have his hands nicely on his lap. No, really…it still keeps me up at night sometimes. 🙂
She IS adorable! The part about her reading her about me book made me cry. High fives for Harlow! 😀
She’s a doll! I love the look in her eye. You can just tell she’s so sweet and full of personality!
My two year old starts preschool in September. It’s just two days a week for 3 hours a day. He’s a total introvert combined with being strong willed so it will be interesting to see how he handles it. I plan on handling it well since it gives me 4 free hours (as free as I can be with a 6 month old) a week! Yay.
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