The End of Pre-School

I knew it was going to be an emotional day when my baby boy graduated from pre-school. I was tearful when Paige went through it. But I didn’t expect it to be as hard as it was. This year seemed to go by way to fast and now my little guy is registered for kindergarten and has officially finished pre-school.
His last day was Wednesday and for one last time I got up early after working late the night before in the ER. I got Cole dressed, packed his jacket, his snack and his backpack. I safely buckled him into the car for the ½ mile drive up to the church. I scribbled my name on the sign in sheet and I watched him for the last time run full speed at his teacher Miss Mary tackling her with his coveted “Cole hug.” I reluctantly hung up his backpack and turned to Miss Shannon with tears in my eyes, only to look into her eyes brimming with just as many tears as mine. Miss Shannon is the preschool director, and a lady like her is difficult not to love. She takes such good care of not only the kids in her school, but the parents as well. She hugged me and told me to enjoy my last morning off.
I don’t even remember what I did that morning. Over the past year I have done a variety of things with my time…everything from going to the gym to work out, going home to nap some more, getting shopping and errands out of the way… things like that. It must have been meaningless, because all I remember is going back to pick him up. He ran as eagerly to me when I picked him up as he did away from me when I dropped him off. He anxiously handed me his “diploma” and waved vigorously goodbye to his teachers and classmates and we left. He said he was sad school was over, but he was excited for his party!
Friday was the big graduation ceremony and Hawaiian party to follow. We got all dressed up in Luau-wear and I prepared myself for another emotional morning. We found ourselves seats in the front row where I hoped I could get a good view and waited for the program to start. The kids sang some cute songs about summer, but the one that got me was “Kindergarten, here we come” sung to the tune of London Bridge. After the songs, the Pre-K kids got to LEI the incoming pre-K kids. It was so cute! And Cole got to LEI his friend Sarah from our playgroup. After that they lined up and one by one had their name called in traditional graduation style. Lei’s were placed and hugs were given by their teachers. It was very sweet.
Just when I thought I had made it through with breaking down in tears, they started the slideshow. 15 minutes of pictures of our babies from throughout the year played to disgustingly tear-jerking songs such as “Let them be little.”
Then it was time to party! The part Cole had been waiting for all week long! Complete with a DJ, bubbles, bouncy castles, limbo, and hot dogs… it was an AWESOME graduation party and Cole lived it up with his buddies! So after an emotionally exhausting morning we packed up to go home and stopped by to hug the teachers one last time and say goodbye. I cried and cried all the way home. It wasn’t this hard when Paige did it. I guess because Cole is my last baby at home… either way, I learned that I will cherish every minute this summer before my baby goes head first into KINDERGARTEN!