Nothing Like a Big Bum

 

A precious chapter in my life's history has ended today as summer officially began: these two memorable months of my one-on-one time with Madeline.  She really missed her preschool in Utah and all of her friends there, but I am glad that we didn't enroll her in preschool here, if only for the good memories she has of her preschool back in Utah.  (And because of the extra-special time we've spent together.)

Here she is on her last day of school (before we moved) with her teacher Mrs. Kathy Thomas.  It was the Friday before Easter, and they had a little Easter party, complete with an egg hunt and the bunny hop.  Madeline had this look of happy/sad on her face that's hard to explain.

We enrolled Madeline a little bit after the school year had already started, and Mrs. Kathy was unsure if they would have had room for her in the class.  Well, they made room for her, and Mrs. Kathy told me a few weeks later, "It turns out that Madeline is fitting in so nicely into our classroom.  She is such a joy to have in our class.  She is so well-adjusted."  And she said that Madeline was a "model student" that any teacher would be glad to have in their class because they teach the other kids how to act by their example.  You can tell this made me very proud!

Here's Madeline with Mrs. Keri.  She sure loves her teachers!  Too bad Mrs. Kim wasn't there when we were taking pictures.  Madeline's sad little bunny face is a heartbreaker!  It was a hard last-day for her.

Madeline is sitting next to her good friends Brianna Smith and Parker.  Parker had a little crush on Madeline this year.  I can't remember if I've written about it.  But his mom told me that he said, "Mom, sometimes I think she's so cute that I just want to kiss her!"  Parker moved away, too, to Washington.

Here's the other half of the class.

Since she's been back at home with me, I've felt like I had my little girl back!  I will be sad to see her go in the fall!  She helps me all morning, and we run errands together and play together and just talk.  She seems to be very mature for her age - she likes to talk about life a lot and why things are the way they are.  She is in constant observation of other people and seems like she'll be deeply grounded as she grows up.  She often wants to know "why" followed by a good discussion.  You've gotta watch yourself in front of her because she is constantly making an assessment.  She remembers EVERYTHING - not just good vs. bad, but what people were wearing, what people said, what people did . . . and she doesn't just remember things trivially, she is forming opinions and drawing conclusions.  And she remembers things from when she was THREE.  It's amazing.  It's a gift, actually.

She was looking out the window a couple of weeks ago and was like, "LOOK MOM!!  A GAZEBO!" as she pointed to a white limo rolling out of the parking lot.  It was cute.  I like this picture of the two girls together.  Madeline told me that she likes it a lot because her foot is off the ground.

Several weeks ago, she let us in on a little secret of hers that I should document for posterity.  She was in her bedroom feeling conscious of her Purdy-posterior, or shall I call it her Big Bum??  (She's FIVE!  How can she know yet if she has the genes for a heavy-duty derriere??)  Well now you all know she is a thinker, and this is what she was thinking about.  But then she shrugged to herself and said, "Nothing like a big bum!"

Oh, man, we got such a kick out of that one.  Oftentimes, I'll say that phrase ("Nothing like a _______") to lighten the mood or enjoy life.  For example, "There's nothing like a good thunderstorm," or "Nothing like a clean house," or "Nothing like fresh laundry," etc.  So I thought Madeline's version was hysterical!  Now we use it in other ways.  Kensington needs a diaper change: "Nothing like a big bum!"  Can't squeeze past someone?  "Nothing like a big bum!"  

Try it.  You'll like it.

Cuz there's nothing like a big bum.

And I'll miss you, Madeline.