Warning: this might come across as a little bit of a brag post. Well, probably because it kind of is. I’m really sorry, I just can’t help it. After all, it’s official! My daughter has completed her first year of preschool and I couldn’t be more proud of her. It’s quite amazing to compare the changes I’ve noticed in her from the first day of school to the last. Of course there are plenty of noticeable changes in her appearance; she’s quite a bit taller and her hair is significantly longer compared to last September. There are, however, many more changes that are not visible in a picture. It’s impossible to know how much she’s really grown by just comparing the pictures of her first and last days of school.

Academic Skills

I’m amazed how much progress Caroline has made academically. Sure, she could recite her ABC’s before she started the school year but now she’s able to recognize so many of those letters when we’re reading books and even associate them with their sounds. One step closer to reading! She’s now able to spell and write her name (her sister’s name too!), and even speaking in complete sentences more often. And if all that isn’t exciting enough, every now and then she’s throwing some pretty impressive words…in context. This girl honestly surprises me every day with something new.

Social and Emotional Skills

She has gotten much better about expressing her feelings. Instead of throwing tantrums, she’ll (usually) use feeling words (i.e. “It makes me sad when…”). One night my husband asked her if he could have a kiss and she replied, “Kisses make my heart happy!” while tapping her heart. Well, that certainly melted mine. She has also become better with sharing and playing with other kids (including her sister – thank goodness). Watching that definitely makes MY heart happy.

Responsibility

Caroline has learned a lot about responsibility over the course of the past year. If she makes a mess, even accidentally, she understands that she is in charge of cleaning it up. Usually, anyway. She has also become much better at getting herself ready for the day or for bed – getting dressed, her teeth brushed – more independence for her and less work for me. It’s a win-win, really.

Personality

This girl of mine knows how to bring the funny and I do my very best to write it all down. She loves to talk and as her vocabulary has increased, so have the funny and adorable moments that I want to keep forever. So for your reading pleasure, here are a handful of Caroline quotes from over the course of the past school year:

Me: “You’re seriously cute!”
C: “No I’m not!”
Me: “Ok, you’re beautiful.”
C: “No I’m not!”
Me: “Well then what are you?”
C: “A ninja!”

“It’s hard to work with Emma. She doesn’t listen. It makes me tired.” (Referring to her sister. It took a lot for me not to respond with, “Now you know how I feel, kid!”)

“You smell like skunk pee!” (I assure you, I did not)

While reading the book Amos and Boris she unintentionally kept referring to them as “Anus and Doris.”

C: “Why’s that dog barking?”
Daddy: “I don’t know. He’s crazy!”
C: “No. He’s foolish!”

“Mama, you are amazing.” (This is one of my personal favs, of course)

Auntie: “What’s Grammie cooking for dinner?”
C: “Hamsters.” (She was actually cooking lobster)

Her nicknames for her sister included both “corn muffin” and “honey bar.” (Why? I haven’t a clue.)

Caroline to Emma:

“I love you. You’re my best girl.”

and

“I wanted you for a long time so I’m going to take care of you.”

I can only imagine what changes the next school year will bring!