Letter to Lucia: Last Day of Pre-K / 67 Months

Dear Lucia,

You've finished preschool last week! Three years--done. This was by far the hardest year to say goodbye to, for me at least. You had a pre-K year that was wonderful beyond words. Exceptionally warm and talented teachers, supportive and welcoming preschool community, lovely classmates and families, activities that fully embraced both fun and kindergarten prep. We couldn't have asked for more.

On the way home from your last day, I asked you how you felt, anticipating sadness; but all you said, happily, was, "I feel like kindergarten." You loved this year but are eagerly anticipating the next big thing, which is as it should be.

Month by month, you're becoming more of a five-year-old, curious and funny and so much yourself in ways that--I have to admit--have little to do with me. You still love reading books together, and your interest in identifying sight words is growing--my ambitious goal for the summer is to get you even closer to reading. When I raise my phone to take your picture, you instantly strike a glamour-girl pose that I definitely didn't teach you. You wear dresses almost exclusively. You still love your bibi, little more now than a series of ragged knots. You know to hide it in your bureau drawer when the housekeeper comes to clean, because it looks like something that should be tossed away.

But by far, my favorite thing about you right now is that you can--and do--laugh yourself to tears. Greta is almost always the instigator, and she knows her power, pulling out silly tricks to send you into hysterics. This weekend in New Hampshire, you had a laughing fit the likes of which we'd never seen before; later, calmer, you told me, "I laughed so hard I think I went pee-pee in my pants!" Indeed. There is little I love more than sisterly hysterics, and I'm so happy you and Greta have this dynamic. For the record, your laughing fit was brought about by Greta riffing on a family joke--Daddy insisting on calling one of your My Little Ponies "Big Mandy," which isn't any more ridiculous than an actual pony name but which enrages you when he insists on using it. Daddy made a reference to Big Mandy being at your preschool camp, which you of course adamantly denied, and then Greta said, "Big Jack? Big Emma?" and went through all your friends at school. This struck you as the funniest thing ever. "I'm crying!!" you said at one point. It was something to behold.

And thus--we're closing the preschool chapter. Onward to kindergarten, after a summer of fun.

Favorite books: Magic Treehouse books, Alice & Greta, various Disney Wonderful World of Reading books from the 1970s, Poppleton books

Favorite toys/activities: My Little Pony (as intense as ever), plush princess dolls, arranging your Legos in perfectly symmetrical patterns, scooter riding, drawing perfectly symmetrical pictures, chalk, tea parties with water on the patio