There’s something about the end of the school year and the start of summer that signals a simultaneous end, beginning and “Wow, how things have changed!” whirlwind reaction. Any of you who are parents know the tremendous impact a year has on the personalities, abilities and looks of a child. And even pieces of an adult’s life can be drastically different once 365 days have passed.
Take Maddie for example…this time last year I had settled on my decision to send her to a 3 day a week preschool (instead of twice a week) but was struggling to get her potty trained. I worried how she’d handle food, snacks and birthday treats at school. I was ecstatic to hear her speech therapy progress was so positive that – after 9 months of twice a week therapy – we could move down to once a week visits. I worried she’d be bored out of her mind without Big Sis Kate around all the time.
Kate‘s summer transition was from preschool to Kindergarten. And not just Kindergarten, but FULL DAY Kindy. I dreaded enduring the adjustment by her body from daily naps to no nap. Then right before orientation, I learned that Kate’s specific elementary school did in fact nap all Kindy students the entire year. I still remember watching her walk the halls during that first week, the tiniest kid in the place. Then right as she turned 6, she donated her ponytail to Pantene Beautiful Lengths and instantly matured 15 years.
I started running 3 times a week at the beginning of June 2011. I’m proud to say I’m still doing so, feeling a bit impressed with myself that I’ve stuck with it. I’ve made the transition from a blogger to a professional social media consultant, helping small businesses to use social, strengthen their online brand and grow their web presences. I’ve gone local with my social media efforts, presented at a few conferences, emcee’d a conference and just received a really cool profile in a Memphis paper.
Then from now until the start of the new school year at the beginning of August, Kate will have completed her first art camp, Maddie will have turned 4, Jack will have turned 11 and Tessa B will have turned 1.
So while the end of school seems so defining for so many reasons, the start of a new school year comes so quickly and with a whole new chapter of the book being written.
How have things changed in your life and the lives of your kids in the past year? Do you feel like summer time is a time of transition?
I feel this way too. You have had such a busy year!
You had a busy (and accomplished!) year!
I don’t think mine quite stacks up to yours, but we have had some major accomplishments as well.
I typically compared years in the fall, at back to school time. That’s when I usually notice how much things have changed from one year to another.
You’ve had a great year. Sometimes when I think back to June ’11, I’m still in denial that a year has passed.
You guys are rocking it. Even with that dirty pool of yours.
It sounds like your family has had a lot of good changes this year!
This year is much different than last year, obviously, now that I have a third child!
Lots of changes in a year, huh? It’s amazing at this age how much they grow both physically and mentally. Congrats to all of you on a great year!
Way to go! I remember all this from a year ago.
Forget what can happen with your kids in a year…
Just a few hours ago I saw a cute picture of your feet in adorable new shoes on Facebook.
Apparently lot can happen in just a few hours when you have a dog.
Congrats on your accomplishments this year, Liz – both personal and professional.
Only recently I was marveling at how much my own daughter had grown and changed this year. Physically, she’s longer, leaner, and more gangly, having lost all traces of her baby fat; and she’s talking up a storm, whereas last year this time she was just babbling. It’s bittersweet – very cool to watch her grow and change, but also sad to watch her pass through phases that we’ll never get back again.
Wow! You have seen quite a few changes in the past year! I love that picture so very much. What beautiful, sweet girls.
Awesome that you’re running. I’d love to pick up something like this, too, but at this point I’m just trying to maintain a somewhat stable yoga schedule (hasn’t been happening lately).
And congrats on all your successes–you have worked so hard and you deserve all the recognition in the world for your efforts!