Shalom

Note: There's a video at the end! :)

Friday was Jarrah's last day of preschool, and the "Shalom Program" where the kids sing and act generally adorable while the parents cry and frantically film. I was a mess when Myrna, the lady with the guitar, sang a song for the oldest kids which she personalizes for each one (they step forward of the line when she gets to them) imagining Jarrah being "sung out" of preschool, which thankfully won't happen until next year.

Seeing Jarrah perform with her classmates gave me some time to reflect on the changes of the past year. For one thing, she's several inches taller (and her mama is quite a bit smaller, too.) She's still one of the tallest in her class, but this year doesn't tower over the rest. She still looks pretty in a dress from her Grandma--that hasn't changed since last year. I had to laugh that her new hairdo--with the side braid--is catching on with her friends; both Linda and Amelia performed in a similar 'do. The braid style looks more mature than the "waterfall" she's been sporting since her bangs got too long for anything else.

I also couldn't help reminiscing about the day after last year's Shalom Program, when Jarrah announced that she would be wearing her Dora underpants from now on. And so we were very suddenly launched into potty-training last June, and even more amazingly, done in about two weeks. Diapers seem like a long-ago dream now (nightmare?) that I hardly ever think about anymore. Amazing.

Other milestones of the past year:

1. Bones. I do think I've become a bit more fearful for her bones when I see her running on uneven terrain. She's very fast, and there are so many other bones available to break...
2. Cooties. She missed so much less school this year than last. I guess some of that fabled preschool immunity is starting to kick in.
3. Vocab. She talks constantly, but she's also curious about words now. "What does that mean?" is what I hear all day long. She knows all her letters, and can recognize some words, but doesn't get that words have their own sounds yet. And, of course, she can write her name (albeit upside-down most of the time.) Oh, and she finally understands that talking on the phone is not just saying "Hi." and handing the phone back to Daddy.
4. Curiosity. She knows where she came from, and once asked if she grew in my tummy. When I said no, she said "Daddy's?"
5. Beddie-bye. I can hardly remember her contained now. Though (cringe) we still haven't bought an actual bed for her, and she's almost too long for the sideless crib. And it was a sad day in Mudville when we said goodbye to naps six months ago...but it's better for everyone at 8 p.m.
6. Self. She really enjoys her own company now (especially when there are small, rubber people around.) She's rediscovered her puzzles, her blocks, her train set, and can really concentrate for long periods of time.
7. Girl. I think the weirdest thing is recognizing that there's no baby in her (well, she still has tantrums) at least in the way she looks. She's tall and leggy with long, swingy hair and lots to say, and sometimes I can squint and see her in high school (eeeeeek!) For the first time, I look at the round baby photos and almost think that's someone else. Almost.