The Awe of Big Buddies

The big buddies won out tonight. It was Schmoo's school year end BBQ down at the big park and I hardly saw Schmoo the whole time. I got all mixed up with starting times, so we were down at the park early. We had spent a couple of hours after I picked the kids up at lunch time getting a few gifts for Schmoo's teachers and her big buddies. I had convinced her to make a thank you card for her two big buddies, H and T. They have been Schmoo's favorite part of kindergarten. Every Wednesday she would go to school with an extra spring her step, in anticipation of some time spent with these two girls. They have obviously been good to her. H made Schmoo little cards at Christmas and Valentine's Day. In the last two months, Schmoo has been hanging off of T whenever they've seen eachother in the playground. Lately, Schmoo has talked more about playing grounders (a schoolyard tag type game) with H and some of the other grade 3 girls, than cops and robbers with her usual gaggle of kindie buddies.

H arrived at the BBQ first tonight and Schmoo was by her side for the rest of the night. She ran around with a group of the Grade 3 girls and they were obviously happy to have her along. She was determined to sit with them for dinner too, so Bean and I were relegated to another table with a group of other kindergarten families (whose kids were all sitting with them, of course). I didn't mind. It's great to see her so independent and confident. She was thrilled with T showed up a bit later and we were able to get pictures with each of the girls before the heavens opened and the rain sent everyone home early.

Bean was happy to be with his Mama. He managed to have a big nap this afternoon and had to be dragged out of bed for the BBQ. He was stuck to me for the first hour and through dinner, but then got some of his confidence back when he saw a couple of his own buddies. He followed around one of Schmoo's friends and his little brother for awhile, and managed to stay within eyesight so that I could have a good visit too. We returned home with soggy sweaters, ready for bed. It was a great event to end Schmoo's first year at school.