Ezra

Today Ezra graduated from Cottage Co-Op, our wonderful — if exhausting — little preschool. He’ll be back for four weeks of summer school, but today’s graduation ceremony and celebration were sweet and emotional. As is the tradition, Ezra and his fellow graduates each received a key to Cottage — a symbol that they are always welcome to come back and visit, that Cottage will always be their place.

Today was my last work parent day in Ezra’s class; graduation is next Friday. Between the chaos of the day and the fact that Ezra is doing four weeks of summer school at Cottage, today was not as emotional as I might have anticipated. Everyone seemed a little extra rambunctious today, so I pretty much just held on for the ride and tried to make sure no one got hurt.

First up was rain stick making. Ezra’s favorite part, not surprisingly, was hammering in the nails.

We also had show and tell today and Ezra showed off his new car from Jamma and the swim vest I bought him yesterday since we’re going to Belize in August (thank you, Jamma!!!).

During music time, some of the kids gave musical performances. Ezra did a performance, too, but his was a little different.

After more than five hours at Cottage, we all came home and collapsed. I was happy to get an invite for dinner with some friends, so we headed off to Islands to meet the Heffernans and the Kerleys. Fun ensued.

Left to right: Charlie, Kai, Ezra, Lucy, Katie, and Finn

I’ve been toying with the idea of moving Ezra out of his car seat and into a booster seat for a while now, but up until yesterday I’d talked myself out of it. I like having him in a five-point harness and he’s still well under the 65-pound weight limit and a few inches shorter than the height limit. Yet, I had this nagging desire to let him have the big kid seat. So, yesterday when part of the strap of his car seat broke (an inconsequential part, as it turns out), I seized the opportunity to run down to Right Start and pick up an (on sale) fancy new Britax Parkway SG I’d been eyeing for some time. And then I freaked out about it all night before installing it this morning.

Ezra is thrilled beyond belief — he loved riding in his new cozy seat to gymnastics class this morning, and is very excited that he now uses the regular seatbelt (“It’s just like yours, Mommy!”). He announced it to our friends and his teachers the second we walked into gymnastics, and after his class he went around to all the other moms there (none of whom he knew) and told them, too.

Finn, of course, is completely devastated that he can’t have one.

Ezra ran the gamut of emotions today.

Angry at Finn for getting him with the hose.

Blissful while eating the ice cream sandwich he got from the vendor who walks by our house everyday.

Yesterday we finally had Ezra’s birthday party (postponed a week due to Finn’s chicken pox), and we had a blast. We invited his whole class from Cottage plus a few other families, so we had a full house. Our main activity was Make Your Own Lava Lamp which many of the kids (and parents) seemed to get a kick out of. Here is a slideshow of my pictures, with the birthday song video last.

I worked today in Ezra’s class (the Rainforest class) and it turned out to be picture day (because all of the children were there today and at least one was going to be absent Friday when picture day was originally scheduled). It was quite entertaining to watch the teachers herd 20 four- and five-year-olds into position for a photo. Some were dead set against the idea, but in the end, they all got into place. Here’s the unofficial result.

I can’t really believe you’re already five.

Then ...

... and now

… with these:

These lovely Snow White shoes (on loan from Ezra’s friend Lucy) are completely captivating him. He discovered them during our play date at her house yesterday, and I kept finding him in her room secretly trying them on. For some reason, he didn’t want to wear them in front of anyone else. He was beside himself when she said he could borrow them, and when we got home he ran directly into his room, shut the door, and put on the shoes. He even crawled into bed with them on last night.

This morning he proudly showed them to Bruce (pointing out the heel) and continues to put them on and try to successfully walk in them. He needs some practice — as evidenced by the crash I heard about a half-hour ago.

Ezra talks a lot about his wife. She changes daily, and sometimes there are more than one, but in general she’s quite knowledgeable and helpful. She’s usually fixing trucks and explaining things to him. His teacher, Art, transcribed this statement and put it on the wall at preschool. I think I need to keep this photo for my future daughter-in-law.

Yesterday I worked in Ezra’s class at Cottage and took a few pictures with my iPhone (I forgot to bring my camera).  I wanted to get one of him on the skitter (plasma car) because he loves them so much.

Ezra on the skitter

The dinosaurs were also a big hit yesterday, and late in the day Ezra decided they needed a drink of water.  He and some of the other boys filled the stream and water play ensued.  Finn was a little zoney by this point (about 1:15) because he’d been at school for five hours — way too much for this not-quite-three year old (despite his insistence that “I not tired!”).  He was also soaking wet and I’m sure quite chilly.  But still having way too much fun to want to leave.

Dinosaurs in the Stream