The End Of An Era – Nursery Graduation

It really does seem like only last week I was announcing I was pregnant with my third baby. Then another week went by, ok, maybe not, but it feels that way, I announced the birth of our baby girl. Now here we are, 4 1/2 years in and last week I attended her nursery graduation. Can you believe it? Graduating? Where does the time go? Can we have a pause button, please?

If you’ve followed my blog you will know how concerned I was about Aria being at nursery and starting school. She is stubborn, oh boy, she is stubborn. She talks to only who she wants and she wears only what she wants to wear, but she’s smart, she’s kind, she’s sweet and creative. She knows her own mind and is strong willed, everything you’d want your daughter to grow into. Proves a little difficult when trying to get out the door and she doesn’t like the three different sets of clothes you’ve looked out already. I was worried she wouldn’t speak to her teachers, make friends or enjoy it. I was wrong. She is perfectly fine, she has come on leaps and bounds and has grown with confidence every week.

Aria has made a very special friend. The two of them are inseparable. They didn’t just meet at nursery, her friend’s big sister and Tyler went to nursery together and are at school together. Her mum and I have known each over for since before they were born and their friendship has grown into a friendship for life. The love and care these two show each other is astounding. They play, the fall out, which lasts around 3 seconds, they make sure each other is ok and ask the other one’s mum to text if they are poorly. I cannot put into words what they are like. It’s beautiful and inspirational. Friends for life. I met my best friend when I was two. They have been to all their school settling in days together. But, we have also spoken to their teachers about their friendship and to both of them to explain they might not get to sit together, but can still play together, play with others and have lunch together. I am so pleased they have each other and her friend is almost a year older, so it helps with that wee bit of maturity. I worried that Aria would be one of the youngest in her class, but I think she’ll be fine.

Aria got on stage in her cap and gown and sung her heart out. First up with you’ve got a friend in me. Then they got their certificates from their nursery teacher. She stood tall and she waved to all of the tear stained faces in the audience. When they were all back to their seats, they nursery class of 2017 sung their own version of Let it Go. Cue tears! Many many proud and bittersweet tears. “Let us go, don’t hold us back, we are ready to move onto Primary one now! Nursery was yesterday!” You get the picture. I need to go get tissues.

Afterwards they kids got some biscuits, juice and got a little gift from their teachers. Aria wouldn’t let me get any photos, this was as good as I got. We chatted with her nursery teacher, who has taught and nurtured all three of my children and over the last 8 years I’ve gotten to know her. It was sad to say goodbye to her too. They have done a wonderful job. The nursery graduation was beautiful and very different to the boys, there was no caps and gowns then.

Aria and her friend were such strong and loud singers, they were asked back in the afternoon to support the afternoon nursery class, which is smaller. Who knew I had a strong singer. I am so proud. She is ready for this. She can add and subtract, write her name and count well past twenty. She’s a clever cookie, who is eager to learn. I did have the option to defer her primary education for a year, but it wouldn’t be the right thing for her.

I have closed the door on the nursery years. It is time to move on and there is no holding her back. She is ready, we are ready, now hopefully I can sound a bit more convincing about myself by the end of the summer. Come August she will be wearing this adorable little kilt pinafore to school. She can’t wait and I hope when we walk through those doors at the end of summer she enjoys it as much as she has nursery. I am so proud of her and let’s see what the next chapter brings. Watch this space….

I am not quite sure how I feel about the end of this particular era, perhaps another blog post for another time. Just now I’ve has so many emotions go through my head. How did you feel when your little one finished nursery for the last time?