Getting Ready for Kindergarten

Ruby got to visit the elementary school she'll be attending in the fall when she starts Kindergarten! It's Kindergarten Orientation time for our public school system, and we are very fortunate to live near the best elementary school in our district. So close, in fact, that we all rode our bikes to the school. Ruby is sorely disappointed that she lives too close to ride the school bus. Actually, she's in denial about it, thinking that if she just begs us hard enough she'll get to ride the bus. Sorry, kiddo, I can't force the bus to pick you up for a half-mile trip!

Ruby on her first school bus ride

This orientation event was all Ruby could talk about for the last day or two. Plus some of the kids from her preschool will also be attending the same elementary school, so Ruby's been pretty confident about herself and who her friends will be when she hits the door in the fall. When we got to the school, Ruby hopped off her bike and was marching into the building ahead of us, until we called her back!

At the Arts and Crafts table at Kindergarten Orientation

Yep, confident. Ruby can be pretty... sure of herself. Sometimes I'd call it bossy, but really it's more of a supreme confidence that she carries herself with. I remember the first Thanksgiving she was home, when she was not quite 2 years old. We were at my mother-in-law's house and it was after dinner when everyone was sitting around the living room. Ruby had just started going to gymnastics classes, and she decided that everyone needed to watch her do a sommersault. So she proceeded to take us all by the hand, one-by-one, and direct us where to stand. It took several minutes for her to arrange us all to her liking, having us switch places, making sure no one sat back down. And when we were all set, she began the show, doing sommersault after sommersault as we all applauded.

Making jewelry with Dad's help

Hmmm... as I write that story I hear a little voice in my head, chuckling at me. Is it really that Ruby is bossy, or is it that we've always allowed ourselves to be bossed by her? Realization is rapidly dawning on me...