Olive is 6

Once again I'm late on the birthday post.  This has become a second forum for sharing my thoughts.  I feel like I've used Facebook more recently to share our anecdotes of daily life.  But still, I'd like to share the big milestones our girls have here.  An easily accessible place for them to read them later in life.

Olive,  

You are 6 (and almost 2 months, I'm sure you'd want me to add).  

You are more than halfway through Kindergarten, where you are thriving.  Thriving.  In a way I did not anticipate or even dare hope for.  We just had your conference this week and your teacher used the words:

Leader

Engaged

Loves to share

Well liked by peers and adults

First to raise her hand

Shares her ideas

Eager to participate

Loves theatre games (!!!)

Great sense of humor

Thoughtful friend

I have known all of these great things about you (except maybe the theatre games, that surprised me!).  I have known.  Your family has known.  But you have rarely shared your real, whole self with others.  

Cautious.  

Shy.  

Anxious.  

These were the characteristics you mostly shared with the world.  

I spent so much time worrying about you, my love.  About sending you into the world of school.  About your earliest educational experiences and how they might shape how you felt about school and learning.  About how we could help you thrive, enjoy school, to be OK without us there.  

Not only to be OK, but to be happy.  

Comfortable.  

You.  

After choosing Friends School, I felt confident we'd found a good match for you.  But I'm your Mama, so I still worried.

I didn't need to worry.  And I don't really anymore.  I just recently realized that I don't worry about you anymore.  You're fine.  You're better than fine.  You're happy.

You're doing it, kiddo.  

You've taken risks.  You've made new friends.  You've trusted adults.  You're rockin' Kindergarten.  

You're doing theatre games.