Growing up

On Sunday our family took a couple of steps forward.

First, in the morning, Cora moved up into the pre-kindergarten class at church. She said goodbye to Taylor and Josh, her teachers for the past year, who do such a great job each week.

(I would have liked a nice photo of Cora giving them a hug and the cards she wrote out, but Cora isn't into such cheesiness.)

Cora was so happy to move into the next class, with the "big kids." It's a mix of 4s and 5-year-olds who will enter kindergarten in the fall.

As we walked away, I got teary. I'm not that mushy of a mom, so it hit me by surprise.

Then, after naptime, we went to Lowe's for drywall and other odds and ends for the kitchen.

We were there for two hours, and it was another time of realizing that our little family is growing up. Cora was an angel on our long trip. She played with Violet, helped feed her to keep her busy, and made up games to entertain herself.

She also - for the first time - used the toilet by herself. As we went in, she told me she would do it all by herself, because she is now four. Right then. We didn't lock the stall, and I was right outside it. But she managed to handle it all, by herself. She also washed her hands alone.

(Since then, she still asks for help at home. The days of "I need some wipe!" aren't over yet.)

Back to Lowe's. Besides Cora acting so grownup, Violet also is growing up. She is so very different from the tiny baby entertained with a rattle. This time around, she was happy as long as she had snacks. She ate through the Cheerios, several toast sticks, and part of a banana.