Dear Rylee,
You start preschool in two days. I have mixed emotions about you going. Mostly I'm very excited for you, because I know you will love it. It will definitely be strange to not have you at home in the mornings though and not be able to see/know what you are doing.
After several months of being nervous for school, you are finally very excited to go!! Last week your teacher and associate came to our house to meet you and play games with you. This helped ease your nerves a lot, and you liked the teachers. That same day, we had preschool orientation in the evening. We got to see your classroom again (we saw it a few days earlier when we went to the school to enroll you and the principal gave us a tour - we really loved the principal), but this time we got to really look around so you could see where everything is. The room was so colorful, very organized, and had lots of space. You got very excited about the things you saw in the room and seemed very "at home". Mommy loved the size of the room and that you have a private bathroom inside the classroom so you don't ever have to leave the room without the rest of the class.
We all loved that you get a locker! It was so cute watching you try to open and close it. I think Daddy's heart was melting a little at this point, because he asked Mommy if I had my phone so I could take a picture of you with your locker :) Unfortunately, neither of us had a camera...but we will get pictures at the school on your first day.
Halfway into the orientation, you got to go outside with your classmates (you have 11 kids in your class) to play on the playground while your teacher talked to all of the parents. It was so cute to watch you get into a line. When you came back inside from playing you were so hyper and excited to tell us all about the playground!! Yep, you will love school!!
I've been telling you that I will miss you while you are at school and you keep saying, "Oh Mom. I will be fine." :) You used to tell me that you will cry on the first day, but after orientation, I don't think you will. I bought you a necklace to wear the first day. It's an owl, which stands for "wise", to remind you that you are at school to learn. But mostly, I bought it because it also says "BF" which stands for Best Friends, so you will remember Mommy at school and can have a part of me around your neck.
I'm so excited to see what you will learn this year. The September calendar we got shows the letters and numbers you will be learning each week. I hope this part won't bore you as you mostly already know letters and numbers. I'm guessing they have creative ways to teach you so that those who already know them won't get bored. You are a very smart little girl and are always surprising Mommy and Daddy with what you know.
Numbers and Math:
You can count to 100 (but sometimes you forget quite a few numbers)
You can count by 10's (but you always want to start with 20 for some reason)
You can do simple addition (1+2, 3+3, etc.). Mommy and Daddy hope you will love math like we
both did.
You know which number is greater (or less) when given two choices.
You can recognize the numbers 0-9
You can write a few numbers
You can recite mommy's cell phone number (and learned it just by hearing Mommy say it over the
phone to several people in one day..I couldn't believe what I heard when you repeated me!)
Letters and Writing:
You recognize all 26 uppercase letters and most lower case.
You know what sound nearly all of the letters make.
You can tell us what letter a word starts with, by listening to the sound.
You can write a few letters.
You can write your name.
You can spell your name, forwards and backwards (we have NO IDEA why you can spell it
backwards)
You can spell your last name (which you also learned by hearing Mommy say over the phone
several times)
Art/colors/shapes:
You know all the basic colors. Purple is your favorite, but you also like pink.
You know all of the basic shapes, along with many others: sphere, cylinder, crescent, hexagon,
octagon
You have used crayons, colored pencils, markers, water color paints, finger paints and glue.
You have only used scissors a couple of times, and weren't quite coordinated enough to make them
work.
You love to draw. The only thing you have drawn that looks like what you say it is, are people :)
Science:
You know too many things for me to list. This is definitely the one topic where you really blow our minds with what you know. Sometimes you even teach mommy! I doubt I will ever be able to help you with your science homework!
Other:
You know your left from right most times (or you are just a really good guesser).
You can "pump" your legs on the swing
You are starting to enjoy the monkey bars, but can't quite do them yourself yet.
You love to run, but you trip a lot.
You dance around the house every day and always ask us to watch your new dance moves.
You love to sing and make up your own songs.
You share well, for the most part...we'll see what your teachers say.
You like to be in charge and tell others what to do.
You don't like to disappoint adults, so we will be surprised if you ever get in trouble.
.
You want to be an ice cream maker when you grow up! Please give Mommy and Daddy a life time supply of free ice cream!! :)
I can't wait to compare this list to what you know and can do at the end of the school year. I'm looking forward to your first conference to see what the teachers say about how you handle everything that will be new to you (standing in line, taking direction from the teacher, etc.). It will be a fun year for all of us!!
Enjoy your first day, Baby Girl! I love you and am so proud of you!!
Love,
Mommy
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