Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Kindergarten



My baby girl started Kindergarten today. No tears, no trauma, just walked on the bus and barely took time to throw me a wave goodbye. Made me so proud.

Coming home from school, my baby did not come off the bus. A Kindergartener emerged when those doors opened. The first words out of her mouth were not those of the 5 year old that stepped on the bus but the words of a school-age child. Her tone was different, her facial expressions more grown up and "know-it-all" and her body language was that of a child with confidence. However, the little girl is not all lost.

"So, what did you do in school today?"

"I learned English."

"Really, you learned English?" (now I'm thinking she means the subject)

"Yep, we learned how to speak in English."

"Well what did you learn to say." (I'm rather intrigued now)

"We learned how to meet someone new and what to say"

"Oh, ok. So what do you say"

"I don't remember."

Conversation dropped for the mean time but right before bed we're cuddling on the couch and someone on TV is doing something that must have reminded her about the earlier conversation.

"Yeah, that's what I said before Ma-om (the snotty way they turn Mom into a 3 syllable word) we learned Sign Language today."

"Celie, you didn't tell me you learned sign language today."

(lip snarls up and the attitude is now all over the face while the hand is on the hip) "Yeah I did, when I got off the bus I told you we learned Sign Language."

"Celie, you said you learned ENGLISH not Sign Language."

"Oh, well we learned Sign Language"

"What did you learn?"

"I TOLD you, we learned how to meet someone and say Nice to meet you."

"Well, show me."

"I don't remember"

"Celie you learned a whole sentence you have to remember at least ONE thing."

"yeah"

"Ok so show me one thing you learned from Sign Language than."

"Uno, Dos, Tres..."