Middle School, here we come!

On Wednesday, June 17th we said goodbye to Columbia Elementary, the school that was so good to our family through many rough times. Always understanding, always trying to help, always wanting what was best for Christina.

Christina had her 5th Grade Awards ceremony. All the kids filed into the cafeteria, dressed in their shirts for the party that followed. The theme for the party was "All the places you'll go", an "Around the World" theme. They came in, sang, then filed back out so they could be introduced by their teachers and given their "diploma".

Here's Christina's teacher introducing her class. This was also her teacher's last day - she retired after spending 22 years at Columbia.

Here she is being introduced by Mrs. Bugelski.

The "graduate"!

She went back up several times for awards - Broadcasting, SMART Team, Art Award, Honor Roll and Citizenship Award. Her final report card was 3 B's and the rest A's!!! We were so proud!!


At the end, they all sang again. I fully admit, I teared up. Those 5 years flew by! It feels like yesterday we sent her to Columbia for her first day of First Grade with Miss Blocker!


At the after-party, we'd planned all these outside activities (below, the kids all lined up to "Attach the German Castle" with water balloons), but it was raining. The kids LOVED it - they'd never been allowed to play on the playground in the rain before!!!


Christina and her friends on the playground in the rain!


With the "Around the World" theme, some parents made these AWESOME photo cut outs - Below, Christina and her best friend posed as penguins in Antarctica -

And as an African Lion -


Christina did some dancing (she's on the right, in plaid shorts)



Then she sang karaoke with friends!

One Year Stats

Still a peanut, but a bit less of a peanut.

Weight - 19 1/2 lbs... 25th percentile
Length -29 3/4 in ... 75th percentile (HUGE jump, Dr. thinks someone measured wrong either last time or this time)
Head - 17 3/4 in... 50th percentile.

She was consistently in the 5-10th percentile on height/weight until this visit. Head circumfrence has always been in 50%.

She got three shots, finger stick and a TB test. Handled all really well - well maybe the last one not so well.

She also got her first haircut. I broke down and took her to get it cut - tired of fighting the ponytail/barrette battle so she could see.


She looked so little in that chair!






Mr. Le had a TV with Barney in front of her the whole time. I'm sure that helped in keeping her so still.


Blown dry like a big girl!!

I'm still getting used to the haircut - at least three little girls, including her sister, has said she looks like a boy!

Party Pictures

Two days of Parties!

She loves balloons. I've been telling her for months when we see balloons at the grocery store that she can have them on her birthday. So I tied all these balloons to her high chair to surprise her when she woke up.


She was mesmerized! Kept saying "Baaa-ooon!" over and over. She loved it.




We found that she also loved the candle on the cake. I love that these pictures were taken by Christina. She captured the moment fabulously and really did a great job!




She loved the icing more than anything else.




Emily and her rocking ladybug from Grandma and Grandpa.


Emily and her Millie Doll. Very special gift!

Emily's Cupcake Cake. Thanks to Aunt Mary for decorating!!




Emily enjoying all her great toys from Grammy! All the "noise" toys were a big hit with the kids!

Emily and some guests. She was wondering who the heck were these kids playing with her new toys. But within about 10 minutes everyone had warmed up to one another




Emily and her buddy, Erin. Erin just LOVES watching out for Baby Emily, "Because I love her." Too cute.

CHEESE!!
All the kids gathering for cake and cupcakes.

Before blowing the candle out (which an older kid did for her).



Icing Face.
Emily and her best buddy Evie, being held by Mommy.

Opened some presents after dinner.


Had a bath after presents and before bed.



The next day, Em went for a swim in her pool in the yard. Marty kept taking toys out of the pool while Em was in. He went in for the plunge when it was empty. Here you see her "fishy face" and her stylish two piece (Thanks Grammy!).



Big Sister came home on Sunday, and posed for a great picture with her little sister and Aunt Mary.
Hope you all like the pig-tailed pictures of the baby... she got her first hair cut today. I will post those pictures when I'm ready *sniff*. The haircut was definitely harder for Mommy than it was for Emily.