I’m back again with the last half of what went down in the month of May. If you read Part 1, you know I had three different speaking occasions sprinkled throughout the month. Not only was it a busy time for me, but we also had events surrounding my little Buzzy Bee. She had an end of year field day, graduation, a ballet recital, just to name a few 😅. Even though it easily got overwhelming, I tried to make the most of each event by slowing down my mommy brain and breathing in those milestone moments.

Arctic Fox and Unicorn Diorama

I never recall doing projects when I was in Kindergarten. This year Bee had an assignment where she got to select an animal of her choice and then build a diorama around it. To my surprise, she chose specifically an Arctic Fox!

These beautiful snowy white creatures live in the northern most parts of the world. They are well adapted to cold temperatures that get down to -50 degrees! Bee was very adamant about making sure her setting was at night because Arctic Foxes are nocturnal.

Once my little three year old caught wind that her older sister had a project to do, she immediately went into “me too” mode. I love this because it shows that she is interested in learning and wants to be involved even when it’s a class assignment for a class she’s not even in. Jay Bird chose to make hers all about unicorns 🦄. Together they really knocked their dioramas out of the park and had fun crafting their way into the world of learning.

Field Day

I do remember field day growing up. One of my favorite activities was the foot races. I was pretty quick as a child and would enjoy pumping those legs to out run all the other kids as much as possible.

Fast forward to the modern field days and I got to witness a major upgrade from what I remember. The kiddos raced each other in this tropical oasis bounce house. It misted water to keep them cool and it seemed like they literally could have gone all day in JUST that lol.

The next string of activities included a huge inflatable slide, sidewalk chalk, water tag, bubbles, and snow cones to top it all off. I don’t mean to compare but sign me up for the next field day!

Ballet Recital

This was Bees first year doing a ballet recital at her new school. We chose to swap schools because although she really enjoyed her previous school, she seemed to be more crucially focused on the ballet component rather than the tap and tumbling portions of her previous class. In an effort to hone in (and save money), we decided to make the switch and she’s been dancing her little heart away.

Bee had two dances where she demonstrated knowledge of all the foundational ballet positions 1st-5th and an additional 6th position. What always amazes me about her performances is she does not have stage fright at all. I asked her one time if she got nervous before going on stage and she replied “No mommy, I don’t get scared. I get brave.”

Wow! I could take a lesson or two from her! Even if she happens to falter or not remember a step she is quick to hop right back in where she does know and keep going. I’m so happy to watch her grow in confidence of the things she knows and even the things she might not be too sure in. That’s sure is a bold little one right there!

Graduation

Before having kids I seriously thought I would be the type of mom that would act way more nonchalant when it came to milestone matters. Now that I have kiddos I allow myself the tears of joy at watching them grow, the gushing in pride that comes when they accomplish something new, and the ache of knowing they won’t always be in close proximity.

With the arrival of Bees graduation at the tail end of her recital, I think I was on a high alert from all these firsts happening back to back. I was sooooo excited to see her walk! Sporting that little cap and gown had me jolt to a future thought of her graduating high school 😭. In a weird way, I want it all to slow down and go at a steady pace, but I know that’s unrealistic thinking.

One thing I cherish most was when they announced she got the kindness award. All the kids were given their own unique award in addition to their diplomas. It means a lot to me that she exudes kindness towards her educators and classmates. As she grows my hope is she will continue to keep that kindness all her life. I think she will ☺️.

The Little Mermaid

***Spoiler alert: If you haven’t seen the new live action Little Mermaid, go ahead and skip this section.***

Me and hubs had been thinking over if it would be a good idea to take Bee and Jai Bird to see Disney’s latest Little Mermaid. I wasn’t sure at first, but after reading some reviews and the parents guide, I figured our girls could handle it.

Since it was a surprise, on the day of I hinted to Bee she might want to wear her mermaid outfit. She was excited to wear it but still didn’t put 2 and 2 together that we were going to the theatre. Once we arrived and she figured it out, she was so pumped to also be a mermaid for the afternoon☺️. She sat on the edge of her tail the entire time only glancing away to grab the occasional snack lol.

Halle Bailey did an AMAZING job as Ariel! Her singing incorporated very well with the slightly altered story line from the cartoon movie. The girls especially loved seeing all the beautiful under water graphics that made her look like a real life mermaid.

Can y’all believe ALL of this happened in May 😅 I am so backed up with posts…alas I enjoy all that life has to offer with even having something to post about. Our schedule doesn’t seem to slow down and I’m going to have to continue to maneuver while also making sure I take the time to thoroughly enjoy it.

I’m also being intentional about learning what I can from my kiddos. Their excitement to do projects and class assignment is infectious. They want to do it on their own and really figure it out. Part of me wants to do it for them (my inner perfectionist) or show them the “right way to do it” (my awful need for control and comfort), but I’m learning to pull back and let them try without making myself overly available to jump in and help.

I’m learning to watch my kid have fun making relationships with other kids and to hang back and be available for when she needs. She always comes and finds me whether it be 5 minute intervals or 30 minute intervals. Even though that will evolve over time, I think putting it into practice now will make it simpler as she grows.

Watching her fearlessly perform and boldly accept her diploma in front of hundreds of strangers encourages me to seek to be brave in my own endeavors where I’m in a public setting. It always melts my heart to watch her scan the crowd until she puts eyes on us. That visual confirmation that we are here and we see her and are proud of her before she even does anything seems to stoke her light.

As busy as life gets, I hope to always make the most of whatever moments come our way. Til next time, I hope you’ll make the most of your moments as well!