Yesterday was a big day in the life of the first born.  He graduated.

Kindergarten, that is.  I’ve never fully understood the point of kindergarten graduations to be honest, but if having a promotion ceremony means I get to watch 60 five and six year olds sing songs and beam with pride, then I’ll take it.  Because it was awesome.  I almost got a cavity from all the sweetness.

But here is my dilemma, oh internets.  When I was three, I sang my first solo in church.  It was Away in the Manger and I belted it out with pride.  I have a vague memory of my dad standing at the bottom of the steps snapping a picture.  By the time I was in Elementary School I was a performing addict.  I would put plays on at my home making my brother suffer endlessly as he played a host of characters in my little productions.  I loved drama (shocker, I know) and I loved singing on stage. 

I was like a tiny Rachel Berry with a Wisconsin accent.

So how is it, my friends, that I have a child who is so terribly stage shy?  Even more?  He’s got a great voice, loads of personality and can feel the nuances and rhythms of music extremely well for a six year old.  Yet every time he gets on stage he looks like this:

 To his credit, he was one of four children who were asked to stand around the microphone for one song and he did it without bursting into tears.  He didn’t sing his heart out, but he DID stand up there in front of the mic and I was thrilled.  That was a big step for him and I almost clapped my hands raw.

I tried to upload the video but YouTube was being funky and I don’t have all day for it to load.  I know you’re disappointed. 

In celebration of the graduates accomplishment, I let him pick the restaurant for lunch – he chose Cheeburger, Cheeburger.  So off we skipped to the mall, his graduation cap firmly placed on his head throughout the entire lunch.  He is a first grader now.

How is it possible that I have a first grader?!  Didn’t I just graduate college, like, yesterday?

My birthday’s coming up next week.  That, combined with the fact that I have a first grader is causing a minor panic attack.

In addition to the commencement ceremony, we decided to hit the deck for the first time this year.  The pool deck, that is.  I’m so glad my kids love to swim.  And they’re really good at it.  They take to the water like little fish.  And for the first time, I don’t have to be right in the water with them.  I have to be close in case Landon’s float flips him over, but I don’t have to be in the water with kids hanging on me.

Which means I can sit on the side and work on my tan – because that’s what life is all about…gettin’ tan.

I kid.  Don’t worry, I do watch my kids while they swim.  While I’m getting a tan…

Sometimes I watch them through the lens:

This child is starting to look like a little man. Totally freaks me out.

I'm glad I sprung for the waterproof cast.