A new year

All the teachers at school were super nervous about Marina starting "real" preschool. They said she was used to being the boss of the baby room and it was going to be a rude awakening to be surrounded by other kids her age.

And the first day I took Marina to her new class for a 30-minute warmup, these predictions came true. She hardly left my side. She looked at the new kids and their sticky hands and play-doh-stained t-shirts and wanted nothing to do with any of them.

But then on her first actual day she saw her new room had a kitchen! And books! And live frogs! And no cribs! Or high chairs! And it turns out she loves school now. She sings songs and has friends and takes naps on a cot, just like the big kids.

Her whole attitude's changed, even at home. Kind of like she just grew up in one week.

Like today, when we went to a birthday party at the beach. Instead of being terrified of the waves as she was at the start of summer, she ran full-speed into the ocean. I tried grabbing her hand but she wanted nothing to do with me and I was like, oh no. Is this how it starts? I had a vision of her in drama class or something going to her plays and her being all, mom, can you just go?

But then a big wave came and Marina ran back to my arms. So at least I get her for a few extra years.

I would have taken a picture but she was always off doing her own thing. So here's a picture of Matt and Ella. Ella discovered that sand is a really remarkable snack: