Back to Backpacks!

As summer days end and school days begin, we are adjusting to a life with two kids in school. Verity attends kindergarten now at an international school. She will go 3 days a week this semester and 5 days a week next semester. Annalise started at the preschool Verity attended last year and will go to the 3-year old class just twice a week.

And on those two days that both Verity & Annalise are in school, I am looking forward to some one-on-one time with 20-month old Moriah. While Verity's and Annalise's early years were peppered with playdates and MOPs meetings, I feel like we have been in transition since Moriah was born (packing, moving, unpacking, adjusting). It will be nice to finally slow down and enjoy some focused time with our sweet third-born while her two older sisters enjoy their new schools.

Here's a peek at our "Back to School" week.

Now that many of Verity's friends have returned from their summer in the States,
we kicked off back-to-school week with a birthday party at a nearby park.

For her 5th birthday, Verity chose a "Hello Kitty" theme. Hello Kitty was
one of my favorites as a young girl so it's fun to now watch our daughters
choose this theme (Annalise also chose it for her 2nd birthday party).

Our Kindergarten Kid! She looked a bit shell-shocked on her first day but Verity
absolutely loves going to kindergarten with her friends (most of whom she knew
from her 4-year old preschool class). Here she is in her small classroom with one
of her teachers, Miss "S". The school is a 2-story home transformed into a school.

Some of you may remember a similar photo from last year. On Verity's first day of
preschool, Annalise also wanted to take a picture by the door with her backpack
on (wearing nothing but a shirt and diapers). This year, it's the real deal! She was
so proud to take a photo with Daddy on her first day of preschool, same backpack
but wearing NO diapers and of course, her favorite black go-go boots.

One of the preschool teachers (holding Moriah) welcomed Annalise
(in pink) at thefront gate of the preschool (a 2-bedroom home
converted into a preschool).

Annalise's 1st day at her preschool! She (and her classmates) gravitated to the
bookshelves. Right now, her 3-year old class is made up of five girls total.
It's the same preschool Verity attended but in a new location.

While I sat in the Parent Orientation meeting, Moriah decided to sit in on the 4-year old class and color with them. It will be hard to convince her that she will have to wait two more years for her turn at the preschool ... she thinks she is already "big" like her older sisters. While Moriah was coloring, I was volunteering to help on the school board. The director is Korean and although my Korean language skills are stuck at the kindergarten level (I thought I was at the 1st grade level when my mom said that I am actually still at the kindergarten level!), I am looking forward to helping communicate between the director and the other English-speaking parents.