A few days before we left for Seattle, Isaac had his preschool graduation. The kids and teachers worked really hard practicing for the show, with about 7 or 8 song and dance numbers. Isaac had been singing snippets of the songs around the house for weeks before, so it was fun to see it all come together. And thinking back to where he was a year ago at his preschool in Seattle’s end of the year ceremony (where the kids also performed), he has come so far! At that one, he kind of just stood on stage looking clueless, whereas this year he was confidently singing, dancing, and helping lead the younger kids.

The performance culminated in the “graduates” donning mini caps and gowns (cuteness galore!) and coming up to receive their “diploma” which was a framed art project they had each made.

It was definitely a bit emotional having our first graduation (of many to come I’m sure), especially because it was a year earlier than I’d been anticipating back in the States. In Seattle, kids have to be 5 by September 1st to start kindergarten, so, with a mid October birthday, Isaac would be starting just a little while before turning 6. Here in Ireland, kids start school between 4.5 and 5.5. They don’t call it Kindergarten here, and from what I’ve heard the curriculum sounds like a cross between our Kindergarten and preK (some academics but still a lot of playtime as well), but nonetheless it’s “big school” (as they call it here) and starting it is a big milestone for Irish kids. We’ll have to see, once we move back, whether Isaac will join his age cohort or how we will do it, but for now, he’s officially a preschool graduate and will be starting “big school” in late August! Exciting times!