Graduation Time is Here!

Miranda proudly accepts her diploma in Le Top's Sweetheart Butterfly drop waist dress.

My daughter has passed another milestone… Kindergarten! The beginning of the 2009-2010 school year was a day to remember. I dropped off my baby in her classroom with other nervous little children who were sharing their first experience of school. Then the teacher shuffled out all the anxious parents and closed the door. It seemed like a long year full of homework, projects and field trips, but yet it also seemed like the first day of school was just yesterday. In a blink of an eye, I now have a first grader.

Has it really been a year since “Grajuration Day“?

This event was so much more different than graduating from preschool. First of all, these six-year olds are sassy and smart. They learned A LOT this year, not only in the classroom but also from their friends. There was so much attitude in the air, for many reasons:

1. It’s summertime, which means no more homework. They can stay up as late as they want and sleep in. (HA!)
2. Next year they are first graders which means they get to have two recesses, and they get to play on the big kids’ play structure.
3. There are cupcakes after the graduation.

As happy as this day was for the kids, it was bittersweet for the parents. I am happy that she did so well in school and has made a lot of friends, but I am sad that she’s growing up so fast. All I can do is take a mental photograph of this day and cherish it. Tomorrow is another day, and I’m sure summer will be a drag because she’ll be bored not seeing her friends every day and wonder why Mommy and Daddy are still working, and shouldn’t we all be on summer vacation.

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“Grajuration” Day!

Miranda in Vive Les Fleurs! from le•top's 2009 Fall collection

It’s the end of the school year, and for me it was a special one. My daughter graduated from Preschool!

Before I had children, I used to think that Preschool Graduation (or as my daughter calls it: “grajuration”) was a feeble event that parents made up to make something minor into something MAJOR. Well, I still think that, but now that it’s happening to my little girl, I’m all over it! It is a very big step for these little tykes to finish Preschool and go out into the world as accomplished, uh… Pre-Kindergarteners.

This morning, my daughter woke up and said, “I’m free! No more school! No more homework! No more waking up early! So… what are we doing today, Mommy?” (Ugh.) Well, she may be on summer vacation, but I’m still working. All summer long, I’m going to have to listen to her say, “I’m bored. There’s nothing to do!” How many more days until fall/back to school? 😉

Speaking of fall… Here’s a sneak peek from le•top’s 2009 Fall Collection: Miranda’s print knit dress from the Vive Les Fleurs! line is coming to stores near you  — in fact, the first of these dresses are leaving our warehouse and being shipped to stores this very week. The Giant Peach in Annapolis, MD is taking phone orders for this dress. Give Jean or Mary a call: 410-268-8776. Stay tuned for more fall sneak peeks!

le•top Vive Les Fleurs! print knit dress and matching tights available in 3mo - 6x.

And for all you parents with young “grads”… please share your event photos with us by clicking here. We’d love to feature your scholars!

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Does it Feel Like Summer?

Alexandria "Alex" with her pet caterpillar!

Oooh, these sunny warm days and photos of old tricycles and bowl cuts are reminding me of those carefree days of summer when I was a kid. I used to live for summers…playing outside from dawn to dusk…until the chorus of crickets meant your name was going to get called for dinner. I loved lightning bugs, big, fat, furry caterpillers, the heavy stillness of the night air, and feeling sleepy and finally a little cool as the moon rose to put me to bed.

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