The Greatest Gift: Class of 2013

This morning, Cora sprinted in our room and threw herself on top of me and shouted "I GRADUATE TODAY MAMA!!" so loud it woke Allen up. She was in such a state it was almost impossible to get her dressed, much less perfectly execute the "big, big ballerina bun" she requested.

I managed to get her to school on time, which still feels like a miracle every day, and then graduation began. I was caught completely off guard by the tears rolling down my face when that graduation precession music started and I saw her walking down the aisle of the church with so much poise and her face shining with pride and anticipation. Cora performed her songs with so much enthusiasm and joy, I thought I was going to burst with pride.

After we went to the reception and posed for pictures, I told Cora we could have a family lunch wherever her little heart desired. I thought she would demand a platter of raw oysters at the Blue Fish or the foie gras at Orsay but she shocked us all by saying she just wanted some cheese pizza so we headed to Al's.

I surprised her with a gift of a dress up set that included "heeled glass slippers like the kind we play with at her friend Ellsa's house" which she has requested numerous times the past few months and I don't think she has ever been so delighted. She wore them for the rest of the day- to chickfila for some post lunch ice cream. my mom's house and the Y... strutting her new shoes, big hair and big "I graduated from Pre-K" attitude, our little girl about town.

Some of my favorite moments from today...