The End of an Era

My big boy Max starts school in September and we are now entering a series of "lasts".  This week was his last swimming lesson where I get in with him.  In September he starts "big boy" swimming lessons and goes in on his own.  I expect much tantrum-ing that day!


Next week is his last Friday playgroup - a weekly date that has been a fixture in his life since he was about 15 months old.  I haven't had the heart to tell him yet he won't be going after next week.  I'm certainly not going to tell him that Penelope and I will still go whilst he's at school.


Next week is his graduation from pre-school.  Everyone asks (with a degree of amusement) whether he will be wearing a cap and gown.  It tickles me to be able to say "yes".  OK it's a bit ridiculous for 4 year olds but it just amuses me.  It's a bit of fun to acknowledge the end of an era, and something that is definitely more for the parents than the children.  He's been practising his graduation song for weeks now and I have no doubt that on big day he will remain stoically mute.  He doesn't actually finish at pre-school until the very start of September so I have a while yet for that "last".


Every time I think about him starting school I cannot believe how fast the last four years has gone.  It feels like only yesterday he was the tiny baby handed to me post emergency section and here he is a big boy almost ready to start school.


Here he is on the bouncy castle at his birthday party last week

Pretty much every new experience at the moment is pre-faced with the words "big boy" in an attempt to make it sound vastly more exciting than it actually it.  I wonder how long it will be before he catches on???