Make New Friends But Keep The Old

Lily has survived yet another week of Montessori and, by all accounts, is doing remarkably well. She seems to have fully integrated in to her new school, she's learning all the new routines and rules (enthusiastically as noted by her teacher Ms. Jane), and she's making new friends. Heck, she even went to a birthday party Saturday night for a little girl from the new school; two weeks in and already a coveted bday invite!

Anna took her very first dip in the pool (which was, thankfully, heated to bath water temp)

So totally consumed by worry over Lily's transition, it never occurred to me that there might be a transition for Noah and me beyond the obvious -- tuition checks get mailed to a different place and Lily gets dropped-off/picked-up in Arlington, not downtown.

Talk about old friends (I've known Lisa since birth) -- Lisa and Lauren joined us!

But when I think about the party we hosted just two weeks ago, versus the party we attended last night, I'm reminded about just how large a transition we've ALL gone through. The children at Lily's school are adorable and couldn't be sweeter. Their parents seem lovely too. But they're just not our "peeps."

I haven't seen these moms and dads at drop-offs and pick-ups for the last 3 1/2 years. I haven't seen their kids learn to walk. I haven't witnessed their pregnancies and siblings being born. I haven't gotten to complain to them about tuition increases, bizarre school policies,or politics. They don't know how hard it was for Lily to transition from one classroom to the next or how totally, deliciously spunky she is under most circumstances. They haven't lived through the ups and downs of Lily's baby and toddlers years with us. They don't know about my tumultuous pregnancy with Anna or what a sweet and happy baby she is. They're just, well, new to us...and, more importantly, we're new to them.

So, to make us all feel a little more at home, we had a playdate today with two of Lily's absolute favorite friends from the Huck -- Katy and Charlotte -- and, of course, their wonderful families. One final splash in Nettie's pool before she closes it for the year.

And while I've been cautioned that Lily needs to build her social network from within the new school, there are a few friends that I doubt we'll ever be able to say farewell to. Even though these girls are not yet 4 years old, their friendship runs deep. Whether or not they're fully clothed.