Asher's Pre-K Graduation

I for one am a huge fan of little kids in graduation regalia.

Check it out.  A-Dorable.

Oh, but wait, this isn't about me.  Or the cool hat I got to wear at my kindergarten graduation.  (seriously.  Kudos to whatever teacher or parent made that hat.  It is awesome.)

It's about my son-who-is-growing-up-way-too-fast-and-OMG-am-I-really-sending-him-to-kindergarten-next-year???

To celebrate we took the kids out to breakfast.

Asher woke up ready to celebrate his long-awaited graduation day!
He informed us he would like to wear a tie for the occasion.
Um, what?
That would have been a good thing
to mention uh before the morning of the graduation? 
Deenesh managed to put on of his ties on Asher.   

Are you looking at my smoothie?
Don't even think about asking
for a sip of my smoothie.  

Then it was off to the church where the graduation ceremony was to be held.  Asher ran off to the "graduates" room without a look back.

"Seriously, stop looking at my smoothie! It. is. Mine."

 Kiera started to wonder where her brother was (after she finished her smoothie).  And then she started to get upset.  And then she decided that she needed to go look for him.  So yes, that was my two-year old wandering up and down the halls yelling "ASHER!  ASHER!  ASHER!"  Fortunately she finally found him and was persuaded to return to her seat.

Look mama!  It does over my head! 

BOO!

Finally the graduates entered the room! It was great.  (Not posting the photos since we aren't supposed to post photos of random kids that don't belong to us.  Or something. So here's a photo of a kid that does belong to me.)

Kiera:  "Hmmm...I want my brother, BUT he is up on some kind of steps.
And there are a LOT of strangers around him.
I don't like strangers. Even if they are kids.
I will stay with my Nana and Colonel.
I will suck on my thumb until I get my Asher back.  

The kids sang a couple of songs and said the Pledge of Allegiance, and were generally adorable.  And then, they all got their diplomas!  (Okay, his hat is fancier than mine, but I don't know that it was made with the same love.  AND he didn't get a bridge to walk across! You know, in retrospect I'm kinda disappointed that my subsequent graduations didn't have bridges).

Wow.  Just wow.  My handsome, awesome little guy.  These are his teachers - Ms. Pebbles and Ms. Rani.  

"Mommy, why are they still calling names?
Asher already walked across the stage."

"I want my Asher.  When do I get my Asher back Mommy?"

"My ASHER!!!"  Kiera was so thrilled to give her brother a
giant hug as soon as he got down from the stage. 

Asher with some of his buds after the ceremony.  (I know I said I wasn't allowed to post photos of random kids, but these aren't just random other people's kids and their parents will be fine with me posting their photos).  

Asher took the teachers reminder that we needed to return the cap and gown very seriously and kept trying to take them off.  It was actually a little tricky getting him to keep them on long enough to take some photos!
(Kiera:  "My big brother is the best graduate EVER.  ")

After graduation, Asher's Nana and Colonel took us out for frozen yogurt!

"No.  I am not sharing my frozen yogurt with you either."

Despite having officially graduated, not much has changed.  He'll still be going to the same daycare/school over summer.

But we do have this fancy tassle hanging from our rear-view mirror to show for it.