That's my girl

Chowin down on hot wings dipped in Ranch dressing at a bar...yup...that'd be my grandbaby.

Last week, I spent a couple days in St. Louis to attend my granddaughter's kindergarten graduation....which is a whole 'nother rant...but I'll save that for later.

Anywho, the night before the festivities, we headed downtown to a local, family-type bar for supper. Karsin promptly insisted on rib-eye steak (she's 6). Well...actually, it was the rib-eye steak sandwich, but it was a nice-sized steak. I was informed that the only reason that she wanted it was because she'd just learned how to properly cut meat and she wanted to show off. She did a fantastic job of it, I might add...cutting AND eating. She ate every bite. Then proceeded to scarf up her mama's hot wings. I was pretty impressed. Last summer, she stayed with me for several days and I swear...she didn't eat anything the whole time. In fact, I'm pretty sure she didn't eat anything from the time she was three or so until this year. She's evidently going through a growth spurt.


The proud graduate.

The 'graduation' was cute as hell. And it only lasted 40 minutes or so...loved that part. There were four kindergarten classes...about 80 kids in all. They sang "If You're Happy", "Do Your Ears Hang Low?", I Can't Spell Hippopotamus" and...get this..."Ballin the Jack". The first three...well, yea...they're kinda 'traditional' kids' songs. But I wondered where the heck the music teacher dug up "Ballin the Jack"...that's like...probably 60 years old, at least, and not something that I'd ever considered a kids' song. Anywho, it was a hoot.


Daughter, granddaughter and "Meme".

Though I don't have anything to measure by (it's been a loooong time since I've had a kindergartner), it seems to me that Karsin is pretty sharp. While I was there, she read three of her favorite books aloud to me. I can't even begin to tell you how tickled I am that she loooooves to read. She can count by fives and tens, do simple math problems and she writes pretty darned good.

Which, in a roundabout way, brings me to my little rant. Just exactly when did they start having 'graduation ceremonies' for kindergarten? And, more importantly, WHY? I mean...these kids had real caps (some have real caps AND gowns). And you can order DVD's of the ceremony. I mean...it's cute and all, but don't ya think it's a bit...much? Well, I think it's a bit much. It's like they're trying to push these little kids into growing up waaaay too fast. I dunno...personally, I think it's kinda silly.

Grade school graduation? Well sure...it's ok to make a bit of a big deal about that. High school? Of course. But kindergarten? C'mon. It's too much, too soon. And don't even get me started on her dad's gift to her...a

Firefly

cell phone.

A friggin cell phone...for a SIX YEAR OLD! Yea, so it will only call pre-installed numbers...but...a CELL PHONE? I wanted to take it and shove it...well...nevermind. I suppose it's really none of my business. I just don't wanna hear any complaints from him about her growing up too fast...not when he's encouraging it like that.

Ah well. Let's just hope she takes after her mom's side of the family. heh