A year of Montessori and a befitting Gratitude List

This is a gratitude list that I write as Ira completes her first year of Montessori today. 

                                                    Final Day of Montessori Today

We are grateful for all the wonderful things listed and more. 

• Her excitement every morning to go to school. 
• Her sharing the activity that she did at school that day- pink cube tower,  number rods,  tracing alphabets or even her favorite world map and the latest, spindle box and movable alphabets. 
• The immense pretend play and all us being characters in her play along with bonnie, snowy and even checkers. 
• Telling us how a friend of hers got his tooth to school and showed them all. 
• The need to be independent- I will eat by myself and use a fork for the fruits, I will wear my own shoe and then crisscross her feet to ensure she has worn them right,  choosing the sweater or jacket for the day, carrying her own school bag. 
• Looking forward to being picked up by dadu from school when Mamma and Papa are busy at work. 
• Hugging trees on every Cubbon Park visit and climbing mini rocks when we visit an adventure camp site. 
• Discovering the joys of nimbu pani and tender coconut water and demanding for the same. 
• Inventing stories 'because' who needs a reason and telling us sternly, "guys, follow me"  as we walk the Bangalore footpaths
• We are grateful for those non stop questions,  those teary-eyed filled appeals,  those high pitched screams, those moments of terrible twos transitioning into three soon. 
• When you ask,  why do you want this? Be it a  fruit,  a sweet or some random toy and she says,  because I love it. She almost won the argument because who says no to love. 
• When she says her thank you and gives that hug on her own. Even when she refuses to acknowledge the person across,  won't say namaste or won't smile. 
• When she constantly sings, "I am hombe kaamyaab ek din..." Also, makes up her own song where you first jump on the bed, then go to Mary's lamb and then the farm and then climb the water spout. 
• When the contents of the snack and lunch box are discussed every morning and she has a glint in her eyes. Strawberries and Muskmelon ensure certain grins and so does Carrot paratha and egg. 
• When she furiously scribbles on a piece of paper and declares she has written,  IRA PRAMADH. When she colours within, beyond and across the boundaries in a colouring book. 
• When she makes a car and Papa and Mamma get turns being the green figurine because she is the blue one. 
• When she stays with one of us, while the other travels and does serious phone conversations enquiring our whereabouts. We are either in a cab,  the room or in Ben the plane. 
• A grateful plus moment of pride is when she wants you to read books every day because that is like the most normal thing to do. Books at breakfast,  Books in the evening and bedtime stories too. 
• When she comes home from school with scratches on her face or bruise on herself and tells us that she didn't push or hit in retaliation (much to the dismay of her Joi). While we want her to be strong and stand her ground, we are happy she doesn't hit back. (this can be a whole new post) 

We are grateful for all that she has felt,  experienced and learnt at her school and we are grateful to have been part of this journey with her. 

As we prepare for her long summer holidays and the summer camps she will attend, we smile and treasure all the memories this past year has given us. 

Looking forward to the next academic year already. 

Or like Ira says, "I will see you,  okay?!?!"