Metamorphosis

     "Dear Mr. & Mrs. Dobrick,"
     Why can't anyone get my name right?  I'm Ms. Hoover, not Mrs. Dobrick.  That is Jeremy's mother.  I've never signed my name Dobrick, so why do people always call me that?  Wait a minute, this isn't about my name.  Why is KZ's school sending me a personalized letter instead of a general form letter?
     "After careful consideration,"
     Oh no, what are they carefully considering?  Does KZ have a speech impediment?  Jeremy and I are so worried about that.  She can talk up a storm sometimes and other times, she cannot say banana correctly. 
     "It's ba-NAN-a.  Say ba-NAN a," Jeremy says.
     "Nana! Nana!  Daddy, can I have a nana, peas!"
     "It's PA-LEES, not peas." 
     "Ok, daddy, Nana PEAS." 
     Is it her hearing or is there something worse wrong with her.  I saw an awful episode on House that started something like this.  The four year-old died of some terrible disease that could have been prevented if only someone had caught it.  One of the signs was his inability to hear certain sounds and therefore make up words.   Is this my warning?  Should I call a specialist?  House, that damn show.  It sends me to the Internet for every thing.
    "We believe that KZ ..."
    Oh, no, it is a "we" thing, not an "I" or a "you", but a "we".  People have been thinking about this.  Not just one person but many.
    "… is ready to begin the transitional process to the … "
    Transitional process?  Where are they planning to send her?  Is her behavior that bad?  Are they thinking some type of reform school for three-year olds?  I've never heard of it, but this is New York.  I'm sure one exists somewhere.  She can be strong willed.  She isn't into sharing.  Can this be related to the popcorn incident where she didn't want to share?  Wait, no, that between her father and her at the Muppet Movie.  The school wouldn't know about that.
     "… next level of developmental education … "
     Are they saying she has developmental issues?  Oh, God, I didn't think that was a problem.  Maybe it is the speech thing, or worse, the House episode in real life.
     "… and graduate to the Bumblebee Class."
     The Bumblebee Class?  THE Bumblebee Class?  That is the grade level ahead of KZ's current level of Butterfly.  It is effectively skipping a grade, before there are actually grades to skip.  KZ has no where else to go but kindergarten and we haven't applied to kindergartens.  Of course, in New York, we do have to wait until she is five to go to kindergarten and she cannot even take the tests until she is four.  She is only three years and six months, not even seven months, and she is being graduated to the Bumblebee Class? 
     "Please feel free to request a conference with me if you have any questions."
     I have one question.  Who stole my little Butterfly and replaced her with a Bumblebee?  A real live active Bumblebee who does things like clean up, take bathes, and dress all by herself.  I heard her get up the other night, use the potty, flush the toilet, and go back to bed.   I just sat there for a moment trying to take it all in.  She is such a little independent person.  But other times, she is my baby and needs to be cuddled.  I need to cuddle her.  Mommy needs the cuddles. 
     My little Bumblebee is growing up faster than I ever imagined.