Lily has entered the world of four and the world of preschool simultaneously, and it’s been an engaging connection, observed this month from the home front. Lily tells us only little snippets of information about her new school, but when asked specific rather than general questions (always a good strategy with fours and fives), she recounts with rich detail.

Lily proudly announces at dinner that she was the “Bubble Fairy” at school today. For a minute, this news is lost in the buzz of conversation at a full table of nine, counting our guests. Knowing that dressing up is one of Lily’s favorite things to do at home these days as Halloween approaches, I wonder if this is part of some imaginative play world from Lily’s school dress-up corner. But Nana wisely asks, “What does the Bubble Fairy do, Lily”?

“She washes the dishes; it’s her job! It was my job today!” Lily says with delight. (What a great name for a job! The adults, of course, immediately think it should be the name for the dishwasher at home, too.)

“And what other jobs do kids have in the Morning Glories?” Nana inquires.

“Snack helper, candle helper, calendar helper, weather checker, water checker. I don’t know if I remembered all the jobs,” Lily explains.

One of the yardsticks of four is the explosion of rich vocabulary and the discovery and exploration of heretofore unknown words and phrases picked up from parents (be aware!) as well as from TV and videos (be cautious!). Some of this is innocent and cute and some of it, occasionally, is downright embarrassing. (Please share your own stories about the language explosion of four-year-olds in your life!)

Lily, who accompanies her mom on many a shopping trip and also often joins her mom in conversation with the UPS man on the front porch, told us recently about the high cost of “shippling and hanling” to “You Nork.” She likes to play “customer and waitress” and to “write” menus. I notice her interest in writing has picked up since she started preschool, though she doesn’t talk about the writing she does at school.

Lily’s proudest moments these days are independent accomplishments: “I did it myself!” This month the highlight has been getting dressed “all by myself” and announcing it to us, or asking “are these the right feet?” before proudly putting on her own shoes. Preschool, of course, is that first step out the door into the independent world, and Lily is taking her first few steps with seeming confidence and joy.