Lauri Peterson was beaming with pride as her granddaughter, Kennady, began a new chapter.
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The Real Housewives of Orange County alum took to Instagram this week to celebrate Kennady’s first day of 7th grade. As in previous years, Lauri kicked off the academic year with a back-to-school photo taken outside their family’s OC home.
The snap showed Kennady rocking her school uniform — a crisp white button-up, a blue plaid skirt, and bright red sneakers — while holding a back-to-school chalkboard that provided more insight into her personality and likes. As shown in the picture, Kennady’s favorite color is pink; her favorite book is Esperanza Rising; her favorite food is Din Tai Fung; and her dream is to become a doctor.
Lauri Peterson celebrates granddaughter Kennady’s first day of school
“How is our girl already here?” Lauri captioned the August 26 Instagram. “Watching you grow into such a smart, kind and beautiful young lady, fills my heart with so much pride! Wishing you the best school year yet-filled with new adventures, learning, laughter and friendships! Love you KK!”
RELATED: Lauri Peterson Celebrates Back to School For “Bright Light” Granddaughter Kennady (PHOTOS)
The post received thousands of “likes” and dozens of comments, some of which came from Lauri’s fellow Bravolebrities, including RHOC alum Peggy Tanous and RHOC friend Gretchen Rossi.
“Wow! How is she in 7th grade?” Peggy wrote. “Time is going way too fast. Miss you guys.”
“She is soo beautiful,” Gretchen added.
Fans also took to the comments section to react to Kennady’s milestone and just how quickly she’s grown up.
“What a beautiful young lady Geesh she was just a little girl and now look at her,” one person wrote, to which Lauri replied, “It happened so fast.”
When did Lauri Peterson adopt her granddaughter?
Lauri’s late son, Josh Waring, welcomed Kennady in 2012, as he continued to battle addiction. Several years later, the former Housewife confirmed she and her husband, George Peterson, had formally adopted her granddaughter.
RELATED: Lauri Peterson Shares an Update on Her Son and Granddaughter: “You Are Surrounded by Love”
“As most of the viewers know, I have a son and he’s had just a lot of challenges,” she told The Daily Dish at the time. “And he and his wife had a baby almost three years ago. He’s really struggling and, well, they’re both really struggling. And so George and I elected to help out and we actually adopted Kennady, and so we’re raising her.
“It’s been such a great experience because this is helping them out and hopefully they can get their lives together and be OK,” she continued. “But on the other hand for George and I, I’ve watched him raise his kids, he’s watched me raise my kids, but we didn’t have a child together, and now I get to see a side of George that I’ve never seen before. And if I was in love with him before, I’ve fallen so hard in love with him now because he is so generous to take on this huge responsibility.”
Lauri Peterson pays tribute to her late son, Josh Waring
In April 2024, Lauri and her oldest daughter, Ashley Zarlin, confirmed Josh’s untimely death at age 35. One year after the tragedy, Lauri — who is also mom to daughter Sophie Waring — shared an emotional tribute to her only son. She posted a photo of a tree dedication plaque engraved with Josh’s name, his birth and death dates, and the following epitaph: “Beloved son, father and brother. Forever in our hearts.”
“Dear Josh….One year ago today, my world changed forever,” Lauri captioned the March 31 post. “The pain of losing you is something I carry every single day. I carry you with me in every moment, every memory, every breath and every heartbeat. The thing with loss is that it can’t be undone. It is hard to explain but as my life continues on, my body moves yet it does so with an empty space in my heart.”
Get more details on Lauri’s family life, including which fellow OC kid Ashley still speaks to.
