First Day

Today marked another big day for our very becoming BIG BOY! I often look at this sweet boy and sometimes it feels like yesterday I first held him in my arms, but then it sometimes feels like ages ago as well! How do I seriously almost have a 5 year old??!! I know people say that sort of thing all the time, but seriously I do!! And with that I also so can't imagine sending this baby boy to kindergarten! So you have to be 5 years by October 1st (we barely would make it having a Sept. 23rd birthday). What's really crazy is that if his birthday was just a week later he wouldn't make it??!! I recently read this book.........

so great for mothers of boys to read! If you have boys you should SO READ this book!! Dr. Sax is a pediatrician and has some excellent thoughts on raising boys in today's society---basically because of so many factors they are so not motivated in school and to learn and work, etc. But he is a big supporter of waiting another year for them to start school---so rather than 5, start at 6 (which is especially helpful for these late summer/very early fall birthdays). I may think different for my girls (but as we all know boys and girls in their learning and social skills are soooo different!). But I definitely feel we made the right decision for Reed to not do kindergarten this year. He is still attending the preschool he went to last year, and he's in a 4-year old class. There are lots of 5-year-old classes/programs, but most of them are 5 days a week 9-12........which I guess preps them for school, but honestly with 3 young children I think I'd just feel I was driving in the car all morning everyday! So we decided last year he could do the 3-year old class and this year do the PreK class. And I am testing the homeschool waters this fall as well. I have some simple curriculum I'm going to use and then do that with Reed on Mondays & Wednesdays. Now this is nothing he "needs" but since we have been thinking through what is best for our family I knew in order to really know how we would all do I needed to give it a practice round. So I've been planning and organizing like crazy around here! So we'll see how we all do and how it goes!

Off to orientation day

Now back to the first day! Last Thursday was an orientation first day (so they only go for an hour). He was so excited to go and be in his new class! I was kinda bummed that his one little friend he just loved from last year got put in the class next door; and our neighbor who he has played with some also got put in that same class next door---oh well, I should have thought about that more and requested them to be together. But they all go to the playground at the same time, so at least they'll still get some time together. And I think I really love the teachers he has as well......so I'm hoping we still have a great year and make some new sweet friends!

So excited in his new class!

So here is the first official day pictures from this morning! I know today he looks so big to me already! But I can only imagine when I compare this first day to the last day of school.......well, this sweet boy is so growing up! And mother of the year I am on this first day.....forgot to send his snack! And I didn't even realize it until at 12 I was getting the girls lunch and saw it sitting in the fridge! I felt so bad....I never once did that last year, but leave it to me on the first day this year to forget! Oh well, I had at least packed lots in his lunch so his teacher said they just used something in there. He said he had a great day and loves his new class! And he did play with those 2 friends on the playground!