School Update

This is our house, every MWF morning. They are both always so eager to put their bookbags on and get to school, and I can hardly stand the cuteness:

ABBY

• Almost every day when I'm walking her into school, she says "I so happy!" She just loves being a big girl. In fact, she fusses/runs from me/tries to hit me when I pick her up, because she wants to stay at school longer....awesome.

• Has learned sooo many new songs (thankfully, "Jesus Loves Me" is not on constant repeat in our household anymore). The other day, she even busted out with her own blessing before dinner. Love her school! She is also doing great with numbers and letters and sounds. (Sidenote: I really don't remember Nate learning so much so fast at age 2.)

• Has multiple "best" friends she talks about daily: Aubrey, Kennedy Rose, Reese, Anna, Grayson, and Cooper. Every morning when I drop her off, the kids are having playtime on an indoor playground. At least 1-2 of her buddies always run up to her and hug her! So sweet. And here she is on a "lunch date" with Grayson:
• The teachers insist she didn't start talking - at all - until 2 weeks ago. Which totally baffles me. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad she's well-behaved, but QUIET is just not a word I would use to describe her!
 
• Every morning after we drop Nate off at school and head to hers, she requests two songs: "Firecracker" by Josh Turner and then Beyonce's "Single Ladies." I finally had to make a new mix cd off iTunes because we were wearing those two songs out!
• Her class had a visit from the local animal shelter lately, and Abby loved loved loved "Happy" the dog. I think she would have sat in this lady's lap if possible. See how she's leaning in!?

• For her class "Community" unit, two visitors came to school - a policeman & a fireman. Both decided to turn their sirens on, and Abby cried & covered her ears for 15 minutes each time as a result. Poor baby hates loud noises. Her teachers even told me that when a particular boy in her class gets in timeout, he screams super loud and Abby covers her ears for that as well. She must have super sensitive ears!! She doesn't like thunder either. (But yet, in the car, she insists that I turn the radio "up and up" so she can sing her little heart out!!)

I am just beyond thrilled that her first year of "school" has gone so well. She adores her teachers and the feeling seems to be mutual. They always say she is a sweetheart and really well-behaved.

NATE

• His teacher has noticed a marked improvement in his fine motor skills, which was his most challenging area last year (think: writing your name straight; staying in the lines when coloring, etc). I'm really proud of him for focusing & working so hard!

• Sometimes he sees some of his friends from last year's class on the playground. (His class plays over on the elementary school playground since they are next to each other.) The first time he saw them, they all asked why he was in pre-school still, and he shouted across the playground "My Mommy put me in the wrong class last year!!!" :)

• He went into this year already knowing 4 boys in his class. But I'm so proud of him for making new friends in addition to those four. He loves playing Parachutes, Ninja Turtles, Spies, and Power Rangers on the playground with them.
 
• About 2 weeks ago, his teacher started giving him extra work - somtimes to do in class b/c he finishes first and is just sitting there, and other times just to bring home because she knows he likes "extra projects."
 
• I pick him up from school everyday at 12, and then we head over to Abby's school around 12:15 if it's MWF. Since she's so grumpy when we pick her up, the only thing that placates her is to show me the "work" she did that day. Anytime she does ANY sort of craft, Nate wants to replicate it - immediately. I can barely get in the door and unload the car before he's already in the craft room, working on it. Perfect example below: the police hat

• Nate is in the very beginning stages of reading and it's so exciting! (Of course I'm already jumping years down the road and can't wait to read all the Harry Potter books with him.) He really is getting good at stringing some letter sounds together and sounding out a few words. I'm so proud of him!

• Last week, he got to be the first "Camper Of The Week," which each student will get a turn to be as well. He got to wear a fancy schmancy vest all week, have a bulletin board with lots of his work displayed, have his daddy come in to eat lunch, and bring in his favorite toys, books, and stuffed animals.

• On his Camper of the Week board, he had to say what he wants to be when he grows up. And he said a "builder." Apparently, thanks to new obsession with Legos, he wants to build "houses and sidewalks and spaceships" when he's older. I have no doubt he will!

Once again, I'm thankful for another great year at his school , and for his amazing teachers. He's learning so much, but what's most important is that he's having fun doing it.