First Grade

I can't quite believe that Z will start First Grade tomorrow morning.  Kind of unreal.  My heart is kind of hurting when I think about the fact that he will be gone ALL day EVERY day from here on out.  No more fun mornings at the zoo, or MoBot, or the park.  No more errands or Target runs in the mornings with all my boys.  Our Monday morning library trips will have to change to Monday afternoon trips.  I won't have him again until next summer.  I loved having afternoon kindergarten because it gave me one more year with him...and now it's done.  I really am pretty sad. 

He will do great, though, and after his meet the teacher night he said "I think first grade will be a good year!"  So he he is at least sort of excited about school.  We met his teacher last week and there are only a few kids from his class last year with him, which I think kind of freaks him out a bit, but he will do fine.  She said that most of the focus for this year is on reading.  I am hopeful that she will be able to work with Z and push him in other areas because he is already reading at a very advanced level.  I know that is what has to happen in public schools...I get it...but it is harder when it is MY kid we're talking about.  We met his teacher for his gifted school tonight, and this year is all about animals...and he IS excited about that. 

Today he did great.  We drove him to school (we're not doing the bus this year) and walked him in.  He pretty much ditched us.  I think he wants to know I'm there but doesn't really need me.  I told him we would walk him in a few more times...but no more.  I was able to go up for a first grade activity that the parents were invited to midday, and that was wonderful.  I love being in the classroom because I can see all the kids, can see how they act, can watch how Z does, can watch the teacher and how she interacts...it just gives me a better idea of Z's day all around.  I was incredibly grateful that my friend Erin could watch the boys for 45 minutes while I ran up to school. 

After school he said that recess and lunch were good.  Whew.  That is an area we know he needs to grow in...he can be so reserved at school and we want to make sure that he is coming out of his shell a bit.  It was helpful that there is another kid he knows pretty well in his class and that they both LOVE ninjago. 

We went to Culvers right after school for our annual first day of school ice cream...and that was what Z was most looking forward to! 

The day was actually incredibly quiet without Z.  The boys play SO well together when they're well rested.  We came home from a few errands after dropping off Z and they played for over an hour with no intervention from me!  We will all miss Z (around 11 N said "where is Z?") and the house will have a different dynamic without him around all day.  It might be a bit calmer.  We'll see.  :)

Look at how grown up he looks!!!  I let him pick out one back to school shirt...Ninjago.  Sigh.  I do NOT love it, but he did....