We recently celebrated 100 days of school! It seems like this year is just flying by when I look back at all that we've done so far. Leah and Adam have been working really hard at school this year. I have loved having two kids in school- it makes the overall execution of getting up and out the door in the mornings much easier. And it helps that Adam love love LOVES school- he pouts when it's the weekend or if there is a holiday coming up. But I think he's starting to understand that he's going to be in school for a really long time, and he enjoys the breaks, although somewhat begrudgingly.
We celebrated the 100th day with a '100 breakfast' and Adam took in 100 Legos. Leah's class didn't do anything to celebrate, which makes me sad. 100 days of hard work is a huge accomplishment! On the days when the kids want to sleep in or come dragging home with purple circles under their eyes, I know that they are working as hard as they possibly can. I occasionally offer homeschooling to Leah (mostly jokingly) but she always simply says, "No, I like school". Even when it's hard.
I worked as a room mom in both kids classes this year. There was a very stark contrast between the way that the two groups of room moms wanted to collaborate in each classroom, but the parties got planned in the end and the kids always had a great time.
I also have been going into Adam's classroom to help out once a month- it's been a huge blessing to have a sweet neighbor friend to swap our little kids with while we take turns helping in the classroom. It's so interesting to put faces with names and watch the behaviors of the kids. There is a very wide spectrum of ability, respect, and energy in that class! I'm always so grateful that we decided to send Adam to another year of preschool rather than push him into kindergarten before he was ready. He is super motivated by his teacher's ticket system, and has enjoyed a variety of prizes earned, including extra recesses and eating lunch with his best friend in the class Solon. Last month his teacher sent us an email that started out-
I wanted to tell you that Adam is such an amazing boy! He has such great character, makes good choices, and always does his best!
She asked if Adam would be interested in spending some time with Mrs. Mace, the extended learning program teacher, and some first graders collaborating on books and other ideas. Of course we said yes, but not without first recognizing that this opportunity was both a result of his age (he should technically be in first grade, after all) and his behavior in his class. He's met with the teacher a time or two so far and, like most things Adam, didn't feel too passionately about it one way or the other. It was just another fun thing to do at the place he loves.
School is our life these days. I'm so grateful for the Mrs. Keese and Mrs. Johnson, for the specials teachers that keep things fun, the helpers in the cafeteria and halls and playground that keep things safe, and the friends that Leah and Adam get to spend their days with. I'm grateful for Mr. Rob, our neighbor that drives the kids to and from school every day (and never complains about how long he has to wait for them to come running out the garage door). I love hearing all about the things they've experienced each day as we sit around the table with our after-school snacks (a time when I always try to actually sit with them and listen to them, totally attentive). They're making good choices and learning good things and trying so hard.
Leah has been doing reports on violins, Vietnam, and dolphins, and learning about multiplication, division, and fractions, and reading all sorts of exciting nonfiction books from stories about abduction to Nazi Germany (her teacher has a much bolder approach to literature than her mother). And she's learned how to knit! She made all kinds of treasures for her daddy, her fairy, her siblings, and boy was I excited when she brought me home a scarf! I like to think that with each of those stitches she was thinking of me while she was at school.
Because I'm always thinking about her! And her brother, too. I love that I can hear the kids playing on the playground from our house, and the bells as they go off throughout the day. Whenever we drive past the school, Noah, Emma and I wave and shout, "HI ADAM AND LEAH!!!" Sometimes we drive past during recess and even catch a glimpse of our favorite students. Even though they're off at school they're never too far away, just the way I like it.
