We've got a First Grader!

Our Layla bean is officially a first grader.  After a whole year of shuttling between two schools, we had two weeks of fun end-of-year festivities!

Breakfast out at Walker Brothers to kick off the last day at Lyon School

Layla and Mrs. Patitucci, her beloved teacher at Lyon School.

Kindergarten Sing  The kids did a great job!

Last Day of School 6/10/15

Flashback to the First Day of School 8/26/14

Kindergarten Graduation at Open Arms

Layla with her best girlfriends.  They all started at Open Arms as infants.

The coolest thing

Life has been hectic lately, I haven't been posting much.  As the school year comes to a close, Layla and her buddies are getting a bit squirrel-y, maybe in boredom, anxiety, anticipation.... There are a lot of end-of-year activities and prep for camp and vacations on the horizon (!). 

A month or two ago Layla began reading with real life fluency.  And reading everything.  Every sign, every license plate, every greeting card and so on.

I have asked her to read a book to me and she shies away, even though I know she can do it.  Last night, she offered to read books to me.  Two books, in fact, and it was wonderful because she was so engaged and so proud. 

At her public school she has a fantastic teacher.  This teacher that has really engaged her in the classroom and fostered her independence and self confidence to a significant degree this year.  I knew she would learn a lot, but it is truly amazing to see a person learn to read.  And, as promised, one day she just 'got it' and the whole world opened up to her. 

So, it really is the coolest thing.  She loves books and promises to be the kind of kid that reads with a flashlight after mom and dad turn the light out.  Among all the things she has inherited or been taught by us, this one makes me especially proud. 

This is me!

Kindergarten curriculum night at Lyon! 

Kindergarten Success!

As our foray into formal school begins we had a busy week.  OA was closed last Thursday and Friday to prep for the new school year so we had a couple of fun days to wind up the end of summer.  Layla got to visit her new classroom for an open house on Thursday and get her picture taken by Mrs. Patitucci.  We had a good weekend, it was warm so the kids swam in the pool and Jason and I worked out butts off dividing our plants, planting hostas and lillies and mulching the beds around the house.

On Monday Layla had a full day of K at Open Arms.  She was so excited to leave the house that she fell and scraped her knee on the driveway.  After the excitement subsided we got on our way.  On Tuesday we got to go to Kindergarten together at Lyon.  I thought the whole phasing in of the kindergarteners was kind of annoying, but Tuesday was fun.  All the parents were there and Mrs. P had activities for the kids to do, did a story time and briefed the parents on logistics.  It was a nice entry for both Layla and I.  We got to meet some classmates and parents, and get to know Mrs. P.  I was really impressed with her candor, both with the parents and the kids. 

Wednesday we did our new 'regular routine' and all went well except that Mom forgot to put a snack in Layla's backpack.  We had to rush home to get one.  Thankfully, we made it in time for Layla to play at recess (she told me later she wanted to get there as early as possible for recess next time) and after a quick hug she ran off to see Mrs. P and her new friends.  No tears, but I was overwhelmed with a combination of sadness and pride.  It's scary to not be able to protect her every minute, but she is ready to go on, this is great for her.  When I picked her up in the afternoon she was over the moon and talked excitedly all the way home. 

Today, she was all day at OA (the first half of the alphabet went Wednesday so the rest of the kids go today) and was disappointed, she really wanted to go back to Mrs. P.  Hopefully tomorrow will be another successful day! 

Jayden really enjoyed the pool and splashing anyone willing to get close.

 In Mrs. Patitucci's kindergarten class for orientation on Thursday 8/21.

 First Day of Kindergarten at Open Arms on Monday 8/25.

First Day of Kindergarten at Lyon on Tuesday 8/26.

Last Day of Preschool

Here is Layla at her last day as a preschooler!  She was very excited and insisted we bring Munchkins for all the kids in her class.  Tonight is the family grill night/end of summer party at school, which all the kids love.  The parents love it too and it's so heart-warming to see the kids love each other so much that staying at school until 7p is something to get excited about! 

We are sad to say good-bye to some of our friends that are moving on to other schools, mostly to their local public school Kindergarten.  There are, however, a number of friends staying on (most of the first children) since younger siblings are still at school and we parents want to simplify our lives as much as possible for as long as possible! 

Tomorrow Layla will meet her Kindergarten teacher and see her room at the new school down the street, she is VERY excited!

Kindergarten and Sports Stuff

After much consternation about Layla's schedule this fall, we have decided to enroll her in two Kindergartens.  Sounds crazy already, right?  

She will attend the same school she has been at since infancy for the morning - they have a full day Kindergarten program there.  After lunch I will pick her up and bring her to our neighborhood elementary school for the afternoon Kindergarten program. 

What compels me to do this crazy thing?  Jason and I ultimately decided that it would be the best thing for her.  The shared schedule means that on the (MANY) days off from public school, she will have a full day option and it was important to us to gt her into her neighborhood school where she will meet new friends and become acclimated to the school.  

The good news is that another family is doing the same thing.  They have twins and a nanny, but even so we should be able to share rides on some days or if I have to be at a meeting during that time.  The girl twin will actually be in Layla's class at the neighborhood school too.  So, that all appears to be coming together. 

As for activities she has insisted for months that she must take ballet.  And also swimming, ice skating, soccer and gymnastics......hmmm.   We have for now narrowed it down to two things for the fall:  swimming for her and gymnastics for both kids.   Perhaps we can sneak in ice skating too, we will see.  Fortunately, she decided that ballet could wait until she is older.  As precious as it is, it is also a 3 month commitment to the class and recital (not cheap) and I don't like ballet (no big surprise there).

One of our babysitters is a serious dancer so I am hoping to get her to teach Layla some dance this fall instead! 

End of Year

Last week Layla had her Kindergarten social at her new elementary school.  She got to spend time in a Kindergarten classroom, with a buddy, while the parents got an introduction to the school from the principal.  She had a great time and saw a couple of her buddies from OA.  Here she is outside of the front door:  

Layla's class performed at the Kindergarten graduation/Spring Program last Thursday night.  It was fun and cute (aside from Jayden throwing up on me moments before it started). 

Look at these cute kids getting along and building a slumber party hide-out. 

 Our rug is here!  We really need a new coffee table, but things are looking a little more finished in the Family Room.

Birthday Cards

We got a lot of fun birthday cards for Jayden, some sweet and some funny and one that even made me cry.  This was one of my favorites, prepared by his teachers at school.  Although he is in the throes of separation anxiety and hates for mom to be out of arm's reach, he loves his main teacher, Katie, and usually reaches for her hug at morning drop off.  His teachers obviously went to a fair amount of trouble to make the card and include fingerprints of all his friends.  

First Day of Preschool

Here we are at Layla's new cubbie!  She was very excited about preschool this morning, although a little trepidation set in when it was time for me to leave.  All her friends were there, but in a new room with new teachers, I think she was a little nervous!

Preschool!

Tonight there was a cook out at school to celebrate the end of school/summer camp and for us, daycare!  Next week Layla moves up (quite literally to the second floor) to preschool.  She has loved the 2s room and is also so excited and ready to move up to the 3s room preschool class.

She will be moving up with all her buddies, it's going to be her school class for now through high school.  Most of the kids are in the same district and although they won't all be in elementary school together they will re-unite in middle school.  But, I get ahead of myself, we are just talking about preschool for now!

Layla and Addison were born only a few days apart and have been buddies since they started daycare when they were only a few months old!  Addie just moved out to the burbs from the city so hopefully we will get together more. 

Spring Recital

Layla's pre-school class sang with the 3s and 4s classes Thursday night for Spring Recital/Kindergarten graduation.  All the songs had a water theme, so the kids were wearing goggles!   She did great and they had a wonderful time! 

 

Going out for pizza at Barnaby's after the Recital!

Bubble Juggler

Layla's school had their 3rd Birthday party over the weekend. The entertainment for the birthday party was a "Bubble Juggler". This man did lots of bubble tricks including making a square bubble and making a huge bubble that a 4-year-old fit inside. (I would like to show you this because it was pretty neat but I don't want to show pictures of kids I don't know without their parents permission.) Layla is pictured with her lead teacher, Ms. Natalie.



The school is growing fast and she has three new babies in her class last month and three more coming this month. Lots of new friends for Layla! Right now her buddy is Miles who is 2 months older but very playful and they interact a lot. It is fun to see her with the other babies and if everyone sticks with the school as we plan to they will be together through Kindergarten!

I am going to be helping out at school, in Layla's room, every day for a couple of hours. It will be good for me to get out of the house and also help with all the new babies in her class.

Last Week

Sadly, this is my last week of family leave. We are meeting at the daycare this week for an orientation. We will keep the name private, but have chosen a Lutheran day care that schools children from 6 weeks through Kindergarten. We were pleased to find a place that fit all our needs and Layla could [potentially] be in for some time. There are not a lot of full day programs available in our area, and we also found this group to be similar to a Montessori style school.

I am sad to leave Layla, of course she is lots of fun, but looking forward to work and the adult interaction. Nobody ever says this but it's a little lonely being home alone with a baby. We make a point to go out walking and on errands every day or have lunch with friends, but it's still hard keeping another person entertained all day. I am excited for her and that she will get exposed to new people, other children, and lots more toys and books than Mom and Dad can house for her!

Here she is working on her tummy time. Raising her chest and working on rolling over have been our big "projects" over the last weeks. She gets pretty intense and excited working on this and I think she will roll over any day!