Flip side...Tigger;)
Quiet time in his classroom's reading loft
Making new friends at "the office"
Although Kola's backpack is a hand-me-down from cousin Andrew that I've had in the basement storage for a few years, and something I hadn't used for Ethan - that it was waiting there was no coincidence. If I had to shop hours for the perfect backpack for Kola, this would be it. He is such a Tigger, and even happens to have it on his toothbrush (such a tiny character - or is it my refusal to get bifocals - I didn't notice until I unwrapped it.) He's always full of bouncy trouncy funfunfunfunfun. The wonderful thing about Tiggers is he's the only one.
Kola was all smiles on his first day of school. He's attending the same preschool with the same wonderful teacher Ethan had for two years. She's been a part of our family and Kola's history and we're lucky to have her this year. All last year, Kola sprinted into the preschool as we dropped off Ethan and picked him up. He'd blow through the electronic doors like the wind - one parent called him Beth's early detection system, since he always arrived at the classroom a minute or two ahead of me. But on his first day, he Walked(!) in along side me, calmly strolled into this classroom, hung his backpack on its hook, and entered his first day as a legit member of the preschool class. A huge change from when he used to try to break or sneak in and play with the trucks - often ending with me pulling him from the room in protest. Because I was so confident I knew his answer, at the end of the first day I asked, "so are you ready to come back to your school next week?" "No," a composed Kola replied. "not this school. A different school." "Oh, really?? Which one?" Well Kola informed me that he'll go to Ethan's school instead. When people ask him how old he is, he used to answer 5 because then he figured he'd get to go to Ethan's elementary school. Since that didn't work, and I informed him he needed to know his alphabet and be able to write his name, he's been diligently working on both. Yesterday, one of the kindergarten moms asked Kola how old he was - "I'm 10." I guess he figured 5 wasn't high enough for him to transfer... But no doubt both kids love their schools and teachers. Last weekend, both were bummed to hear they'd have to wait a few days before heading back. They both like to do homework in the afternoons, and if they don't have any they're happy with made-up assignments. And the beauty of this blog journal is that five years from now I'll probably read this for a good laugh;) But it's great to have them like school and I hope that lasts for a very long time...Thanks for checking. More soon! xo b/s/e/k
