Farm Day

 

Zander's class was studying about farm animals. The teacher asked for the children to come to school dressed as their favorite farm animal. This is my quick attempt at transforming Zander into a duck.

Kindergarten here I come!

 

 

This is Zander waiting outside on his first day. Do you think he is excited? He was very disappointed that he didn't get to take the Star Wars bookbag. The school implemented a no book bag policy. This is an art school so we looked at the fountain, the spiral walk and the planter that is made from glass rocks, dominoes and lots of other little trinkets.
Then we went inside and waited for 15 minutes before we got to go to his room. I was amazed at how many things they expected him to do when he arrives. Let's see, wait outside, go in the meeting room and wait. Remember to take your lunch box and your water bottle with you when they call your teacher's name. Get in the right line (which he hasn't done yet), line up, put your lunch box on the right hook, take out your snack, juice and milk money- get back in line, give the teacher a hug, put up your water bottle, sign in, put your snack in the snack basket and then sit down to do the morning task. Whew, I am tired just trying to remember it all!
He did great! He gave me a hug and told me bye. I did great too.
PS. Today is day 4 of kindergarten. We were running late today and I asked him if he wanted to get out of the car in the car rider lane today and go in by himself. He of course said no, but with a little encouragement he did. He came over to my window and gave me a hug and said, "bye Mom." I watched him skip to the door, walk on the spiral and go inside. I did fine until I started out of the parking lot and then I cried all the way to work. How silly, I know! My baby is growing up. Oh yeah, he was left on the playground by himself again today. Story for another day.

Kindergarten open house

 

 

This was open house night.Zander checked out the room with some of his classmates. I thought that we would learn about school procedures etc. tonight but really didn't come away with anything. I think it did put him at ease though. Kindergarten in 2 days!

Kindergarten visit

 

 

This is a picture of Zander meeting his teacher during a special visit just for him. I think they got along great. He really seemed to like the room. It is really hard to tell if he is excited.

Preschool Graduation

This is my new favorite picture!


This is Zander not wanting to go on stage and dance. This is his nervous face.

This is what Zander wants to be when he grows up.

I can't believe that Zander has graduated from Preschool and will be attending Kindergarten in the Fall. The school that he currently attends has been open for almost 3 years and they have never had a graduation. I met with the director and teacher and helped them put together a Hawaiian themed graduation. It was really funny. Zander does not like to be in front of people and usually won't say or do anything. Not this time! This time he wouldn't be quiet. He really didn't want to dance or sing though. It was really cute.

What to do???

How do you know what is best for your child? I am doing good to figure out what is best for me most days much less the rest of my family. Child Development is one thing that I feel like I know. It is hard when you know that you have a child with some special issues and the rest of the world just views him as a brat. I see it everyday, the looks and disgust for me on their faces. The sad thing is it is only going to get worse. I have the ability to change his environment now, but what happens next year when he is in kindergarten and I don't have any control over his environment or his teacher?
How do I help others see the bright and very funny child that he is? If they only stopped and talked with him, they would see it. Don't they see his interests? Even the lady at Sam's knows that he loves firemen. He has worn a firehat for 1 year now. Would it be so bad to let him wear it on the day that the firemen come to school? He told me on the way home that there was a fire hose and fireman coats and hats in the block center today and then he said, with tears in his eyes, "I couldn't play with it, not even today." It broke my heart. He knew it was a special day but they don't see that they are killing his spirit. So he doesn't pick up toys as fast as the other children and he sometimes is doing his own thing. Isn't it a teachers job to teach children how to do the things that they don't know? As I try to read this through my tears, I wonder what I am supposed to do. Do I leave him in a place that is supposed to be the best school in this state? I know that he is learning some things there, but at what expense? He will get the Occupational Therapy that I know he needs if he stays there and he will get to be part of the social emotional pilot program that will be there, but I can't help but wonder if I am doing the right thing.

Lazy 5 Ranch

 

We went to the lazy 5 ranch with Zander's class last week. It was alot of fun. I thought it was more fun than the zoo. We rode on a horse drawn carriage. There were 450 exotic animals. Most would come and let you feed them from your hand. We fed giraffe's, water buffalo, emus, deer and antelope. There were many more. There was a yak that followed Zander around the whole time. You had to watch the emu's or they would take your whole bucket. As you can see, Zander had a great time.

Theatrical Debue

 

Zander was in a play at school last week. It was a production of the 3 little pigs. Zander was Peter pig and built a straw house. He kept reminding everyone of what they were supposed to be doing- imagine that! It was really cute.

Science Museum

I was able to attend the Zander's field trip to the science museum. It was alot of fun. We went to a program about insects. The children learned all about different kinds of creepy crawlies. At the end of the program they got to see some of them up close. Zander's favorite thing was the meal worms. He picked them up with plastic tweezers and put them in a bowl and looked at them with a magnifying glass. He did that for a long time. He also played bug dress up. Next we went out to a music area. They had a life size piano that the children could play with their feet and a harp with invisible strings.
Zander and I went to the health section. He loved the dentist exhibit. He was able to play dentist and use the drill and water suction. I didn't think I would ever get him out of there. We also went outside to visit the animals at the barn and the river otter. It was a great day.

Cultural Arts Festival

On Friday, I went to Zander's school for a Cultural Arts Festival. It was alot of fun. He had his first snow cone, played carnival games for prizes, jumped in a jumper and watched the special guests. The schools drumline and steppers made a special appearance and the kids loved it. I also had the chance to purchase some of Zander's art work from this year. It was very special and I will save it all. However, could someone other than me please tell the students that his name is not Alexzander? That is what they write on almost everything that comes home and this time it was on the handprint in clay. I will keep it anyway and tell him about all of the times that I stood up for the correct spelling of his name.

Africa

Zander's class is studying Africa and Kenya this week. Mrs. Brown has been showing them pictures from Africa and the people that live there. He told me last night that they read a book and a little boy had a necklace on his bottom and he didn't have on any pants. We talked about the differences living here in America and living in Africa. When we got to school this morning, I was telling Mrs. Brown what Zander had told me and she said, "Guess what he did at circle time?" I just held my breath wondering what he had said now. She said that he stood up and said, "Now listening guys, you are African Americans and I am a Caucasian American. I am pretty sure that Kaden is too." She said that all of the teachers about fell out laughing. I don't even know where he heard that word, but he used it correctly.
His other new favorite word is antioxident. We have been talking about what kinds of foods are healthy choices and which ones have antioxidents. He has had a good time helping me pick out foods at the grocery store. He ate almost a whole container of blueberries at dinner tonight. I hope it doesn't upset his tummy!

First Day of New School

Zander started his new school this week. He is attending a University Labschool and Child Development School. So far, it is the school of my dreams. All of the teachers have birth to kindergarten degrees and have been wonderful in helping Zander make the transition. He has not slept well, and has been really crying in the mornings.


Each classroom has an observation room, so I can stay as long as I want and watch to make sure that he is OK. Each day, the crying has lasted a shorter amount of time. I am very excited about the upcoming school year and I hope that he will be too soon.

Girl Friend

Zander and Madi

Zander and Madi

This is Zander and Madi. She is the first child that Zander formed a relationship with at the YMCA school. He informed me this morning that Madi is his girlfriend. She is a little doll. She has the most beautiful green eyes and talks a mile a minute just like Zander. They are the only ones in the class that speak in sentences and I think that is why they like each other.

This is Zanders last day as a two year old. We will be celebrating his birthday on Friday and Saturday. I will post pictures on Monday.

On a different subject, Zander asked me yesterday if deer have allergies. He wanted to know specifically if Bambi has allergies and what does a deer cough sound like. Well, I don't know? I have never thought about that. I guess I will have to ask someone that knows about deer.

Have a wonderful day!