1st Day of Preschool--4 yr old Penguins

I can't believe the summer is over! It went by so fast, yet was so relaxing. With the Fall, comes lots of new activities--including preschool. Jackson was so excited and READY to get back to school (so was Mommy). This year, Jackson is attending Happy Harbour for his 2nd year. He is in the 4 year old class, 3 days a week, Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday. He is a PENGUIN!

Meet Your Teacher
We attended Meet-Your-Teacher last Friday. We dropped Everson off with Memaw, and focused all our attention on Jackson as he ventured into his new classroom. And it is super cool!

They have a wickedly cool art center--and it changes theme once a week. It's FILLED with supplies and Jackson freaked out when he saw it! "Momma! LOOK! Oh! Look at all this cool stuff! Maybe we get to play at this everyday!"

From the art center, you turn, and there is the class fish. Yup! A fish! And one of the jobs on the job chart is Fish Feeder. Jackson says he can't wait to be the Fish Feeder!

Next on the circle of centers is the Reading Nook--that has the cutest little blue couch. It's decorated in jungle--and it's so cute!

After the Reading Nook, is the lunch cart and the backpack hooks. Last year, we would walk the kids in and put their stuff up for them (the hooks were high). This year, they are required to be dropped at the door, and proceed in to find their hook and drop their lunch on the cart. Very independent. And, if you know Jackson, he is MR Independent, so he took to that right away!

They have tables (like last year) where they have stations set up with different activities. On MYT day, they had a bucket of crayons and paper covering the table. Jackson told his new teacher that he could write his name and that he knew all his letters. "Want me to show you? Here. I'll write my name for you." And he did. And he was very proud of himself! Then he sat and colored a picture....to which Jackson's sub teacher from last year, Miss Lacy (who has a daughter in our class) told his teacher "Jackson is VERY artistic. He is great at coloring in the lines and creating things. Just don't rush him. He gets upset when he's rushed. He's very task oriented! And he get mad at the other kids for just scribbling!" Ha! So true!

Ms. Diane and Ms. Gail are fabulous. I truly loved them from the moment we met them. They have been teaching together for 11 years, together, in this classroom. They are completely in-sync. I'm so excited!

Lastly, they have a play kitchen for all the kids! It has EVERYTHING! Blenders, coffee pots, milk jugs, fruit, spatulas, frying pans...you name it, they have it! And all the kids from last year (there are 5 from the Starfish class: Ryan, Jackson, Reed, Lindsay, Piper) ended the day just playing in the kitchen! They get along so great.


First Day of School
We were up pretty early on the first day. Everyone got a great night sleep (including Mommy and Everson!) and were in happy moods from the start! After getting dressed, teeth brushed, camera ready, shoes on, we (including Daddy who worked from home this morning so he could go to school with us!) headed downstairs for breakfast. Jackson is not a breakfast eater. Never has been. Neither am I. So I bought him some Nutrigrain bars so he would have SOMETHING in his stomach, and he actually ate it, along with an entire glass of Sunny-D. I was impressed. [I have fixed Jackson TONS of stuff for breakfast--french toast, pancakes, eggs, sausage biscuits, cereal...he'll eat 2 bites, and be over it, if that. And, I've been trying to pick my battles with him. He is super headstrong, and so am I, so we clash alot lately. Fighting over him eating breakfast is not something I fight him on....]

After breakfast, we walked outside to take some pictures. It is MUGGY today, and my lens fogged up the SECOND we walked outside. Great. So my shots are a little fuzzy (not to mention, I need a new 50mm b/c mine is going soft...oh well, deal with it!)









We had gotten ready very efficiently, and we were actually very early. So, we called Memaw and stopped at her house on the way to school so she could get a family shot of the 4 of us. After kisses and mints, we packed up and were off for our 1st day of 4 year old preschool!

Jackson walked right in, and without even looking back, headed to the lunch cart, hung his backpack, and then to the activity table to start on his peg board. So mature, so independent....no, I didn't cry. But I wanted to! To be honest, it wasn't as exciting as it was last year. It was cramped and chaotic, and we said our good byes, and left. Huh! Go figure.

Outside--like last year!

Waiting for the door to open!

We saw Ms Melissa his music teacher in the hall--we LOVE her!!

He got to be the Pledge Helper today

I'm happy for him that he is growing up. I'm sad, but I'm proud at how mature he is and how he is taking to new situations. he introduced himself to a boy across from his at the table, Gavin. He asked another little boy, Alex, who was being very shy and clingy to his Mom if he would like to come sit by him at the table (very sweet!). He's a little man. Not a baby...not a toddler...a little man with an old soul. Always has been. And I love him dearly!