Week of Activity

What is a parent to do when their child is gone from 7:30am - 8:30 at night?  Celebrate and do whatever the heck they want!

This is VBS week at the church where Drew goes to Preschool. It was the first time he was age eligible and know what - he's loving it!  When I go pick him up, he's busy singing the songs he learned that day (he's also falling asleep to the CD for VBS) and speaking of sleep he's conking out without battle!  That makes this mama love it to!

He is really getting into the themes for VBS too - Tuesday was sports day so Daddy put him in a Dodger jersey.  Come to think of it, I think it was Drew's idea.  But yesterday it was crazy hat day.   This is the text I got from Dave as they were headed out the door (Drew has been sleeping in because VBS is that exhausting).

Safe to say it was a crazy hat?!

Today it was Hawaiian day, but it's cooler so he's just wearing a shirt with some palm trees and jeans.  We packed him a couple of leis to make it more festive.

The other cool thing about VBS is they serve him dinner.  I spoke to one of his teachers and they said he's been doing pretty darn well with the food issue - being the pick eater that he is.  They said he's tried something virtually every day - without gagging/puking.  Could this be progress?

Would it be bad of me to look for other VBS programs around town?  The sign went up for another church up the street from his announcing one for next month.... hmmmmm....

Time to Spare

It was a hot one this past weekend so we came up with a plan to stay cool and have fun indoors - bowling!  Our neighbors joined us for some fun thanks to a Groupon we scored.

This was Drew's second time bowling and his friend Christopher's first time.  The boys had a blast bowling 2 games.

Dave couldn't believe one of the frames that Drew bowled, leaving all four back pins standing....

His second throw only left 3 standing.

Go Mommy - she got a spare!  Shhhh she even  beat Daddy on the last game - but Daddy erased the board before she could get picture proof.

In between turns Drew decided to climb under any chairs he could find.  Thankfully the alley was VERY quiet that afternoon and he wasn't in anyone's way.

Christopher's reaction from one of the first times he threw the ball.  His mom Julie is in the background and Drew's there offering moral support.

Dave has this OCD thing where he shines the ball before throwing it.  Very odd, just like him.

And then the peanut gallery shows what they think of that.

We had a great time  and figured we could easily do this every couple months with the boys.  Funny thing is through the summer kids bowl free!  Perhaps we'll rethink how often we do this - at least through the summer.

Beginnings and Endings

Wow, what a difference two years makes!  Almost exactly two years ago... well 1 year, 11 months and about 3 weeks ago Drew started preschool.  He began mid summer-camp, but it was a big step. He left the home day care and entered preschool - about a month before the regular school year began.

Look how little he was!

We didn't even have his lunch box yet!

I of course didn't get his first day as an official Bunny (the beginning class).

Then here is a picture from his first official day as a Bear (the pre-K class).

And now look at him!  These are from this morning.  The official last day of Preschool.

He was so excited for his school party.  He will return on Monday for Summer Camp, so he won't be long without his school friends.  That will go through the end of August.  We begin Transitional Kindergarten at the end of August. 

I can't believe how big he looks after only two years!

Pomp and Circumstance

Warning, there are a ton of cute pictures coming up....

It's the end of one chapter right into the start of another - graduating from preschool!  Friday night we celebrated Drew's graduation with our family.  They came over for a rushed dinner and then off to the ceremony, which was hands down amazing!

Drew goes to a church preschool (not our church) and we were allowed into the salutary at 6:30 but the kids couldn't go to their classroom until quarter til.  So it was the perfect opportunity to snap some shots with his friends.

L-R: Drew and Troy

 Drew and Troy have been together since Drew was 4 months, and Troy was days shy of his first birthday.  Troy is definitely Drew's first friend.  We're going to miss seeing him every day like we have for the past 4 1/2 years! (Troy will be going to a different Kindergarten)

L-R: Troy, Zionna, Drew

 L-R: Naomi, Drew, Troy, Zionna

It's hard to keep serious faces for too long, so they make silly faces.
L-R: Naomi, Drew, Troy, Zionna

Can't you see the same picture in 12-13 years from now?!

Once the ceremony started, the Pastor of the church said a few words and then they played a slide show of the past year (or more for those kids who have been at this school for 2+ years like we have). 

I admit, this is where I lost it.  I swear it was the music!!  Here are the pictures of Drew from the slide show.  I will get the video off Dave's camcorder ASAP, so you  can see what I mean about the music.

From the slideshow:  Drew and his Best buds
L-R: Jayce, Drew, Troy

From the slideshow, his other best bud
L-R: Jayce and Drew

Final picture of Drew from the slideshow, where all the kids thanked their parents.  Too sweet.  Yes I admitted I was a sappy mess.  My Dad leaned over at one point and said, "wow you're really gonna miss this place".  It was the music!  I swear! :)
 
Then the kids came in marching to Pomp and Circumstance - all my pictures of the entry are blurry... darn.

We started with the pledge of allegiance followed by the kids singing "God Bless America"

Drew is in the back center.  Naomi happens to be in the bottom left, Troy to the bottom right.  You will see them frequently in the following pictures.

The Graduating Class of 2012

The kids did several songs for the parents, some of which were hilarious!  

He was so proud of himself there.... (back center)

The kids then each received their "diploma" (it was really just a rolled up paper).  Again, I got blurry pictures of them handing them off.  But he put his diploma to good use....

That would be Drew trying to "spy" us in the audience.

Our little graduate

The only non-blurry picture I have of Drew marching out as a preschool graduate.  That's the school Director Mrs. Kim helping him down.  Notice he's capless?  All the kids threw their caps in the air when the teachers told him they graduated!

We then filed out after some much deserved juice and cookies we found everyone in our group and took pictures

The Family shot

L-R: Uncle Matt, Drew, Adrina, Auntie Rana

L-R: Grammy and Drew (GrampC was MIA)

Oh GrampC was looking for props...
L-R: Grammy, Drew and GrampC

Great-Grandma Geri (GG) and Drew

And of course Ms. Stephie, his former day care provider who is also Troy's mom.  She has been an important part of his (and our) life since he was just shy of 4 months old.  WOW time flies.

So what is next?  Well TK as I mentioned last week.  But what does Drew want to be when he grows up?  According to the program...

Who knew!?!  Uncle Matt said if he had a "do over" he'd be a firefighter too - for those who don't know he's a police officer.  We aren't quite sure where the Firefighter ambition came from, but we suspect from the neighbor boy who Drew loves to play with.

Graduation is bittersweet.  It's a milestone in his life, and sad because it means our baby is growing up!  I cannot fathom doing this again when he's 18... so as one of the songs during the slideshow says... "Let them be Little". 

Kindergarten Dilemma Decided

For the past two years I've pondered and vented  (here on the blog and with friends/family) about what we were going to do with Drew when the time came to kindergarten.  A September birthday is unbelievably stressful - who would've thought?!  The state of California is in the process of rolling back the age cut-off for Kindergarten, with this year's date at November 2nd.  So he more than makes the cut-off.

Making matters worse, Drew is incredibly bright academically.  And no this isn't just a proud mama bragging... he really excels academically.  He can read at a 2nd or 3rd grade level.  He can do basic math - with some addition and subtraction (he shocked us one day with his "divided by" answers). 

Since January I've been going back and forth to meetings about both Kindergarten and Transitional Kindergarten (TK).  Last month we received word that he was accepted into the TK program and we were assigned a school - the same school we anticipated going to all along.  This is a different from his "home school" where he would go as a traditional kindergartener.  And the most recent meeting on the subject was last night when there was a meeting for K/TK parents for at this "new" school.

Well we've made our final decision - Drew will go to TK and he will participate in a 2 year kindergarten program.  And last night I felt a lot better about our decision.  By doing TK we are agreeing that he cannot advance to 1st grade next year. While I have no doubt he's ready for everything academic, our decision was based solely on his emotional and social side.  We really didn't make the decision based on the fact of he is a September birthday or the fact he is a boy... which is the stereotype that most everyone puts him in - and to which drives me absolutely batty! 

Instead, our decision was based on our child.  We want him to have the self-esteem, and self-confidence as his schooling progresses.  It's better (in most cases) to be one of the older, rather than always being the youngest by a full year (or more).  TK will give him the time to work through some of the social/emotional frustrations he's still dealing with - mostly be cause he is younger than others. 

Dave and I feel that we sometimes forget Drew is only 4 1/2 when you can communicate with him like he's 6 or older.  That's not fair to him, and it wouldn't be fair to make him reach a higher standard - that he's not ready for. In turn we hope it gives him the extra confidence, emotional boost and time to really excel.  As my dear friend Chrissy said - it's not only up to the teachers to challenge the kids, it's our job as parents as well. 

So while it's been a hot subject for years for us and to which we heard opinions from every angle, Dave and I feel we are making the right decision for Drew.  Some are patting us on the back others are telling us we're making a bad decision.  Well time will tell whether we made the right call, I simply can't look back any longer.  It will either prove to be another reason for Drew to need therapy or it will be the best gift we gave to our child.  The gift of time.

Let the journey begin!

P.S.  Drew happily announced this morning it is "1 more sleep until graduation" (from preschool)

Camping Season Begins

In our typical Memorial Day tradition we kicked off the unofficial start of summer with a camping trip.  Dave, Drew and I were joined by our neighbor Julie and her 3 YO son and invaded Grammy and GrampC's annual church camping trip to Jackson (in the foothills).

Drew loves the great outdoors!  Here he is relaxing near the campfire munching on some goldfish.

As we typically do when we're camping here - we visit the Amador county wineries! 

This was a first for my cousin Jodi who was visiting from Wisconsin (not to see us, but cousin Chloe who was born earlier in the month) and a first for our neighbor Julie.

Grammy, GrampC and Jodi in front of Karmere winery.

L-R: Adrina (Uncle Matt's Step-daughter), Drew, Christopher (our neighbor)

And looky here... Drew has his own brand of Syrah!  Don't tell  him it's Empress Drew....
Of course we had to pick up a bottle of it just for the name.  (Thankfully it was our favorite of their Syrahs).

Our neighbor Julie found a Barbera that bared her name... that's a picture of her on the wall.  Do you see any resemblance?  

The kids were really into the outdoors while wine tasting... they discovered a lizard in the shrubs - I believe they named him Tommy (but I could be mistaken... I was a little buzzed at that point).

At Karmere they pointed us to a new winery - well new to us.  They have only been open one year and we really enjoyed them!

 Dave and Jodi posing at Helwig.

Matt and Rana always so photogenic (Helwig winery)

Since the kids were soooo good while the adults had their "juice" we rewarded them on Sunday with a ton of fun activities at the campground (which lead to more adult "happy sauce" being consumed).

Drew and Adrina playing miniature golf.

Matt, Rana and Dave contemplating how to beat me.  I slaughtered them coming in about 9 under par - a first for me.  I'm usually dead last.

The kids then hit the Splash park and then the pool.

Drew jumping to Dave.

Clearly I did not attend this camping trip since there is no photographic proof.  I promise I was there.  I can tell you we were a little nervous when we arrived because it was storming pretty good.  Thankfully the rain subsided when it was time to put up our tent - Grammy and GrampC weren't as lucky.  I don't think their shoes ever dried out.

And I can also tell you we only had one more rainy night - on Saturday - and it died off enough so we could enjoy a campfire.  Whew - what's camping without a campfire!?  It was a successful camping trip because no one got hurt (minus that time that Drew ate dirt) and all the kids got along fantastic!  I think we can handle another trip or two this summer!