We have a FIRST GRADER!

In the fall of 2010 I watched my two boys march down the street, hand in hand.  I was beginning the pregnancy waddle. Charley was off to Kindergarten.  A year that looked plenty long.  But already the year is closing.  And today when we walked the sun was so bright that my pictures didn't turn out.  And I was pushing a stroller.

Here are my boys on the first day of school.  MAN how they have grown.  Incredible!

Today daddy came home from work so he could witness this moment.

Charley graduated from Kindergarten.

He became a reader this year.  He is ready for first grade.  He loves math.  And he made new friends. I checked in quite often with this amazing woman to make sure that he was considerate, kind, and working hard.  As a parent, that is what I worry about most.  I want my children to be hardworking, kind, and considerate.  I know the reading, writing, and arithmetic will come.  I just always hope that they are kind hearted and making wise choices.  And she always assured me he was a joy to have in class.

We had some family pictures taken during the event.  I couldn't pick one because they all turned out pretty darn good.  Thanks neighbor Nancy.  Ed and I look pretty much the same in all of them.  Charley is pretty serious in every. single. shot.  But watch Henry's expressions.  They crack me up.  And Sydney too.

Now the picture below is pretty amazing.  Those other two children and moms ...I met them 6 years ago in a birthing class in a neighboring town.  We lived in a different town.  We had Charley.  Two years later we moved to a house across the street from the gal on the left's parents.  Crazy.  Then the kids started kindergarten...and look at here.  All three ended up in the same class of 16 kids.  Is that not crazy.  It isn't like we all lived in the same small town...there are multiple hospitals in our area and when we originally met we lived in different cities.  Pretty cool!

This is one of my best friends.  Charley and Elly met when they were three and have always been GREAT playmates.  Elly could join our family at any moment and she is easy peasy and a joy to have around.  It was so much fun to have them in the same class together this year.  And there is a good chance that Sydney and Oscar could be classmates in 6 years!  WOO HOO!  6 years is far off...right?

This was the first year that Charley's school had an actual Kindergarten graduation.  I am so glad they did.  It was special to take a moment to soak up his first year of school.  I quickly learned that I may have been a teacher, running the show...but as a mom - I am that mom. The one who forgets to send in the cereal box mid year for the book bin.  I forgot to order the kiddo a year book and prayed all weekend that the office still had one extra copy.  I didn't send the rag that they needed today to help clean their classroom.  And each and every time my son was so relaxed and just said, "That's okay mom.  Mrs. S had an extra."  I need to get my act together because first grade involves homework, reading, and spelling tests.  So I have three months to get a handle on things, because next year I won't have a pregnancy to blame my absentminded disorganization on. 

Congratulations my son!  We are so proud of you! 

** His teacher gave out awards the other day for different attributes.  Charley got the award for Best Reader.  We are so proud of him.