Something about Sawyer

There's just something about Sawyer that makes me laugh. He says the funniest things. It isn't that what he says is always funny, but how he says it. It's hard to replicate on the blog because you just have to hear his voice. Think Boston accent, mixed with Long Island, mixed with a typical 3 year old voice.

Here's some of his thoughts lately (quotes directly from his mouth):

• "Squirrels (sqwils) are the best battle fighters because the have big tails and can walk on lines."
• "I am the best battle fighter though, better than sqwils." (Don't ask me what a battle fighter is or where he heard the term battle fighter. Also, I think it's funny that he thinks that squirrels are good fighters).
• "I'm one crazy (cwazy) dude."
• "I don't want to eat chicken ribs (spare ribs) for dinner." (This is partially my fault because anytime we have meat I just put the word chicken in front of it so he'll eat it. He's even eaten calamari and liked it because I told him it was a chicken tender. Other examples are, chicken pork, chicken turkey, etc...)

I just had to record these for my sake so I don't forget.

Sawyer's First Days of Preschool

After a summer of saying he wouldn't go to school without me and that I had to stay with him I was slightly worried for 3 year old preschool to begin. The first day of class the parents come with the children and stay for about an hour. The second day the kids are on their own. The first day went well, as I knew it would. He was clingy but that's normal for him when he's in a new environment. Two days before his first "real" day he started saying, "I'm going to school with no moms and no dads". Once he made up his mind that this is what he was going to do, there was no looking back. He loved the first day and I even got there a little early to pick him up. I of course spied on him and he seemed to be having a great time playing with a little girl in one of their wooden boats. He kept bringing her hard hats and football helmets, they'd put on the hats, rock for a while and then he'd go get them different helmets. It was pretty funny. He goes tomorrow for his second solo day and he's excited. However, he does still say that he's going to Michigan State with me, we'll remind him of that when he's 18. I think I'd be a real damper on his college fun, even though I was tons of fun in college!

We have a first grader!!

I can't believe we have a first grader! Audrey was super excited for her first day. We convinced her to go to bed early last night because it would just make the day come sooner. I didn't sleep much because I just kept thinking how hard it is to believe that she's in first grade. I think this year will be a big transition for all of us, Sawyer included. He is really going to miss his sister. They play together all day and let's face it, I'm not as exciting to play with as she is.

Her class is a 1/2 split. This will be great for her with reading because she'll be able to read second grade books all year and not waste anymore time like she did in Kindergarten. She will go to another first grade classroom for a little while in the afternoon for the science and social studies curriculum. I'm happy about that because it will give her an opportunity to be with more first graders (there are only 10 in her class). All literacy and math instruction will be done in the split class. I'm a little worried for her to go to gym with well over half the class being a year older than her. Most of you know, athletics are not her thing. Hopefully this doesn't intimidate her and make her dislike gym even more. Last year she told me her gym teacher was "too sporty".

As for myself, it is hard for me to think she is going to spend more time with this random teacher than at home with me. It's been six years and there have only been a handful of days where she hasn't spent the majority of her time with me. But, she is very ready to be in school all day, even if I might not be. I know we've done a good job preparing her for school and I know she'll do great. Although it's hard, it's our job as her parents to let her go.

So, here's to another great school year!