Well, how in the world did I get 2 months behind in blogging when I started out doing so good this summer? I'm going to start going back to catch up, but first I'll just start with today!
And before I start with out great first day of first grade, I want to talk about Hurricane Harvey (to remember many years from now). Ironically, this past weekend, Vic and Grace were headed to Port Aransas to celebrate Steve's 65th birthday. We were not going to take Atticus because it wouldn't be good for him to be exhausted before the first day of school. But, mid last week, a tropical storm started and we realized quickly that it was headed toward Corpus and Port A and the trip got cancelled. But, then it got terrible fast and became a Category 4. It hit Port Aransas, Rockport, and Port Lavaca the worst with winds and damage starting Friday night. Port Aransas is demolished, but will re-build. But, then it got to Houston and the rain has just stayed on top of Houston. It is so big that it has rained from Corpus and moved across all the way to Alabama, but Houston has stayed under the rain the entire time. Thousands of homes in Houston are destroyed and flooded up to the first floor at least. Vic's parents' close friends, Vance and Mary had to leave their house because it was flooded. And the stories and videos of thousands of people are just so tragic. For College Station, it started raining Friday night through Sunday night and we got 18.75 inches total. It was a slow, steady rain though and where we live has great drainage so flooding has not been an issue for us. Some parts of College Station and Bryan had flooded roads and land, but nothing like Houston. Anyways, because of the rain and uncertainty of how much more rain was coming, they delayed the first day of school at CSISD. So, we got one more day of summer and even TVMDL closed, so Vic was home as well. Overall, Hurricane Harvey has just been so bad and to see the flooding is heartbreaking.
Before we knew how terrible the flooding would be, we were enjoying a cozy weekend at home. Everyone was prepared for the worst, so grocery stores were empty and stores were closed and people were ready to be at home, including us. We had 3 days of playing games, taking naps, a little clothes clean-out, eating delicious food and hanging out.
So, since this was the last weekend before school started, I wanted us to have a Back to School Dinner. I saw an idea on another blog I follow to have breakfast for dinner for this event, so we did! I decorated with our Back to School decor, and made the kids little folders to color and write things in. And we had fruit, pancakes, cinnamon rolls, and sausage balls. It was just so fun to celebrate! Then, we tucked the kids into bed with the Magic Confetti (that his teacher gave him) under his pillow and said goodnight!
Before I talk about the first day (this blog is just all over the place today!), I should tell you that we went to Meet the Teacher at Pebble Creek this past Thursday. Atticus' teacher for first grade is Ms. Courtney Payne. I immediately liked her. She was so energetic and personable and gave hugs to Atticus and even Grace! We saw his room, dropped off his supplies, and filled out some paperwork. The hard part was that his best bud, Greer, was not in his class. We knew this might happen. In fact, only two girls from Mrs. Downs' class are in his First Grade class. But, he didn't seem too upset. It probably helped that we took Grace and met Greer, Ellie and Stacey at Chuck E Cheese to play right after Meet the Teacher. It was a fun night!
Anyways, back to the first day of First Grade. So, we woke up, got our little man up and ready, took some pictures, and headed to school. Grace wanted to come too, but Vic and Everly stayed home to avoid the craziness. It was a quicker drop-off than Kindergarten, and he was a little clingy and hesitant, but he went right in. Then, I had to wait ALL DAY to see him again.
So, although Grace and Everly and I had a super busy day of gymnastics, lunch with friends, and Sonshine School PTO, I was so excited to pick up my big first grader! We got him in the car line and he said he had a great day!! Some of the things he told me about school:
- He said they didn't really have school, but they just "practiced" all day and that tomorrow is really the first day of school.
- He told me he ate ALL of his food in his lunchbox and so it was ok that first graders didn't get snacks. But, he also told me he was thirsty all day. Then, he told me this hand sign that looks like a W that his teacher wants the kids to use to silently ask to get up to go get a drink of their water. So, now I think he just liked using the fun sign all day and that is why he was so thirsty. haha!
- He said he saw Mrs. Downs and got to give her a hug!
- He read his entire daily schedule to me and was most excited about math!
- Kids in his class that he knows and is excited to see include Rudi, Brody and Nate.
- Oh! He also was SO excited to tell us that his class is the FIRST class to eat lunch out of the entire school every day! First grade eats first at 11:15.
- His first class job is the trash collector.
- He told Vic that he was going to ask Ms. Payne if he could bring home one of her Jack and Annie books, but he was nervous. Side note: we have ready about 10 Jack and Annie books this summer and one thing he and Grace saw at Meet the Teacher was ALL of her Jack and Annie books.
So, it was a successful day and we are ready for First Grade! I'm glad, because for the past few weeks he has been telling me that he is not ready for first grade and wants to go back to Kindergarten. One night, he was whining about how he wasn't ready and he says "What if I forget how to spell words? Like Where? W-E-R-E? Oh no!" (which means he DOES know how to spell it and was just being dramatic, but it made us laugh so much.
The other hilarious thing about this evening was while we were sitting at the table eating dinner and Vic is finally getting to ask Atticus all about his day and Atticus is telling him everything he told me earlier. So, all of the attention is focused on what Atticus is saying. All of a sudden, I hear this little tiny voice say "I had a really good day too. I got to eat lunch with Dani today." and as she says it, I look over to see her just eating away. She wasn't being sarcastic or rude but it was so funny to me and Vic how she reminded us, so sweetly, that SHE had a good day too (so we don't forget her I guess?) and then basically dropped the mic and continued on with her meal. I'm sure you had to be there for it, but Grace is too funny.
Anyways, here are pics from the last few days:
Here is Atticus with Ms. Payne. All we know about her so far is from her class website; she is from New York where her family owns a farm and this is her 3rd year of teaching at Pebble Creek.
He's getting settled at his new desk at Meet the Teacher. Side note: I love Harry Potter so I bought him this shirt, but he doesn't really know much about it. When he gets older, I can't wait to read Harry Potter to him. Anyways, we passed by his principal (who remembered his name - how do they do that?) and she asked him if he liked it. He told her he hadn't read the books yet (because he's not old enough) but he watched part of it on TV one time when he thought his mom wasn't looking! She laughed and laughed and I wondered when he saw this! Stinker.
We weathered the storm of Hurricane Harvey by sometimes walking around in our diapers and climbing in and out of chairs on the back porch.
And, we played this game at least 50 times in the past two weeks and many times this weekend. They are obsessed with Shopkins Memory Match. It's been a good two week of learning to NOT be sore losers (Atticus) and NOT to just be sweet and let others win so they don't get made (Grace).
It was so fun putting together a Back to School breakfast for dinner event.
And then we started First Grade.
And on the way out of school to go back to our car, Grace just chatted away and I realized that this time next year, my little petite girl will be a grown up Kindergartner and I'm just not sure what to think about that right now.
After school, I was just looking at Atticus in the car on the way home and he looked SO grown up compared to last year, so I took his picture...again. He is just the most handsome boy!
And, lastly, here is a quick comparison between first day of Kinder and first day of First Grade:
Wow! Have a great year of First Grade Atticus!
