Norah News: First Day of First Grade!

Norah started first grade this year!  This is the first year of "real" school- full days, and I can already see, a lot more content!  While she honed her reading skills last year, she has really taken off and moved to chapter books, meaningful independant reading and is coming home with a plethora of new facts (as compared to skills) that she's learned.  It is really exciting to see her learning, growing and thriving!

Unlike last year, we live in a house and not a trailer as school begins.  Turns out our front porch is a great place for back to school photos!  Norah was really excited about getting back to school.  We had a great summer, but she was ready to get back to the business of learning!

Pondering the year ahead

Big girl, first grade!

Little bro is too cool for school!  Yer.

Mommy and Norah waiting for the gang to head off to school

Not taking ourselves or the day too seriously

The OWR Kids, Jack, Norah and Kayla. 

Around the corner, we picked up Erin and Allie

The whole gang from the hood on the first day (L-R) Kayla, Norah, Jack, Erin, Allie, Cameron, Leilani, Delaney and early achiever Kyra along for the ride!

First grade also brought about Irish Step dance class, instead of the tap and ballet she's been doing for years.  So far, it's a big hit with both Norah and Erin, who is trying dance for the first time this year.

Norah News: A Look into the Future

Today was apparently the 100th day of school. I can't believe Norah has been in school for 100 days already... my how time flies! One of the projects they did today, just before she turns 6, was to draw pictures of what they might look like at their 100th year reunion. As you can see, Norah expects to be just as fancy then as she is now!

Norah News: Kindergarten Day 2

Well the second day of school started out in much the same way as the first – a pink, giggly blur.  On this day we went to the early drop off program before school, so I had a chance of getting to work on time.  Lucky for us, eh… I mean her, Erin, her best buddy from around the corner, was also going to early drop off that day.  I blocked my calendar for the early morning and Roddie and I walked Norah and Erin up to school.  It was a beautiful sunny day, with none of the humidity we’d been dealing with lately and Rod and I thoroughly enjoyed the walk, even if it meant getting to work a little late. 

It's only the 3rd day today, and already I've come to understand that universal truth that all parents the world over eventually learn:  After a certain point in time, this is your most familiar view of your children:

 

Of course, it is all right and good, and we've only just begun, and that's what we're trying to do as parents, after all... and blah blah blah.  It just caught me a little by surprise what a difference a few days of school would make.

Norah News: First Day of School!

Well, for a change, the house isn't the big news around here - Norah started Kindergarten today! 

The morning started with her bounding into my bed, while Matt was showering, and asking if it was time to go yet... it was 6am.  The questions pretty much didn't stop for another 2,5 hours until we started to meet up with some of the neighbor kids for the trek up the street to school. 

Last night, there was a lot of excitement.  I sat here listening to the two kids debating over who would visit who at school.  Norah offered to give Roddie 100 hugs and kisses, but he said, no only 1.  I was actually a little worried about Roddie, missing his sister.  He talked about it a lot over the past couple of weeks and I feel like he was getting adjusted to the whole idea of not having his sister with him at school.  All was well by today though, he said he missed is sistah but he wasn't sad about it.

 

Posing with her new backpack on the porch of the camper

Pensive, happy girl!  Look like anyone you know Mom?

 Norah was literally bouncing off the walls as we got ready to go.  We were taking some pictures outside when we saw our neighbor and friend Jack doing the same thing, so we wandered over and took a few pics with him.

The kids were quickly comparing new backpacks and talking about what the day had in store

Buddies since birth!

I am ready too!

 A lot can change in a couple of months... when we took a similar to this at preschool graduation, she seemed to be leaning into me and pulling away at the same time.. now it seems like there is not so much leaning in...
Next stop was around the corner to pick up her best buddy Erin.  Erin actually started Kindergarten last year, and so school started for her last week.  Lucky for us, Erin and her mom were excited to share the first day with us and show us the ropes! 

Three Amigos from the Hood

... and we're off!

Crossing the Street, Norah  says "I know how to cross the street, My Dad taught me"

They slow down... a little apprehension maybe?

Made it to the school!  We were pretty much the first ones to arrive...

Big Girl, ready for school!

Norah and some of her class, lined up and ready to learn!

The report on the day was great!  Her favorite part was going to the library in the afterschool program.  Also, she and Erin played some kind of game together and they won, so that was a highlight as well.  She claims she made a lot of new friends - her whole class worth!  And she's going back tomorrow, so I'd call that a success! 

Roddie Report: Pictures from School

Two things struck me about the pictures of Roddie - first, how many of them he was in, and second, how happy and smiley he was in ALL of them!

Here he is with his partner in crime, Kendall... can you imagine what they are saying?  "wha?  Who us?  no, we weren't going to touch that CD player!"

Look at me!  I'm walking!

Hiiiiii!  are you taking my picture??

I like to play!

Oh halllooo!

Strike a pose?  You got it!

Norah News: Pictures from School

The kids daycare has a web site where they periodically post pictures of the kids at play.  They don't update it all that often, but this past week we got a note in our inbox to check it out.  This and the next post are a few of the highlights

This one is from back in the spring, Norah playing outside

Here she is at water play!

and now in a bubble at the Bubbleman show!