1st Grade!

I can hardly believe it, but my little boy is in first grade now! In our school district, we only have half-day Kindergarten, so this is his first time being away from me all day at school, sniff sniff. He is doing GREAT!

We made a BIG change this year and switched schools. There wasn't just one reason, it was a medley of things and an overall sense that a smaller school would be a better fit for him. We applied for the transfer last spring after a lot of thinking, and were told by the school secretary that the transfer would almost certainly NOT be approved because the class sizes were already too big. When just 2 weeks before school was supposed to start, the district announced that his old school would not be opening because they had discovered asbestos and were going to have to send the kids to the educational building at a nearby church, I accepted it and felt ready to deal with what the year was going to bring. But we got a huge surprise in the mail just the day before the district posted the class lists, and the transfer request was accepted!

So Aiden is going to Madison Ave. elementary school, and this will be our school for both of the kids for the years to come. I really can't even begin to explain how wonderful the reception has been there. It is such a welcoming school, everyone we met has been extremely nice. The teachers are all wonderful and the principal goes out of her way to know every family and every child, it's amazing. The school has a fantastic playground right next to the building, which is where I pick Aiden up every day, and it's a great meeting place for the parents to chat while the kids play after school. School has only been in session for a little over a week and I already know more parents at Aiden's new school than I ever met the entire year at his old school--that's pretty awesome!

Aiden has Mrs. Davis, who is proving to be a strict but kind teacher, just what he needs. She's mentioned to Chuck and I several times how bright Aiden is and how much common sense and logic he has for a 6-year-old. It's no surprise to us, but it is nice to hear it from his teacher! I think Aiden is already a little bored in first grade, but hopefully he can improve on his reading and math skills and learn a thing or two this year, lol!

The school year is off to a great start for us. Ava goes back to St. Paul's preschool on Sept. 10th, and she's really looking forward to that. It's been a change for us not having Aiden around all day! I am working 2 mornings a week at the Y now, so that's a welcome change for me to give up one of my night shifts and work a few hours while the kids are both in school! (Ava is coming with me for now, but it will be great once she's in school!). Madison Ave. has a lot of fantastic school events planned this year, and I know it is going to be a lot of fun. We are looking forward to all of it!