Family Pictures 2010

Oh, how I love my family!

Sawyer's first day of Preschool

Today was Sawyer's first day of co-op family preschool. He was soooooo excited. He's been talking about "goin' to school" for days. I took him to pick out a backpack a week or two back and he chose the ugliest one there was - a MONSTER. But he loves it...He even slept with his little backpack a few nights (couldn't have been very comfortable!) So today when I told him it was "the day" he could hardly contain himself.

My mom is in town and she stayed with Aspen girl while I took Sawyer to class. Jacob met us there. It is a co-op preschool in our community and the class meets in a magical place known as the "Dragon Room". It's just once a week for 2 hours. We don't want to over-do it, I mean, the boy is barely 2! The room truly is amazing, though! Half the parents stay to help in class each week, and the teacher, Sally, is awesome. The kids have exploration/free play time, music, dance, stories etc. Art, snack, and they even practice a few yoga poses each class (I just loved seeing their cute little bodies all curled up in concentration!) Tonight they also played with a parachute. And puppets. I think I loved the class just as much as Sawyer did, although he cried when we had to leave and I laughed. I am so glad we're doing this for him, and with him. He is by far the youngest in his class, but "teacher Sally" (as well as his parents) believe he will do just fine with the others in the class. She pointed out that he has a long attention span and advanced verbal ability and those will both help him succeed in class. (We already knew that, which is why we were looking for something for him to do!)

Next week I volunteered to bring my camera and take some pictures of the kids to use to make place mats for snack time, and for their cubbies. Teacher Sally said I can take over the yearbook. (I didn't know that there were yearbooks for preschool, although I have a couple of my old preschool class pictures which are soooo late '70s! I should dig them out and post some, just for kicks! Come to think of it, a couple of friends I had in preschool were my friends all through elementary school and now we are friends on Facebook. Crazy!)

Anyway, at a tender TWO, our little man is off to school. He will be in school for a long, long time. I think I was too excited as I watched him and participated with the class to get teary at all (surprised myself there!) I am excited we can do this for Sawyer. I hope he is as excited each year to start a new school year as he was today, the first day of many first days...

Our Dear Little Sawyer

(yes, even if you are a preschooler you're still little),

Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you! You are growing up fast - sometimes so fast we have a hard time keeping up with you. But we sure try. After your first day of school today, we stayed and you played on the playground. Some might say you are a "gifted" boy. That presents challenges as well as opportunities for all of us. However, more than anything else, you are our greatest gift, and the thing we want you to learn and remember more than anything else in this world, is how much we love you.

Biggest of Big Hugs,

Mommy & Daddy