Homework

Any guesses on what PJ is doing on that sheet of paper?

Multiplication tables (1-9)!  It was two pages long when it was all said and done.

Practice makes perfect.

Life Lessons

Really it was only a matter of time until a teacher or counselor or bus driver talked to me about something KP did at school.  Oh don’t get me wrong, he’s a wonderful child, but he does have a lot of exuberance AND doesn’t always think before he does.

So when he was dropped off from school on Tuesday the bus driver yelled out, “MISS MARY, MISS MARY”, all the while curling his big thick finger up and down showing me I was wanted on the bus for a little talkie.

He proceeded to say, “KP has something to tell you and then you can call me tonight.”

SWEET!  Being a parent is awesome!  What the hell?  What on earth did you do?

Once we got inside he told me the whole story, he didn’t even try to hide it.   Then around 9:00 pm I got to call the bus driver at home (that’s weird…am I right on that one?) and get his side of the story.

Then KP got to write him a little note of apology.

It says:

Dear Mr. Chuck,

I am sorry for poking holes in your bus seat with my pencil.

KP

Then he had to hand it to him the next morning, THAT was the hardest part of the whole deal.

PJ’s homework

This came home from school in PJ’s folder.

Only in Chinese school do you get a star with a frown in it when you get ONE wrong.

She is just not living up to their standards.

Looking sick, isn’t he?

He woke up with a temperature of 100.2 and a cough. 100 degrees is the point where the school suggests to keep them home due to spread of germs.

He was so excited to stay home.

As the bus pulled up yesterday morning he was yelling at the top of his lungs, “I’MMMMM SICK! I’M SICK, I’M STAYING HOOOOOOMMMMME!!!!!!!!!”

Yup, the rule girl in me just had to keep him home.

Do you follow the school guide line rules?

Look who doesn’t want to go to school

I did not expect this.

I did not expect this child to be the one who does not want to go to school.

This is Tuesday.  He just wanted to lay his head down in his cereal and when he was done doing that, he wanted to go back to bed.

He clung to my leg at the bus stop, gave me the big fat “I’m going to cry” lip as he got on the bus and then I wept.

Wednesday he upped the ante.

Right after I took this photo I wrapped my arms around his waist and pried his fingers off the edge of the bed, then pulled. We got to the stairs where his little hands grabbed onto the hand rail as I tried to get him to the first floor and out the door to the bus.

Today, he was a little bit better.

He was happy and excited for picture day.  He got to choose WHATEVER he wanted to wear.  Then it came time to get on the bus and this is where I found him…lumped over by the back door, wanting to go back to bed.

First week

KP has been handling the adjustment to all day Chinese Kindergarten with a tremendous amount of grace.  Granted, he must go to sleep around 7:00 pm and if you push his buttons it is OVER, for everyone!

That all said, the cutest thing happened yesterday.

KP came running off the bus and ran into my arms for a big hug.  He turned his head and whispered in my ear, “Mom, I cried at school today.”

Me:  Oh noooo, what happened?

KP:  I wanted YOU!

And then I welled up.

Off to school

This was yesterday.

CT had just rolled out of bed and wasn’t ready yet.

PJ is set and ready to roll.  In fact, she ran onto the bus so fast that I had to go on after her to kiss her goodbye.

KP was all ready but had to wait another day for school to begin, but got to visit for an hour and hang out with his new class mates.

All in all, the day went pretty smoothly.

And today…KP headed off to his first day of ALL DAY Chinese Immersion Kindergarten (didn’t even want to stop for a photo-can you tell by the blur?).

With his big brother giving him ample instructions before leaving the door, his big sister taking his hand as they stepped onto the bus together and his wide anxious eyes waiting for all the new adventures to begin, I am sure this day too will be great.

Unless he goes insane because he has no idea what the teacher is talking about.

I’ll let you know if that happens.

Last Day of School

Ohhh they can’t wait for this day to be done.  Do you remember the excitement?

This one can’t wait for the end of the year paper fight on the bus.

This one is struggling with what to do for the end of the year talent show: singing, dancing, jokes.  Who is to say.  But she was dressed and ready to go by 6:45 sharp.

This one is ready for anything, as always.

Let summer officially begin…I’m thinking Gin and tonics.

Half right most of the time

Like I said yesterday, KP gets about 90% of everything 50% correct.  I am not sure if he just isn’t listening, if he can’t hear or if he just doesn’t care.  I’m sure it is bits and pieces of both.  Regardless, when he get’s it wrong, it is always 100% funny.

The following is a conversation that took place when I was taking one of his friends home from a playdate.

Jack:  Hey, there’s our school.

KP:  Yeah.  Where are you going to school next year?

Jack:  I’m going to Mrs. Kalotski’s class.  Are you going there?

KP:  No, I’m going to Chin Chin Acadamy.

Jack:  What language will you be talking in?

KP:  Chin Chin.

Me:  Chinese!  You will be learning Chinese.

KP:  Oh yeah, Chinese.

Jack:  Will you only speak Chinese?

KP:  No, I will use this voice AND speak Chinese.

Last in the long line

Today was it, the last day of preschool for KP.

We, our family, has been going to this preschool for six solid years.  We have gotten to know the teachers well and they have gotten to know us and our kids, each one of them with their very own special personalities.

And on the last day I realized KP had no idea what was going on.  We never really talked about it, it just came. In fact it came so fast that I did not give it too much thought.

The group gift was purchased, I gave my money and then this morning I thought I should maybe do something a little extra special SINCE WE HAVE BEEN WITH THEM FOR SIX YEARS.  I thought maybe a plant, a nice thoughtful note, something…extra.

Instead I did nothing and when it came time to leave at the end of the day after the wonderful slide show, the handing out of certificates and the picnic, KP didn’t even want to get his picture taken with his teachers.

It was almost like walking out of school and just telling everyone to SUCK IT!

I guess he’s ready to move on.