Summer is over and school has begun. It's crazy to think that both of my kids are in school now--Alex is in first grade and Kellan is now in preschool!
Kellan's first day of preschool (K3 program-2 days a week-3 hours each day) was yesterday and he was a bit excited. He goes to school in the afternoon and was anxiously awaiting his time to go all morning. He got to pack a snack in his soccer ball lunch bag and use his Spiderman backpack he got from his buddy Tate. You never would have guessed if you met this little man 6 months or a year ago that he would be so excited to head off to school--he was a Momma's boy who didn't enjoy being left places. Over the past few months he has really come out of his shell and he is now more chatty, social, and independent!
He had to make a poster to take in on his first day. Below is a picture of it (we did print out photos of him and our family and add them to the poster...but I didn't do that until we were literally on our way to school so the picture I took at home doesn't include them). In case you can't read some of them, he wants to be a soccer player when he grows up, his favorite foods are watermelon and pineapple, his favorite colors are blue and green, his favorite book is Bat's Big Game, and his friends are Hamilton, Trey, Tate, Adelaide, Taylor, and Nolan :)
Alex started first grade a few weeks ago. She was VERY excited to start school again, even when she heard her good friend Meredith was not in her class this year. She has a tough teacher who has a reputation for being a yeller, and she has a class packed with 30 kids (so there is a second teacher's aide who assists the class). She had homework the first week so it hasn't been a bunch of fun and play--which was a change from kindergarten--but she seems to be enjoying it anyway. I can already see that getting her to focus on homework is going to be a challenge as the work gets harder. She knows the answers and knows what to do but she doesn't pay attention to her work sometimes and makes silly mistakes. I hope this doesn't come back to get her when she starts getting graded! She has already had one spelling test and will have another this week. First grade is no joke!
Alex my sweet girl--you are so like your mommy in many ways! You will continue to challenge me as you grow--you are very sweet, mothering, and helpful most of the time. You also know how to push the limit with everything you do--always asking for just one more time, or one more snack, or one more book...you are growing up quickly and I hope we are able to continue to raise you to be a kind-hearted little girl who loves God and has a desire to show His love to others.
As the kids grow it's funny to see how much they resemble Marlon and I in their personalities, even in the little things. Alex is a chocolate lover, like me. She loves all things sweet, like me. Kellan is plain vanilla all the way, like Marlon. Alex loves cheese, like her dad. Kellan does not care for it, just like me. Kellan is very competitive and athletic, like his daddy. Alex seems to have a variety of interests and not a very competitive drive--she prefers to dabble in a variety of different things, like me. Alex is strong willed and stubborn, like both her mom and her dad. We aren't sure where Kellan gets laid back, easy going, quick to please attitude. ;) Alex has a flair for the dramatic--she was prone to tantrum throwing as a toddler--and I don't think I ever can recall Kellan having major tantrums at all. Alex has always been a mommy's girl, and Kellan is turning into a daddy's boy who loves to gang up on mommy with daddy when given the chance!
I'm so thankful to have children with such sweet hearts. I pray that God will protect those hearts as they continue to grow into the young people they were made to be!
