Zee's Kindergarten Graduation

Today was Zee's kindergarten graduation. Can it really have been nine months ago that I sent him off to school?

Apparently it can.

What a great first year of school it has been for both of us! Zee's teacher, Mrs. L., couldn't have been better. He learned so much socially and emotionally and even intellectually!

He can read. Zee's favorite books are "How Things Work" from the Childcraft series (that I picked up at D.I. for $3 each) and the space encyclopedia Grandma Tobler got him for his birthday. (Yes, it is clear that he was NOT switched at birth. How a little boy can be so much like the little girl I was...) He can read most every word, and his comprehension level is quite high.

Zee loves the multiplication tables. (I know. No, I don't claim that part of him.) He knows his 1's, 2's, and most of his 3's.

Zee has learned to get along with other children, to let them have turns, and to sit still (sometimes). He has learned to forgive when other kids are mean to him. He's starting to learn compassion.

The program today was cute, and not too long (smart, smart teachers). They sang several songs ("I'm proud to be an American" is the one we've been treated to the most during the last month), and some of the kids gave little speeches ("The funniest day in kindergarten this year was _____"), the kids got their "diplomas", and they marched in a processional.

Wrangling three little kids during the program was a bit of work; good thing there are two of us! Bradley took care of Em (sick with the stomach flu, poor baby) and Gee, and I had Hebs and the camera. Hebs was exceedingly interested in both the piano (of course) and the stage full of kids (naturally). So my pictures are not fabulous, but what can you do?

Afterword, Bradley took Em and Hebs home, and I took Gee to the "after party" in the classroom. There, we watched a slideshow of just Mrs. L.'s class, and ate cookies and punch. Zee was so proud to have his little brother there--he kept holding Gee's hand and hugging him, getting him cookies and a drink. Gee was thrilled, too--every time Zee's picture came up on the slideshow, Gee would shout, "There's Zee!"

It's hard to believe the school year is over for kindergarteners--all the other grades get out next week. (It doesn't help that the weather has been cold and wet--it certainly doesn't feel like summertime yet!) Next year Zee will be in first grade, and Em in kindergarten The excitement doesn't end!

Note about the videos: The first is really short (8 seconds). Zee is in a dark blue shirt striped with thin white stripes. The second video is cuter, but much longer (42 seconds). And it gets blurry, because Hebs was hanging off my legs and dancing. But the very loud child singing you can hear in the second video? That would be my Zee.