All 3 getting ready for school!
MD:
E:
MG:
MD checked in first to his classroom. I was not too impressed with the classroom set up - actually the entire environment was a bit sad to me. So, I've already decided that at the end of this session, we will not be returning. This place is pretty crummy compared to the place MD came from over at Almaden Community Center! Notice how MD's teacher is no where near them? She was in the back -- just looking at them. Not sure why, but she didn't give many directions. She did, however, hand us a piece of paper telling about herself and her expectations. It wasn't much. I don't think I should be expecting much from her! I think she just wanted us to check in and check out! I was fine with that... and so was MD!
So, E and I slowly walked next door to his classroom. See the figure in the upper left looking at him? She's one of the 2 teachers, Ms. Ortiz. She was nice and friendly. See his right hand going up? That was his signal that he needed me to hold his hand NOW! So I held his hand and we walked to put down his backpack and lunch.
He found these things of interest to him and sat down to play. I took this opportunity to leave him for a bit to check on MD. E was fine with me leaving for a bit.
After leaving MD, I thought it best to not return to check on E. I took these photos of E's classroom:
And right next door, MD's classroom. I turned around to walk toward the parking lot and heard E screaming for me. My heart sank. I wanted to return... but as a teacher, I knew that would be a mistake! So I quietly left him. I sat in the car and texted Melinda. I was hoping she would be of comfort... but she offered to go pick up E! :) I knew he would be fine... but the thought of leaving him there crying for me... That was so hard! After 5 minutes (maybe more) of sitting in the parking lot... I drove away. I went to the grocery store to quickly pick up a sack of rice then went home to make a cup of strong coffee and began editing. 2 hours flew by very quickly for me!
When the door opened, this is what greeted me -- Oh, the tears were streaming down....
He held me tight... well, maybe it was more I held him tight... I don't know. I think we held each other pretty tight for awhile! He was fine for a bit. Then we walked over to the table and he showed me what he had done today! He totally recognizes his name and knew where to go. "E for Ethan, Mommy," he said through tears and a few heaves.
Then we proceeded to go next door to get MD. E was very excited to show big brother his pencil calendar. See the excitement??? Okay, he was still pretty traumatized by the morning's event... but he made it through!
See? A few seconds later, he was just fine!!!! :)
So, want to hear his version of the day?!
Me: E, how was your first day at school?
E: My first day of school, I cried a lot because I wanted you.
Me: But you knew I was coming back, right?
E: Yes, but I still wanted you.
Me: Okay... I'm sorry you cried. Did you do anything else?
E: I played then we clean-ded up and we played on the playground outside.
Me: How was that?
E: It was fun.
Me: Did you eat your lunch?
E: Yes, just my bar.
Me: Are you going to cry on Thursday?
E: No.
(we'll see!)
This is what MD had to say:
MD: I heard E crying and I wanted to go to him.
Me: Did you?
MD: The teachers said no.
Me: Yeah... I asked her and she didn't think that would be a good idea.
MD: There is a door and it connects our classrooms.
Me: Pretty cool, huh?
MD: Yeah... but I kept hearing E crying and asking for you.
Me: I'm sorry. Tell me about your day.
MD: I ate my fruit cup first and then ate my sandwich. I'm still hungry.
Me: What else did you do?
MD: I played on the jungle gym and did the monkey bars. I think I hurt my hand.
(I looked at his hand and he is fine. Just a bit red from holding on to the bars I guess. He's trying to do what MG and Olivia do a lot of after school -- hang form the monkey bars!)
And there my friends, was the first day I ever left my child crying... and look, he survived! I think I did pretty well myself. I was going to sit in the parking lot and cry but I didn't... because if I did, I knew Melinda would go get E for me! :)
After school activity for today (I'm trying to get back into doing something with them everyday...depending on our existing activities):
He didn't need much help -- just a reminder as to what the final product was -- a SELF portrait!
(That's his spiky hair he's drawing!)
MD is working on his "shark looking teeth":
She's using the smearing technique we talked about before working on the activity:
The left photo is what he drew last year in June. My, how things have... progressed?
Pretty good, huh?! I love it! Don't you love the long eye lashes? He has to rub that in on MG and I who barely have any!
To the right is MG's picture from last year, June 2009. She's definitely showing signs of progress!
Didn't she do a fabulous job?! Maybe she can keep practicing and get a job at Disneyland doing caricatures for those tourists! Haha!!! (Do you think she thinks she has a big mouth? Or do you think she wants fuller lips? I'm not sure... I didn't ask her!)
And this guy, apparently thinks he's a cyclops! Well, what can I say? He is quite the monster sometimes! But he did it all on his own! Hooray for this big guy!
.jpg){kind=small}
