Back to School...for the first time

I have a 5 year old today. Which is weird because he doesn't really seem any different today than he did yesterday, but today he is 5. Which seems old to me. And tonight, we are headed off to John Stanford Elementary for his first "Back to School" night. We will meet his first "real" teachers tonight...Miss Lucy and Miss Maria, he has both an English and a Spanish teacher as our neighborhood school does language emersion which I think is pretty cool.

He seems excited but I know he doesn't grasp the significance of this night and this next week...I think I grasp it as I get teary writing this. Starting next Wednesday, Mark and I will no longer be the only big influences in his life -yes I know we will still be the biggest influences, but from 9:10-3:00 Monday through Friday...he will belong to Miss Lucy and Miss Maria and will be influenced by them and all the other kids in his class and so indirectly by all of their parents also. It is weird to me - and for all of my "open minded" talk...he really has been pretty sheltered and now I feel like I'm sending him out into the world. I realize its only kindergarten, but there are other bigger kids there and it makes me want to protect his innocence even more.

I don't want him to have to learn that kids can be cruel sometimes...and that everyone won't want to be his friend...I'm not ready for team sports and comparisons about athletic abilities (because if genetics has anything to do with it, he's screwed)...I'm not ready for little girls to want to kiss him, or worse, not want to...I'm not ready for hurt feelings...

But on the other side - there are new languages to be learned...new concepts to grasp...reading to happen...a mind to be opened and new ideas to be explored...many friends to be made and a great adventure to be started...so, "Back to School" night, here we come - I hope John Stanford is ready for one great kid to enter its ranks...

Will's Backyard Party

Yes, I know, I'm a blogging loser. I'm sure the masses have stopped even checking my blog to see if I've added anything new....Hopefully I can gain my huge readership back....Life has been crazy recently. With Summer, kids, Mosaic, church, life...I have felt no energy for updating.

So, Will turns 5 this week! I can hardly believe it...in some ways I feel like he's still a 3 year old, but in other ways he seems so old to me. He starts Kindergarten next week, which is also so weird. Yes, I know, he's just turning 5 and we aren't holding him back a year, we're starting him in school this year. We may be stupid - so you don't have to tell us we are - I just can't imagine having him home another year...He didn't seem any less mature than any of the other kids at preschool and we think he's ready...you can tell us "I told you so" later when he's in "Super Kindergarten" next year...(that is a King of Queens reference, if you don't recognize it)

We had a Backyard party yesterday with Will and his friend Paya who turned 5 on the 20th. It was fun to plan and put the party together with my friend Nooshin. It was her first birthday party that she had even attended in America, so it was fun to explain all of the things that are expected...like goodie bags - which are kind of a weird concept. We had a great day in our yard with 13-15 kids and parents beside...I think everyone had fun and Will and Paya had a great time being the center of attention...It was great for me to see that a simple party with popcorn, chips, fruit, cupcakes and lemonade in our backyard can be just as fun to the kids as renting out some big space or taking them all to Chuckie Cheese...the kids don't care, they just want to be together playing and running around...it was great! Happy Birthday to Will! I love you!