whobody is nervous for his 5th 1st day of school?

Oh Keaton! I swear he looks exactly the same in all of these pictures....just taller.

 

Today he started 2nd grade. His 5th first day of school.  He actually seemed more nervous for 2nd grade than any other one. It is bothering him that he is one of the 'big kids' at school.

 

 

His school career began when he was 3 years old. He went to "Little Preschool" here in Garnavillo with Lisa. He was very timid...and I (felt the need to) stay for the first 5 or 10 minutes of school for quite a while.  It was a whole new thing being "left" somewhere without me (other than Grandma's house.)  Because I stay home, he had never gone to daycare or anything like that before. He was extremely nervous...which I'm sure partially stemmed from ME being nervous too.  He adjusted to school very well though...He is a gem in the classroom. 

 

Keaton IS a people pleaser and a task completer. He loves to get things 'done'.  He is a perfectionist...and loves to follow directions.

 

 

 

His 2nd year of school was at "big preschool" with Ms. Vaughan.  He enjoyed being at the Clayton Ridge middle school building...and seeing his babysitters.  Keaton had a great time in preschool and loved the structure of the room and the new friends that he made.

 He really started to come out of his shell in his year of 4 year old preschool....being much more willing to try new things and do more without my help.

 

 

 

 This was the picture when Keaton was 5...on his FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN. 

Funny thing: Nash is actually wearing this shirt today. It was Keaton's favorite shirt for 3 years....and now Nash is choosing it all of the time...although a little big on him....still adorable.  Keaton loved Kindergarten, but really had a hard time adjusting to being engaged all day long.  7:30 to 3:30 is a long day for a 5 year old. Especially a 5 year old who LOVES to play by himself in his room.  We quickly learned that as soon as Keaton got home from school....we should give him a snack...and send him into his room for a little alone time.  He is such a hard worker.  He loved the new challenges and tasks in Kindergarten, and most of all...he LOVED to come home and teach Lola all that he was learning. He started SO many sentences with "Lola, when you are in Kindergarten...." 

 

 

 

When Keaton started 1st grade he was 6.  He was extremely nervous.....and I had a very hard time with it.  Keaton and I both have a hard time with change. I never let him know that...but he lets me know. :)  I will never forget when we went to the open house for 1st grade (I wrote a post about this last year) and we walked in the school door and instantly ran into Mrs. Tujetsch...his beloved Kindergarten teacher.  After he got a big hug...we walked away, and he said "my eyes are itchy".  Mine were very itchy too....because, as my friend Shannon pointed out one year ago.... Kindergarten is for little boys....but grades are for big boys.  We met Ms. Streich...and after about the 1st week of school....all nervousness and longing for Kindergarten went away...and he settled into 1st grade.  His favorite thing about 1st grade was, of course, the homework. As I said before....a task completer at heart.  What a GOOD kid.

 

 

 

 

Now, here we are at 2nd grade. Unbelievable.  Of course we ran into Ms. Streich last night...and she got a big ole hug from Mr. Keaton. He has expressed his fears about 2nd grade to me.

 

He is venturing into unknown territories this year. The 2nd-4th grade classrooms are UPSTAIRS...not downstairs...so the environment is completely different. He now has to ride the BIG KID SHUTTLE not the little kid one. He desperately wants to stay on Bill's bus.  He doesn't know Linda as well...so he is nervous to ride Linda's bus. He is covering this by saying that he should probably ride Bill's bus for about 2 months....you know, til Lola is comfortable on there by herself. :) He is just not sure about being one of the 'big kids' at school. 

He will LOVE the increased homework and increased responsibility, though.  We did visit his classroom and teacher last night. He has Mrs. Reichard...and he is pretty excited about her (now that he figured out which one she was).  The coolest thing is that Keaton has an AWESOME view from his desk. I am not kidding when I say, he has a perfect view of the lock&dam and the river from his seat. He will LOVE watching the barges go by.   

 

As in other years, I am sure that Keaton will settle into 2nd grade just fine....and then NEXT year as he is getting nervous about 3rd grade....he will be crying and saying he just wants to go back to second grade.  I know the pattern. I have been there (and am there every year).  I spent my whole senior year of high school crying about my "last first day of volleyball practice" and my "last homecoming" and my "last show choir trip".... but, like Keaton, I always adjusted to the new year ahead just fine. It just takes a little getting used to.

 

 I am so thankful that Keaton enjoys life SO MUCH that he isn't always looking forward to the NEXT THING. 

 

We are SO lucky that he is such a good leader for the rest of our kids (and a good introduction to our family for the teachers).  I have a sign hanging right by our door....and I think of it all of the time....especially on days like today when I am a little bit emotional about our kids doing exactly what they are supposed to do: grow up.

 

 

Don't cry because it's over.

Smile because it happened.

-Dr. Seuss

 

 

 

I am so proud of my BIG KID.