Baseball season has come to a close.  Van loves his team and his coach this season.  They celebrated the season with a pizza and pool party.  Van has found a little boy on the team that plays very well and he has really taken a liking to him.  If Van plays tball again next season, we are going to try to get the boys on the same team.  They are both REALLY into baseball and both play really well.  It’s exciting for Van to have someone that plays on a similar level and they get along so well.

The boys have started swimming lessons this week.  Van LOVES them and has really done very well.  He loves to swim.  Max loves to swim, but the first day was a rude awakening for him.  He cried the ENTIRE lesson.  He didn’t realize that Mommy would not be getting into the water with him.  Last year he had a Mommy and me class where I was with him.  This year he is in the big boy class with just a teacher and no Mommy.  He was not prepared for that!!  However, we spent the rest of the day talking about swimming with his teacher and his new friends, and he was more that excited to join the class the next day!!

As a teacher there are a few things that you look forward to when your children are growing up.  You can’t wait for them to recognize their name, then spell their name, then write their name, and finally, reading.  It’s something that every teacher dreams about.  When will it start, what will be the spark of excitement….it’s wonderful!!  Yesterday, as Mommy is cooking dinner, Max says “I’m going to spell my name.”  And just like that, he used the magnetic letters that have been on the fridge since before he was born (and has NEVER taken an interest in) to spell his name.  He even named the letters.  Of course, I needed to grab the camera and take a picture!!  Please enjoy….I know this Kindergarten teacher/Mama is basking in the genius of my child!!!

Van graduated from Pre-Kindergarten last Friday.  It was an awesome day!!  They all dressed in cap and gowns and filed in to sing a song.  After the song, each kid announced what they wanted to be when they grow up.  There was the usual superstar, singer, fireman, and policeman.  But my baby wants to be a construction worker!! Of course, Miguel had to add the comment “Well, he is part Mexican.”  To which I replied, ” Well, then we will have to teach him the white boy version is “architect.”  Bad, Papi and Mommy!!  The hit of the show was the little boy who screamed out “I want to work at Wal-Mart!”  Next, was the passing of the certificates and then the filing out of the room.  It was soooooo cute!!  After the ceremony, the kids had cake and punch.  When it was all over, we let Van pick where he wanted to go eat……no surprise…..McDonald’s!!  That afternoon, one of his friends had a graduation pool party.  It was so funny to see the kids talk and play.  The have a language all their own and jokes that only they understand.  I haven’t figured out if the jokes and language are because the are 5 or if they have just spent so much time together!!  By the end of the night, Van and Max (not to mention Mommy and Papi) were exhausted!!!  Thank you Mrs Kiki (Pre-K teacher), Mrs. Tammy (Jr. Pre-K teacher), and Children’s Courtyard for an amazing celebration and for taking care of my “baby” boy!!!  We will forever be indebted to you and you will hold a VERY special place in our hearts!!!