Last week the first graders did their end of the year music performance. Tucker did a great job and I am really happy for him. I know he worked hard trying to memorize the songs and the motions for each one. A few of the kids had a speaking part and Tucker was sad that he didn't get to do one. I'm sure he would have done great if he got to though. He also got a little nervous which surprised me because he has never expressed any nerves for getting up in public before. But I mean a little, once we got in the building he was dying to get back to his classroom to line up and get ready.
The only sad part was that even though we were there 35 minutes early it was a little hard to see Tucker. That is just the way it goes with so many people. Even if we would have been in the front row I think half his face would have been covered by the child in front of him.
We took a few pictures afterward. He insisted on wearing this shirt because that is what he said other people would dress like. The parents were told to dress them like they would for picture day. Well, I let Tucker wear whatever he wanted for picture day because I knew I wasn't going to buy them so I guess it was good I let him wear the shirt he wanted. I do like that shirt anyway.
These next pictures are of Tucker and his best friend Noah.
During the month of March Tucker's school does reading olympics and in oder to receive a gold medal you have to read about 45 minutes a day everyday in March. It is definitely a challenge for Tucker but he did it and I am happy for him. There were several days when he told me he didn't want to do reading and so I told him fine but if you don't you will not earn the medal. He always decided to do the reading. He really wanted a gold medal!
Last week to celebrate they had a book float parade. Each class picked a book and created a float and they paraded around the school. Scarlett, Leon and I came to watch.
Scarlett was especially excited to go to Tucker's school. She ran up and gave him a hug when he walked by.
Tucker's class read a book about Christian the Lion. It is a true story about people who raised a lion and then set him free into the wild. When they came back to see the lion he still rememberd them. Chekc out what happened.
Can you spot Tucker? The entire school read about 499,000 minutes and next year their goal is to get over half a million. I personally love to read and hope that my kids will too.
Tucker's school had a family decades dance on Friday. I knew we were going but I wasn't sure we were going to dress up. So when I got home at 5:30 and found Bob and Tucker all decked out I went and grabbed my pioneer dress. So half of us were from a very old decade and Penelope and Scarlett were from the 80s
The kids loved it! I was surprised that Tucker wasn't dancing full out. He goes crazy at home, but I guess he was feeling a little shy. Thats not really like him, but I guess when it comes to his dancing he isn't full of confidence.
Sorry the pictures are all blurry, it is hard in the dark.
We ended up leaving a little early. Mostly so we could put the kids in bed. But partly because of the song choice. I'm kind of a prude about it, but I think the songs at an elementary school shouldn't have swearing. Trust me, it isn't like we left after the first swear word. The DJ didn't seem to care at all about that sort of thing. I would say about half the songs wouldn't pass for a church dance. I know this wasn't a church function, but come on, it was for young kids.
Anyway everyone had fun and I'm glad we went. Even if it was sort of last minute.
Tucker really wanted to participate in the school talent show this year so we came up with a magic act. It was either that or him getting up there showing off his ninja moves. Maybe we will save the ninja stuff for next year.
I took a video of the during school performance. There is also a night time one for the parents. The video skips the first couple seconds where he introduces himself as the Terrific Tucker, that part is cute but oh well. Check it out.
I was so nervous for him. There were only a couple other first graders participating and I was worried that they older kids wouldn't appreciate it. But everything went well and he did a great job. It was funny because he wasn't nervous at all. Bob had to keep telling me that it doesn't matter if he messes up but I really wanted him to get it right. So we practiced it over and over again. He didn't really complain about it, we told him before hand that if he wanted to do the talent show we would need to do a lot of practicing. We only found out about it one week before the tryouts.
Right before Tucker's turn he waved me over because he thought he needed help with something. By the time I got there he had it worked out but he did drop one of his cards and didn't realize it. Good thing I saw it and handed it to him before he walked up. During the show it was hard to keep the other kids quiet. Tucker was number 9 out of 30 something and it was hard for the girls to sit quietly. Luckily, a friend came and we managed.
I am glad that he got to do it, but I am also glad it is over. :-)
I wanted to do something for Tucker to celebrate going back to school. For family home evening on Monday we talked all about school. We talked about making good choices, friends/peer pressure, and learning among other things. Then Bob gave Tucker a father's blessing. It was nice and I think we will keep it as a tradition for the monday before school each year.
It seems like people always do end of the year parties but I wanted to do something for school starting. So we invited Tucker's soccer team over and had a little get together in our backyard.
It rained all morning and I was worried we would have to move it indoors but we got lucky and stayed dry.
We might have beat the record for most kids at our house at the same time. I'm not sure but it must have been close. We built a fire and had a good time. Hopefully we can do this again next year too.
Yesterday was Tucker's first day of first grade! He wasn't nervous at all, just excited. He loved school last year and I have high hopes that this year will be the same. His teacher seems nice and he has at least two friends from his kindergarten in his class.
I wanted him to pick out his favorite outfit to wear on the first day. But we had conflicting opinions about what he should wear. He wanted a hand me down batman shirt. I love hand me downs an we buy most of his clothes from good will anyway, but this shirt does look faded and I didn't really want it for the pictures. He can wear it any other day, just not the first day. So I took him to Ross last week, and let him pick out a couple new shirts. This one happens to glow in the dark.
We also opted for a nicer back pack this year. Notice I said nicer not more expensive? We got it at a garage sale for just $3 but it is really sturdy and in perfect condition. I was worried Tucker wouldn't want it because last year he had a fun spiderman backpack. That backpack fell apart so I wanted something different. Tucker seemed to like this backpack too.
This shirt still looks giant on him. It will be strange when one year it starts to fit him.
Tucker and a friend were reading the sign. I thought it was funny when they said, "first day one st grade."
We had the whole gang to walk tucker to school, well except for Bob who had to work. After we got home I was talking to Penelope about what we should do with just the three of us. Then I realized there are still four of us. It does change things when one is gone though. All day Scarlett was saying "Cucker hiding." I think she forgot he was at school.
I totally walked Tucker all the way into his class and took another picture. I gave him a hug and told him bye. He really didn't seem phased or worried at all. He just wanted to start his dot to dot. I get worried because he spends soooo much time at school, I just wish there was a way that he could only hear the good and I could shield him from the bad stuff. It's not really possible when he is at school.
Tucker's School does a little ice cream social the week before school starts. It is a nice chance for us to drop off our school supplies, fill out papers, and see his classroom. For some reason I was feeling stressed about the whole thing. I know that he will spend so much time at school I just really want him to have a good teacher. I only met her for a few minutes but I think she will be great. Everyone who has had kids in her class just loves her so I am happy about that. Tucker is glad his best friend, Noah, is going to be in his class.
Here is his desk. It wasn't the most fun for me to fill out papers while sitting on the floor holding Leon on my lap while Penelope sat in the stroller and Scarlett repeatedly pushed the stroller into my back, but we managed. I was happy when the kids saw the blocks to play with.
Less than one week and Tucker will start first grade!
I can't believe today is the last day of kindergarten!!! Yesterday I went with the kids to the park. The classes walked right through our neighborhood to the playground. It was fun because I got to bring four of my kids and Penelope liked the idea of playing with the kindergarteners. And last Friday I brought cupcakes to school to celebrate Tucker's birthday. His real birthday is this coming friday so we did it last week instead. Of course we had to make ninja cupcakes because he will be having a ninja themed birthday party.
These are just fun fetti cupcakes with blue vanilla frosting. Very simple and easy. The tricky part was folding the ninja stars. Each one uses two pieces of paper so it is almost like we had to make 50 instead of 25. Good thing I got help from Bob and friends. Here is the link that taught me how to make them.
It was really fun to go to Tucker's class and celebrate his birthday. He was wearing a birthday hat and everything. I could tell he liked being the center of attention. The class was cute because Tucker got to choose a friend to help pass out cupcakes and then everyone in the class waited for Tucker to take the first bite. I thought the kids might instantly start throwing the stars around and then the teacher wouldn't be happy with me. But amazingly the kids didn't. I think I saw one throw and then they either just put them straight into their backpacks or the garbage.
The next picture is of the kids at the park. The end of the school year sure is busy.
I have no idea how it is the end of the year already. That went so fast! I mean the pregnancy seemed to last forever but now it seemed like someone just fast forwarded the rest of the school year. Last night Tucker had a Kindergarten Celebration of Learning party at his school.
The first picture shows where Tucker stood for the first two songs. It was a little hard to see him. He was kind of squished back in there and a girl's head, blocked most of him when they sang. I was so happy that Tucker's teacher noticed and moved him for the last two songs.
He was so cute up there singing with his class. I could tell that he was trying really hard. I love him and am so happy that he enjoys school so much and has such a great teacher.
Like their shirts? Everyone made tie dye shirts for their zoo field trip and they wore them last night too. I thought it was a good idea.
One thing I liked about this is that they were 'allowed' to be kindergarteners. No one expected them to hold still and be quiet. They just did 4 very cut songs that all had movement. I think all the kids really enjoyed it. Tucker was especially excited. And he told me they practiced like 6 times everyday.
We were early and got nice front row seats.
Scarlett and Penelope even got to sit with their friend, Tessa.
After the songs we got to see Tucker's classroom and some of the work he's done. I loved these pictures he drew of himself. One was done on the first day of school and one right at the end.
I love how he spelled his name wrong in the first picture and his missing teeth in the second picture. I also noticed he has blue eyes in the second one instead of just black dots. It was funny because he only remembered the second one. He kept pointing to it saying "this one's mine." I had to tell him that they were both his and he didn't believe me at first. He asked why there was a heart on the first one.
Here is Tucker at his desk.
And Tucker in front of the owls. Too see similar pictures when he first started school go here.
