You were 6 months old when you started going to preschool, at KinderCare. It was the summer of 2011 when you first met your friends Avery and Madison.
Though you were the oldest, it wasn’t by much, as the girls were both just a couple of months younger than you.
When we moved into our new house in January 2015, you stopped going to their preschool; not only because we moved you to a different preschool, but because Kindergarten would be starting later that year anyway.
Our families have continued to get together a couple of times each year since then.
This past weekend, our families all met together at Burger Up.
I took a picture of the 3 of you; all having recently started 3rd grade. It was 8 years ago that you all met. And you’re still hanging out after all these years!
Last week while our family was on vacation in California, your preschool Rainbow Child Care Center opened its new Pre-K classroom.
So this Tuesday was your first day of Pre-K. I put together this little 90 second video from that morning as I dropped you off.
As you can see from the video, we have a 2015 Toyota Avalon this week which I am reviewing, so I decided to include it in the video. After all, the fancy car ride there was a big part of your 1st day of Pre-K.
It makes sense it my head that you’re nearly 5 years old and are just a year away from staring Kindergarten. And I think you feel the same way. You seem proud to be big boy.
Speaking of your new Pre-K classroom, here’s the video you and I made together a few weeks about it:
When we came back from California this week and checked the mail, you had received your prize money from winning 2nd place in the Williamson County Fair Lego Competition.
Mommy took you to go spend your $20 earnings. You purchased a $15 toy: the Hot Wheels Snap Rides Truck and Trailer.
It’s something you’ve been talking about for weeks. You love getting to build your own vehicles.
This whole time I thought you would end up spending your prize money on more Legos, but it also makes sense that you’d buy cars you can build as well.
As we get settled back in from vacation this week, I’ll be working on several more videos and pictures from California.
This Monday you had your first soccer practice… and this weekend you will have your very first soccer game! Pretty exciting stuff these days.
We bought you a soccer ball and have been practicing in the driveway. From these pictures your teacher sent me, it looks like you’re getting some good practice there as well.
Here’s what your teacher had to say about what you’ve been doing at school this week:
We had lots of fun this week outside!
Jack and his friends went on a pirate adventure around the playground. He rowed his boat over to Skull Rock Island, climbed through his way through Vine Snake Jungle, then snuck up on the sleeping dragon to steal the magical fire rubies! (His face running away from the dragon was priceless!)
Today we had a lot of different activities!
He worked with friends to fold pieces of paper and build a tower. He was extremely proud of himself he built it up so high!
His latest craze, is to write his name with “scary letters” They’re beyond amazing! He has such an artistic talent!
And last but not least (We were busy today weren’t we!) we flew kites!
We took out our parrot kite this morning. He asked to hold the kite and he tried to hold on very tight. Ultimately, the wind was a bit too strong and took the kite across the playground, across the street, and into the corn field! Thankfully Ms. Lara came to the rescue and retrieved our kite!
This afternoon, everyone wanted to make their own kites and flew them outside!
We had an absolute blast!
When I read this kind of stuff about you, it makes me so proud. I love your creativity. You are a bright young boy and I’m so glad your mine.
When Mommy and I got married nearly 7 years ago, I quickly learned that one of my roles was to kill the spiders in our home.
Of course, I knew it’s not wise to kill every spider. After all, certain spiders like granddaddy longlegs are there to prey on the other spiders that may actually be harmful to people.
So I had to teach Mommy that you definitely want to keep a few spiders in the corners of the house; like having a cat in the barn to catch the mice.
Therefore, it is not in my nature to kill a spider simply because it’s a spider. Unless it’s poisonous and/or potentially harmful to people, the worst I’ll do to a spider is move it outside.
As my son, you are the same way. Your teacher at Rainbow Child Care Center, Ms. Aimee, sent me this note:
“Last week Jack found a very tiny spider. Instead of smashing it (like what a typical child would do) he wanted to save it from being stepped on. I helped him move the spider to a safe place by the fence where it could be free in the grass.
Jack then decided that our new spider friend needed a house! So he searched the playground for items he could use to build the house. He found rocks, mulch, and grass (so he could eat in the comfort of his home).
The next week he made sure to check the spider’s home every day, to see if it came back. We found a spider web today and came to the conclusion that he must have been playing on the play equipment!”
Your teacher also sent me some pictures of you at school from this past week, ranging from “Dr. Seuss Day” to St. Patrick’s Day.
Speaking of St. Patrick’s Day, I’ve got some pictures of my own to share, so be on the look-out for that…
You have been attending your new school, Rainbow Child Care Center, for a month now. I’m assuming it’s been pretty obvious in my recent letters how happy our family is with you attending there.
Today, I want take a moment to “feature your teacher”, Ms. Aimee.
She is truly exceptional. She is the ideal teacher I could hope for, working at the ideal school I could hope for you to attend.
Last week she taught you to use a hammer, a real hammer, to build a tiny house, which is currently being displayed in our wine cabinet.
Consider how atypical it is that a 4 year-old gets to build something out of wood, using a real hammer, at his preschool. That is so cool you get to do that.
And this week, Ms. Aimee started teaching you and your friends how to use a sewing machine. I love the super serious look on your face in this picture as you were working on your patch.
This is a quick note she sent me about it:
Here are photos of Jack using a sewing machine for the first time! He observed a couple friends do it first, then, became very eager to try. After learning some of the rules (ie: always watch your fingers) he was a sewing pro! He picked out his fabric, and slowly guided it through the sewing machine. After he was done, he loved showing his project off!
These examples demonstrate not only how much creative control that Rainbow Child Care Center gives their teachers, which I extremely appreciate, but also how creative and talented your teacher is.
To me, that’s all the “Montessori” revealing itself.
Plus, it’s pretty revolutionary and unique that Rainbow Child Care Centers have a kids gym in them, so you are able to physically play- despite the weather.
I can see that every day at your school, you are being creatively and intellectually challenged.
Ms. Aimee inspires you. Because of her, you are now fascinated with pet reptiles and amphibians, since Ms. Aimee has 4 of them in your classroom. I imagine not many 4 year-old boys get to have 4 pet reptiles and amphibians in their preschool classroom as class pets!
It’s no surprise that we bought tickets for Repticon for the weekend after next. I can’t wait to see how much you’re going to enjoy it.
Mommy and I even bought you a gecko stuffed animal as part of your upcoming Easter basket.
Oh, and your class recently won a pajama party due to good behavior. It was a big deal to you!
I obviously recommend Rainbow Child Care Center to any parent who is considering enrolling their child there.
It was January 29th, more than 5 weeks ago, that we closed on our new house and began moving our stuff in. The next day, we slept in our new house for the first time.
I didn’t plan to start chronicling each week in our new house the way I’ve done with my letters to you for the past (nearly) 5 years, but it’s just turned out that way (since these posts about our new house have proven to remain very popular among readers).
At this point, we’re obviously settled in our new life, in our new house. Other than finishing up hanging some wall decorations, and waiting on our new sofa to arrive next Saturday, we’re pretty much past the moving in stage.
This past Saturday, it was finally warm enough outside for you and me to go out and play together for the first time in our cul-de-sac. For the past couple of weeks since the big freeze, you had been asking to go play where the neighbors’ remaining snowman is on the sidewalk.
You have collected a decent number of Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars that served as great snowplows. In fact, one of them even buried St. Peter in the snow! Fortunately, a dinosaur helped save him, as the shark from Finding Nemo watched from above.
From there, we finally got to walk along the sidewalk trail along the woods, which circles around to our cul-de-sac.
We were able to walk along a treacherous board where the sidewalk ended…
Sit on a broken tree, throw huge rocks…
And even go “fishing”…
Before we headed back to our house, you made a “Mintacinno” out of some things you found on the ground as we walked together.
It’s still currently melting on our front porch right now.
I should also point out this was the week in history in which you obtained “Blueberry”, a new stuffed animal that Mommy and I let you get after your marble set we got you for Christmas got broken in the move.
Blueberry means a lot to you; it’s quite evident. I was surprised you actually let me name your new bear.
It’s funny because actually Blueberry it’s one of those “My First Bears,” designed for newborns.
You don’t see it that way.
As for your new school, Rainbow Child Care Center, things couldn’t be better. Here’s a note I got from your teacher this week:
Hi Nick!
Here are some photos of Jack working on his wood working! He was so proud of himself being able to use a real hammer and nails. He was very adamant about building a house. Even though he hit his finger with the hammer, he was brave and kept going (with a little help from myself). He used paint to decorate his building.He also made an “octopus monster” with Styrofoam.
-Ms. Aimee
It’s been a great first month! This move has been a great thing for us. New house, new school, and a new version of life.
And, thanks to your teacher Ms. Aimee letting us know about it, we ended up buying tickets for the Repticon (reptile exhibition) in Franklin, TN next weekend!
Before Christmas, I wrote to you about how we were deciding between Primrose Schools and Rainbow Child Care Center as the top two contenders for the new school to put you in; for our move from Nashville to Spring Hill.
While both preschools are magnificent and I would personally highly recommend either one, the preschool we went with was…
When Mommy took you there to visit the first time back in December, you were eager to explore the classroom and get involved right away.
I was personally impressed that they have their very own gym in the middle of the school where you get to play twice each day; except for when it’s nice enough to play outside on the playground.
And of course, I appreciate how accommodating they are to you being a vegetarian. While you are the only vegetarian student in the whole school, both your teacher and the school director are vegetarians.
Something we are not used to is that we now are handed a personalized meal schedule for each week. I like that.
I am happy to see that you haven’t been nervous at all this week as we’ve been walking into Rainbow Child Care Center each morning.
So I can tell you enjoy being there, even though it’s a completely new environment for you.
On Monday, your very first day, your teacher let you feed two crickets to the pet frog. That was a cool new experience for you!
And last weekend we officially realized something else about your new school: It’s literally directly behind our new house! We can look out our dining room window, or the upstairs bedrooms, and see the roof of your school!
Granted, until the neighborhood behind our backyard is built, there won’t be a road directly connecting our house to your school.
Still, it’s a cool thought that your new school is visible from our house; and it’s just a 5 minute drive.
Not to mention, I love the fact that we now have a garage to pull out of in the mornings. No more having to worry about frost on the windows or it being cold in the car.
We love our new house! And moving in is what it took to get you all set up with your new school.
Of course, you’re going to like Rainbow Child Care Center and I imagine lots of fun stories taking place there in months to come.
