On The First Day of The First Grade...

Johnny began 1st Grade this month.

His Teachers are Mrs. Martin and Mrs. Crosby.

(They each teach 2 days a week and every other Wednesday.)

So far, it's been shockingly uneventful. His favorite buddies Grant and Teddy are in his class and he still works with Mrs. T., so the transition to 1st grade was very easy. And he still gets to go next door to say hello to his kindergarten teacher, Mrs. M.

Here are the required first day of school photos

Maisy gets VERY EXCITED when she sees the school bus turn the corner onto our street.

Today was picture day. Johnny told me he smiled like a vampire. Based on the "smile" he showed me, I'm assuming we won't be ordering extra photos again this year!

So far he's been pretty excited because First Graders get to check out TWO BOOKS at the library. As far as I can tell that's about the only difference.

We have already begun selecting and changing our minds about Halloween costumes. It's going to be a a LLLOOONNNGGG month till Halloween.

Class of 2021....YOU ARE GRADUATED

...FROM KINDERGARTEN!

Kindergarten Graduation was on Thursday. Johnny had a wonderful time. He was SO PROUD!
He woke up in the middle of the night with a cold and started crying because he was worried he wouldn't get to speak at his Kindergarten Graduation. Luckily he was well enough!

He asked me to arrive early so I could go to recess with him. Little did I know that he wanted me to actually participate in recess with him. He wanted me to play all the things he plays during recess. I drew the line when the boys began playing war and were choosing sides and shooting at each other!

Johnny got a memory book with some of the special art work he made this year. It was amazing to see the difference. In September Johnny couldn't write his name. He could make a "J" and that was it. Last week he got a "gold glitter name"; which you earn when you are able to write your name using the proper "school" letters. I honestly didn't expect that Johnny would get a gold glitter name this year. His main area of delay are his fine motor skills. Writing is very hard for him and in the past his stubbornness has prevented him from working on it. This year Mrs. M. really sparked an interest in him and he LOVES writing and drawing. His improvement is directly related to this and it is wonderful to witness.

Johnny with Mrs. Muzatko

As we left the school parking lot I said to Johnny "Wow, what a great year!" and Johnny replied "Mama! My year with Mrs. M. was my best year ever!". How wonderful it is to see my son so in love with school and learning and his teacher.

Johnny with Mrs. Thacker, the para educator who helps in their class.

After kindergarten graduation we went to Meconi's to celebrate and then to pick up Maisy from Momo and Papa's house. In the evening we went to a classmates birthday party at Skateland. It was a wonderful way to finish the last day of school.

Maisy loved "skating". At least she thinks she did! They had rented the entire skating rink for the party, so she got to run on the floor. She watched the kids for a while and then she would walk a few steps and then dramatically fall down to her knees and stomach. Then she would look up at me and raise one hand in the air for me to help her up; exactly like she'd watched me to with the other kids. We repeated the process all over the floor. It was adorable. Johnny's skating is improving and he only had 1 wipe out!

I suspect in the next few days Johnny is going to be a little sad when the impact of no more school hits him. It has been a much loved activity this year.

Look how much Johnny and Maisy have grown this year.

This picture was taken on the 1st day of school

And this picture was taken, 9 months later, on the last day of school.

Here is a video of his "kindergarten speech". In case you can't understand him, he says "I like kindergarten because I made really good friends".

Tomorrow we are off to watch cousin Bailey perform in her very first ballet recital. She is going to be a bear. When I told Johnny he said "will she growl and eat the other dancers?". I guess my idea of a 3 year old bear ballet recital is much different than a 7 year old boys idea of a 3 year old bear ballet recital. Either way, he's very excited to see Bailey and if the weather is nice he wants to swim in her pool.

Rock Quarry 2nd Generation

One of Johnny's favorite places in the world was the quarry. Maisy enjoys the quarry also.

Maisy has been enjoying painting. She actually keeps her brush on the paper and has only painted other places a couple times. I'm stunned! I thought Rutledge children were only capable of painting like the Tasmanian devil! So far she seems to favor her left hand. I'll be interested to see what she ends up using permanently.

When Gabe is out of town Most mornings Johnny and Maisy get in bed with me and watch TV. Right before I snapped this picture Maisy was curled up with Johnny holding his hand. She moves very quickly!

Grandpa had to get something out of the attic and Johnny helped him. Maisy couldn't resist getting in on the action and spent about 20 minutes climbing up and down the ladder.

Both Johnny and Maisy love swinging. This is a picture of them swinging at Momo's.

As you can see, Johnny is ready for swimsuit season.

Maisy is swimsuit ready as well!

The next 2 weeks are quite busy for the Rutledge's. Next Thursday Johnny will have kindergarten graduation. He has informed me that he will be one of the student speakers. He clarified that you don't have to speak if you don't want to, but he really wanted to. I can't wait to hear what he has to say.

From his parent's perspective, it's been an amazing year. We couldn't have had a better kindergarten experience. His Teacher is absolutely amazing and I spent the last half of the year trying to talk her into following the class to 1st grade. Unfortunately I don't think it will be happening, but we are so lucky to have had her for this year. Johnny has thrived this year and I can't believe this is the same child that started school in September. (mmm....I wonder if Mrs. M. would be interested in moving in with us over the summer?!?! Think she'd mind taking the bottom bunk?).

There's a little section in Johnny's class room that they call "Bunny Planet". This is where kids can rest, read books, or just take a break. We noticed that Bunny Planet could use a makeover so Johnny and I had each of the kids made a bunny picture and we turned it into a quilt. Mommy sewed the top, and Grammy did all the rest. It turned out wonderfully and Mrs. M. loved it. Johnny was worried that his friends wouldn't know it was from him, so he got to introduce it to the class today and was very proud.

Yesterday Johnny's friend Grant had to get stitches in his chin. Johnny was fascinated as I received updates on Grant's dad's facebook page and kept Johnny updated on how his buddy was doing. On the way to school this morning, Johnny wondered if Grant would be there or if he'd stay home and rest. Johnny said "Well, I know he didn't sleep at the hospital. Only mommies can do that". I asked why? "They have to stay there after they have babies and the babies aren't ready to sleep in their cribs yet. They sleep at the hospital until they feel ready". He was stunned to learn that actually anyone can sleep at a hospital if they are sick enough.

This evening Maisy was running around our cul-de-sac like the woman in charge that she thinks she is. Our neighbor came out to talk to her and said "wow, she really runs around like a bat out of hell". Sadly, she's right! Maisy may be small, but in her mind she's a giant. She has no problem stealing any toy from any child she meets in her baby class. If she can't steal it, she'll push them, or hit them or chase them until they run into a wall and then steal it. If they try to steal a toy from her she will screech at them like a howler monkey. I have to admit, it's a little embarrassing to be the parent of the toy thief! But, I'm learning...quickly! She's also very cute and cuddly and happy and very friendly. She's say "hi" over and over and over again to the same person in the grocery store or drs office. She's working on so many skills right now. She likes to jump, stand on one foot, walk on her tip toes, she can even pedal a bike. Unfortunately the poor girl has a Rutledge head and requires a helmet suited for a large melon! We tried on the "toddler" helmet, but her head didn't even fit inside. Being so small, she looks very funny with this huge helmet on, but she is very diligent about making sure her helmet is on whenever she's outside! (which might be a good thing because so she's very risky and tends to fall alot!) When Maisy rides her bike around she yells "WA-HOO". It's very cute.

Tomorrow morning Johnny and Papa are going to "Donuts With Dad" at Johnny's school since Gabe is out of town. Johnny has asked me at least 5 times a day to remind him to go because he's so excited. Tomorrow evening is movie night at school. I asked Johnny if I could get a babysitter for Maisy so just he and I could go, but he said "No, Maisy hasn't seen The Bee Movie and I want her to see it with us". Sometimes I wish he wasn't so attached to his sister!!!

Recently Johnny excitedly got off the bus and announced that he'd learned something new at school. "I CUT THE CHEESE". He was so proud. He had absolutely no idea what it meant so Gabe and I had to explain it to him. Like I said, he's really learned alot this year.

This morning, while getting dressed, Johnny wondered why they only have pictures on the back of his underwear. That doesn't make sense, he said. Honestly, I've always wondered the same thing.

I'll be videotaping the kindergarten graduation ceremony so I'll be sure to share the inspiring words of Johnny Rutledge.

Kindergarten Performance

Johnny's class performed at the school assembly today. They sang a song about appreciation to the 5th graders.

As we near the end of the school year, Johnny has told me that he will be a car kid on the last day of school, have alot of home days, and then return to the same school where he will be in 1st grade with a different teacher. He said that Mrs. M. will have new students too, but if she misses her old class too much she can just get a different job.

When I mentioned to Johnny that he's almost done with school he said "I know! I only have 17 more years!". (I took that as a good sign that he's counting on going to college too!)

Here is the Kindergarten, 1st and 3rd graders singing "We Appreciate You".

Johnny Is 7!

We've been building up to it for 11 months!

Johnny is officially 7 years old!

He's been planning his party, making invitations, planning decorations, fine tuning the guest list...SINCE LAST JUNE!

He woke up today at 7:27 am today and yelled "Is it morning? Am I 7?". He got out of bed, and instantly began dressing, by himself, for school. (Johnny still needs help dressing and it is actually quite hard and frustrating for him to dress, so he avoids it whenever possible!) He was so excited to begin his 7th birthday! Once at school he told everyone he saw that it was his birthday. He was also "Person of the Day" today, a complete coincidence. He got to wear a birthday crown, have the birthday bear sit at his table and Mrs. M. gave him a birthday pencil, he chose green - of course! The kids sang happy birthday to him and they wished him a happy birthday over the loud speaker during morning announcements. He requested Daddy come and have lunch with him and bring McDonald's for lunch. We were also in charge of snack today so we brought cupcakes. He then got to be a car kid and the whole family came to pick him up. We returned home where he opened presents. He then watched some TV and then we went to Red Robin for dinner and singing!Johnny has listed this schedule over and over during the last few weeks. By 9:00 am I was pretty certain that he might explode and birthday candles and confetti might shoot out of him! Johnny LOVED having them sing to him at Red Robin. He stood up on his chair and held his ice cream and spoon high up in the air. He looked SO PROUD. It actually brought tears to my eyes. Johnny has been quite shy in the past and never wanted them to sing to him. It was another marker of how much he's grown this year. All in all it's been an amazing year. In all honestly, I think this has been the year I've enjoyed Johnny the most. He's grown so much this year it's unbelievable. He LOVES school. He LOVES his friends, especially Teddy and Grant. He LOVES his sister and is the best big brother ever. He honestly wants to spend time with her and misses her when they are apart. He has a very sweet nature about him and it's so fun to watch.

Johnny will be having a party with his friends on Saturday. In years past we have requested our guests not to bring presents in hopes of teaching Johnny that everyone is here to celebrate him. This year he's on to us and realized that most kids get presents at their parties. He spent a good portion of the year wanting us to write "PLEASE BRING PRESENTS" on his invitations, but we decided to leave that off.

Gabe and I both feel like today was a little kick off party for the rest of the week! It could be an exhausting few days!

Happy Birthday Johnny!