Garrett's last day of daycare--from May

My sweet Garrett starts kindergarten in less than 48 hours.  He's spent the summer home with me, but in May we took some pictures at his final his final day of daycare. He's had several childcare places in his life, but Southwood Learning Center is probably the most significant.  From months 4 to 13, he stayed with a wonderful lady just down the road from the high school where I taught in Oklahoma.  Actually, now that I think about it, she was pretty significant, too. From months 16 to 18, he alternated between my friend Amie Corley, who was staying home at the time, and Robbie Rutherford, Tiffany's retired mom.  The day he turned 18 months, he started at Southwood Learning Center, where big brother Braden was already going.  He was such a little guy! He could hardly walk, and I thought he was going to get stomped over and eaten up by the big kids on the playground. Last May, he WAS a big kid.

Check out how proud he looks here: 

Almost every day of the last two years, he measured his growth by trying to reach over the little half door on the way out.  In the last month there, he finally made it.

I'm incredibly thankful to the staff at SWLC for taking such good care of my little boys.  Both have such a desire for learning. They seek out patterns and problem solve, and, most impressive to me, they read! I think the Montessori curriculum and the loving guidance of their teachers is totally responsible--it certainly isn't anything we've done with them at home.

Here's Garrett acting, well, like Garrett!

I've recommended this place to pretty much everyone I know.  I always say that it isn't the newest, fanciest daycare out there, but the staff is amazing.  As a Montessori school, the kids aren't provided with plastic playthings. They use their creativity and invent games. They dress up (Garrett like to pretend he was a ghost while wearing the princess costume!).  Nazneen, the owner, and both Lindas who served as directors during the 4 years the kids were there, became good friends of mine.  I've recommended some of the boys teachers for elementary teaching positions, and if I were a principal, I'd hire them in a heartbeat.

Here's Garrett showing off his classroom. The Montessori lessons are on the shelves around the room. Garrett even came to child development class last year to demonstrate them. He could solve puzzles that stumped my high schoolers! Garrett spent two years in this room, and Braden was in there the year before that.  It will be strange not taking a kid there this year!

Here's Garrett's class.

And here's my little guy.  I'm so proud of him that my heart could burst, and I wish him lots of luck on Monday in kindergarten!!

Tyler, Garrett, and Wild Imaginations

Garrett and his buddy Tyler have been spending lots of time together lately. They've known each other their whole lives (their moms are best of friends, so they are kinda stuck together). In the last month, however, their friendship has fully blossomed. 

Perhaps it is because they are big kids now, about to go to kindergarten. 

Perhaps it is because they have finally realized they both have wild crazy imaginations. 

Whatever it is, it sure is cute. 

I took these pictures the other day when they were making kung fu faces. And noises. And all kinds of awesomeness.

The conversation I overheard yesterday went like this:

Tyler: "Do you know what teleporting is?"
Garrett: "Yeah. Everyone knows what teleporting is."
Tyler: "You go from one place. (jumps) to another."
Garrett: "Yeah, in a teleporting machine."
Tyler: "No, you don't need a teleporting machine."
Garrett: "You don't?"
Tyler: "No. You just. Teleport."

And then they ran around the house for probably 20 minutes, teleporting.

They are awesome.  And fierce.

If you need someone to help you with your teleporting or kung fu needs, I know just the team! 

Artists

The boys had friends over today, and they all sprawled out on the entry way floor to paint with Braden's acryllic artist set. 

Parker and his train

Braden and his train.

Tyler and his monster truck. 

Garrett and his....his...blobs?  Will he learn to make recognizable figures in kindergarten? Is he supposed to know that now? I'm having a parental anxiety attack because my kid just painted blobs!

The 5 year olds

The hot shot 7 year olds