Camden's first day

Snippets from yesterday:

• When Camden realized I was going to walk him in yesterday, "You don't have to walk me inside because I like being independent. It feels like a challenge to see if I can remember where my classroom is." Seriously. The child did not want me to walk him inside for his first day of school. I could barely get a goodbye out of him because he was so busy sitting at his desk waiting for the day to begin.

• Rory informed me as we were on our way to pick up Camden that she was going to tell him that she did not miss him. I guess she forgot about the session yesterday morning where she sobbed to me that she "missed Bubba" (Yes, she calls him Bubba - not my favorite nickname, but it has somehow stuck).

• Our first night of real homework went fairly well. Camden had to copy a list of spelling words that he could spell in his sleep so he flew right through them which is good because he was so full of stories from the day that he had trouble concentrating. Rory, of course, had to get in on the action and stayed very busy "writing" the word Lemons over and over.

• Camden has decided that first grade is even "funner" than kindergarten because they can sit by boys and girls at lunch and they're allowed on the monkey bars (and this would be the child who literally screams in fear when we try to get him to test out the monkey bars when we're at the park).

• Brian literally fell asleep while reading a chapter from Prince Caspian to the kids last night. You've got to be pretty tired for that to happen! Since I can barely manage to fall asleep in my own bed much less in a recliner with 2 kids in my lap, I guess it's time for me to take over the bedtime story.

• We had a situation with one of Camden's friends (and I use that term loosely) yesterday after school. He was making fun of Camden's "Chinese" eyes. Despite the fact that I immediately was steaming mad, I stayed very calm while I corrected him, sent him back to his parents, and then had a talk with Camden. I tried to just turn it into a teaching moment and reassure him while not making it into an event. I am proud that I stayed so calm because I was feeling anything but calm inside.

Because of my sketchy internet (5 days in a row now) and my ridiculously slow computer, I have given up even attempting to make these photos pretty so just enjoy them in all their inconsistent and unedited glory.




They took the lead on the way to school, and I grabbed my camera and snapped without even stopping to focus.
Not exactly happy, but not crying yet either.
Some apple juice makes everything better.

Our Sonic Happy Hour tradition after the first day of school is over (can it be a tradition yet if it's only been twice?).

And the day was definitely considered a success. Camden summed it up by calling first grade "awesome."