Oliver Starts First Grade

And just like that, summer is over.  Oliver started first grade today. We sent him off with a brand-new backpack and a beautiful Schultuete Nina had made him.  I think Oliver was bummed summer was over and possibly a little jealous of his siblings who haven't started school yet and are getting an extra week and a half of summer, but overall, he seemed happy to be back. 

Our au pair, Nina, with Oliver and the traditional German Schultuete she made him.

This year's first day of school was vastly more relaxed and tear-free compared with last year's. There's much less for Oliver to be anxious about since he knows the school. Unlike last year when there were very few familiar faces, he now has friends, including one particularly close friend who's in the same class this year.

The chaos of the first day of school was also alleviated by the school's decision to start kindergartners two days later, which meant fewer parents and children packing the hallways, and fewer children in tears. The morning felt unusually calm, and actually, quite anti-climatic.

We helped Oliver find his seat and when I asked if it was okay if his dad and I left, he quietly answered no.  Although he wasn't crying, I could tell he was nervous. His mood changed when he saw his good friend Atticus arrive and once they were seated together and laughing and catching up, Oliver indicated we could leave. A friend who dropped off her daughter right after we left reported back that Oliver was all smiles and excitedly waved at her and motioned for his classmate to join his group at the table. 

Despite being a little nervous when he first entered his new classroom, Oliver radiated confidence by the time we left.

Oliver's first grade teacher is Frau Zinnow, a native German. Parents of older students think very highly of her and my hope is that Oliver thrives academically and socially in her classroom.

Goodbye Kindergarten!

It wasn't that long ago that Chris and I returned from the hospital with a brand new baby and no freakin' clue what we were doing.  With nurses no longer attending to us, it took both of us (and a little bit of arguing between us) to figure out how to even feed him. From that awkward start, I find it hard to believe that our little baby completed kindergarten today.

I saw Oliver grow up a lot this year.  He went from being nervous about school and only liking it to truly loving it. He devours chapter books as fast as someone will read them to him, he discovered a love of drawing and his handwriting improved so much that had printed his name on a piece of his artwork and I assumed an adult had written it. He made friends on his own and developed such an attachment to his classmates that he told Chris he wishes he could be with the same 24 kids through college. 

Oliver received the "Sports Star of the Year" award from his gym teacher, who told me that Oliver displayed a good attitude each class, showed good sportsmanship and was always willing to try a new sport or activity.

It was not only a year of grow for Oliver, but also for Chris and me as parents.  As a friend with a first grader in the school told me, it takes nearly the whole year for parents to figure out how "to do kindergarten" and he promised me that next year will feel less chaotic. Grade school is a lot busier than preschool and it was an adjustment to keep on all the field trips, supplies needed and events to attend. There were times I felt like I was one step behind what was going on even though Oliver's teacher kindly sent out a detailed e-mail every week to keep us parents in the loop.  We also had to learn when to let go of things we weren't completely satisfied with and when to step in and advocate for Oliver. 

Some of the favorite parts of the year for Chris were the times he was able to pick Oliver up from school because Oliver hopped in the car pumped to tell his dad everything he had done that day and excitement radiated from him. My favorite part came near the end of the school year when I had a conversation with Oliver in German. It was a very simple one about what he did that day and an upcoming trip to the cabin, yet it was truly amazing.  Oliver can't read yet and wasn't formally taught German, yet he could have a conversation with me. Since I didn't marry a German, I never imagined I would have a child who would learn how to speak the language. 

Earlier this week the entire family attended an end-of-the-year program in Oliver's kindergarten classroom.  The kids sang us songs (in German of course) and each child received the gift of a book. Then we watched a slideshow of pictures from the school year, and as I watched the pictures of events I wasn't present for flash up on the screen and the children laughed and reminisced with each other, it was more apparent than ever that Oliver has entered the next part of his life where he's making his own memories separate from Chris and me.  

Each child received a book that reminded the teacher of him or her. Oliver received the Bremen Town Musicians, a famous German fairy tale, in honor of our au pair Celina.

In her last final remarks to her students and their families, Oliver's teacher broke down in tears talking about what a wonderful class she had this year and about much she learned from them about how to be good people. She spoke of her confidence that they will achieve great things in first grade and in all the years to follow.