Look out, world. The Collins brook is taking over!

I can hardly believe that 3 of my children are off to school. My girls in kindergarten, who would have thought. I remember the assembly-line process of changing and feeding them as infants, and now they are in school. I can't even remember the in-between.

K, Big M, J looking like rock stars! They were all excited.

We were outside waiting for the bus about 10 minutes before our scheduled pick-up. Of course we knew that buses would be late with parents trying to figure things out and taking pictures. Little M had to have a backpack too. What he didn't know was that he wasn't going in the bus, so it was a big tantrum. He "wand machu, dodo and tatie!" Then he cried and cried after Daddy left for work. After that he started asking for everyone, like his Nana!

Little M and I headed to school for the parent coffee, but we arrived there much earlier than the kids. I got to see K find her class. She saw me and waved with a big smile in her face.

Then I saw J. She is all smiles here but as they marched to their classroom, she wanted to make sure that I could pick her up from school. I had to remind her that she is riding the bus but that I would be waiting at the bus stop. She had the saddest look in her face after waiving goodbye but she marched on. She is wearing a picture necklace of her and me, and Daddy and her. I told her she could look at the pictures when she felt sad.

After running some errands, Little M and I had lunch together at a local restaurant. We had Bacon, scallion, spinach quiche and sweet potato soup. He loved the food. He was a handful, and it took a while for him to stop asking for everyone but we did enjoy our meal together.

good behavior

February was full of good news in regards to Big M. After a few days of completing a recommendation to the program in which Daddy and I scoured the blog for proof of Big M's giftedness, and after Big M endured several tests, he was accepted into the school's Gifted program. Daddy and I were very excited and very proud of him. From a very young age, we knew he was pretty smart. He always thought outside the box.

Then later in the month, he was chosen as his class' Citizen of the Month. Each month the school focuses on a special trait. For each class in each grade level, one student is chosen who exemplifies that trait. The month's trait was compassion. In fact, just a week before the announcement, Big M's teacher said that everyone likes him because he is always nice. As a Citizens of the Month, the school provides a special breakfast to honor the students. The Rotary Club gives each student a special coin. I missed the breakfast, though because it's a day that the girls' weren't in school.

As you can imagine, Daddy and I were beaming. We must have done something right. Right?

Sir McNugget

The sheet of ice on the road has not had a chance to thaw yet and today it was covered by 6 in. of snow. Suffice it to say that there was no school again today. The 3 older kids and I went outside to play in the snow, though we couldn't make a snowman. The snow was too dry and fluffy, so the kids had fun brushing off the snow on the cars instead. I swear, I didn't tell them to do it. They just thought it was fun. They slipped a few times where there was ice underneath the snow. The neighbor's kids joined us to play, but after 20 minutes of playing, they went back in.

Daddy and Sir McNugget stayed inside where it was warm and cozy. We throw around cute nicknames for Little M, and I came up with "little nugget". We all thought it was cute. Daddy added the "MC" because of his initials. Big M brought out his knight gears so Little M was knighted.

Snow Day

On Tuesday the kids had their first snow day. The storm brought in a couple of inches of frozen rain and frigid cold temperature with wind chill readings below zero. We made crafts on that day. It was fun for me and it amused the kids. After the 2nd snuggle friend, Big M couldn't wait for his. I told him he might have it after his nap instead. He got angry. He said if I had not been stopping to take a picture every time one was done, I would have had time to finish his! He made a good point so I tried to make his as fast as I could.

The weather the next day was exactly the same. Very cold. Unlike the day before when Little M napped for almost 3 hours, this day he didn't napped at all. The kids try to amuse themselves on the Wii.

Today is still cold. There is no melting the sheet of ice in our neighborhood. Daddy had been going to work inching slowly in an icy road in his car with bald tires. He makes it safely cursing at all the Texan drivers who do not know a thing about driving on ice. However, today Daddy is staying home. This would have been a relief for me, being yet another Snow Day. But he is staying home because he's sick. Lucky me.

The agenda today, this 3rd day of being cooped up inside, is for me not to lose any marbles. The four little ones get more and more energy each day we're inside, yet mine continually drains.

Drama

We had a busy day yesterday. Drama in the afternoon and then the girls' christmas presentation in the evening.

Because Drama is right at school, parents are not allowed to go in and out as we please. We don't know what goes on in there, though I frequently hear, "Mommy, Drama is so much fun I want to go everyday!" from Big M. So every now and then, the Drama instructors hold observation days.

Here are the younger kids presentation (Kindergarten through 2nd Grade).



It's a story of a coo-coo clock who is different from all the other chiming clocks. Because he's different, he is all alone. But the chiming clocks got together and decided to accept him for who is and yet be a part of the group. Mind you, I didn't know what was going on while this was happening. I couldn't hear a thing because my ears were stuffed up from my cold. Daddy had to explain it to me before bed last night. :)

Big M's (wearing a blue shirt)line is "Be quiet coo-coo clock!" Notice his Star Wars Clone Trooper coo-coo clock.



Here are the all the Drama Kids doing their class song.

Watch D.O.G.S.

Daddy gave his day to volunteer as a Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) earlier this week. It is a PTA program to ask Dads and Dad figures to volunteer at least one day out of the school year to the school. Daddy and Big M got to wear a "matching" shirt. It's a special day and it becomes sort of a "bragging" event for the kids. They get to show off their Dads.

Daddy was at school from 7-3pm and had a schedule to spend time with the kids from K through 5th grade. He said it was pretty fun until he went to recess, which was a nightmare. According to him, he "felt like a piece of meat surrounded by piranhas". The Kindergarten class sees the Watch D.O.G.S. as a fun toy.

Big M enjoyed the day so much, he wants Daddy to be a Watch DOG at school everyday.

it's good to have a blog

Last weekend, Daddy and I spent a couple of nights coming up with "evidence" that our 5-year old shows signs of giftedness. We needed to illustrate his learning style, his personality and why we think he needs to be in the school's gifted program. Daddy went through this blog, and I went through the old blog. When I handed the application in at the school office, there were 4 sheets attached to it.

Our efforts paid off. A few days ago, Big M came home with a letter of a notice that sometime between now and January, he would be pulled out of class 4 times for an hour each session to be tested. For Kindergarten, the test would be read for him and he is allowed to take as much time as he needs to answer the questions. The program director advises us to tell our Big Man that he would be excused from class, not to take a test, but to solve puzzles and problems - not to cause undue stress.

During the first parent-teach conference, the teacher said that not many kindergarteners pass the test, not because it's too hard, but because they are not mature enough to sit still to be tested. She said not to be discouraged should he not be accepted in, and to keep trying. She said it really isn't until the 2nd grade that kids show the need for a gifted program.

Ever since Big M was 2 years old, Daddy and I agreed that he is the kind of child who would need to be challenged in the classroom, otherwise he would get into things that could get him in trouble. Daddy recalls cutting out all the buttons on his shirt as a child and not knowing he did it until he stood up and his shirt was wide open. Idle hands, right? :) We know that Big M is smart. Even if he doesn't get accepted to the program, we will continue to engage and encourage his curiosity and provide opportunities.

On a side note, he loves being in Drama. It is a paid extra curricular activity that is held at school once a week. Big M loved it from the very first day and wished he could go everyday. He loves the friends he makes there. Before the end of the school year, there is a production. I can't wait to see that.

star student of the week

On Friday, as Big M approaches the minivan in the carpool lane, I noticed he had one extra backpack with him. I knew exactly what that meant. He was was the star student for the next week. He had a big smile in his face, and so did I.

Stat student is based on excellent behavior at school and so far since it started at the begging of the school year, they have been all girls. Every Friday, I ask Big M who has been chosen the star student. One Friday, he said, "Mommy, you will be so disappointed! Boys can't be star student!" I reassured him that wasn't true but he seemed to think so regardless.

He is actually the first boy to become one for this year and it just makes it doubly exciting! As a star student of the week, he gets to have a poster that he made up on the Kindergarten class hallway for all to see. He has use of a special backpack, bring a favorite toy, show his hobby/collection, tell everyone his favorite things to do and share his favorite book for the week.

On the way home, he just had to call his Daddy the special news. He worked hard for it and he deserves it.

Congrats!

a letter to nana

Everyday, Big M is getting better at sounding out words in order to read and to write. With proper motivation, he eagerly wrote to his Nana. I have no picture of the envelope but it was expertly decorated.

officer bear

(J is in pink)

Big M had school project of dressing up a bear anyway he wants. The entire kindergarten students were to do it and they were to be displayed in the main hallway of the school Big M wanted a police man. Daddy and Big M worked on it, but while they were on break to think of how to do things, J found the scissors and started cutting the bear up. Big M found it and started shouting at the top of his lungs. Fortunately, the bear wasn't dressed up yet. I had to run to the store and get another poster board. All were saved. Phew! We learned a great lesson that day - never leave important projects laying around!

kindergarten is so much fun!

At the end of the first day of school, Big M told me that kindergarten is so much fun. As a mom whose oldest just stepped into public school, I find myself having fun also. I don't really know whether it would be this fun once the twins start kindergarten, at which point I'd have 3 children in elementary school. But for now, I'm having fun trying to be involved.

I eagerly joined the PTA and have already attended one general meeting. The meeting flew over my head, but that's alright. I figure I have plenty of time to figure things out. I signed up to be an "at home" helper and have already done my first job - Big M brought the work home, which was to cut out left-over laminates from each of the students' art work to be made into a book. I had fun doing it, I admit. I got to be the first of the parents to see what the kids have done. There is an opportunity to volunteer in the class' home center. As much as that sounded to me, and a great opportunity to see how Big M socializes with his classmates, I didn't sign up. A few hours at school with a baby by my side and playing/monitoring several kindergarteners at the same time is much too unpredictable for my liking. Perhaps when Little M goes to preschool.

By the way, I didn't sign Daddy up for the PTA, but he is now part of the PTA for dads. He said he got suckered into it, but I know he doesn't mind. He is a Watch D.O.G.S (Dads of Great Students). Father figures are encouraged to volunteer 1 day out of the year. He has already signed up for a day, and Big M can't wait for it. Daddy gets to wear Watch D.O.G.S. shirt, and Big M has planned to wear his "My Dad is a Watch D.O.G.S" shirt.

Last week was the first parent-teacher conference. I signed up bright and early at 7am. That day, it was cold and dark and by the time I arrived at school, I was the 3rd car in the parking lot. What was I thinking signing up for 7 am, right? The whole event had to be coordinated. Daddy went to work late in order to drive the girls to school and stay with Big M until I got back home. Big M didn't have school that day. I was very pleased to learn that Big M has really been a great student overall. For an active, alert, strong-willed kid, it's pretty amazing. The teacher pointed out what he needs to work on (minor things about confusing some letter sounds) and that was it. I mentioned to her that Daddy and I are planning on recommending Big M to the gifted program to what hear what she had to say. I breached the subject by starting out with, "Ms. Shane, you probably haven't noticed anything special about him because it may not be a sort of thing you see on a day to day school work, but we think he's gifted." To that Ms. Shane interrupted, "Well, that's actually something we do see here. Things like different perspective on art work, etc."

My mind started churning silently of course. What kind of different perspective could a kid have when asked to draw a giraffe, a cat, etc. I mean, come on. In preschool when they get done with the lessons, the kids get to draw whatever they want. And Big M draws pretty cool stuff like this. Is that enough of a different perspective? Of course I didn't say any of this aloud.  But she did say that not a lot of kindergarten pass the test because they are simply not mature enough to sit and take tests. She also said that it doesn't hurt to try since we could try year after year if we wanted to.

Anyway, we plan on recommending him to the gifted program. The application is an in-depth one in which we need to provide evidence of the way he thinks, process information and any other things in order to provide "preponderance of information". I've been scouring my blogs in order to do so. I'm so glad I have blogs, because if I had to rely on memory... well. Daddy and I will do our best to provide plenty of examples of giftedness and should he be chosen to proceed to assessment, we would be happy. If he doesn't pass the assessment, we would be happy to try again the next year. No expectations.  I think the important thing here is that we know Big M is smart and that we would keep looking for opportunities to provide him challenges. Our only wish is that we don't influence him to be too much of a perfectionist. Perfectionism leads to under achievement. No one knows that better that Daddy and I.

Kindergarten is hard, but it also could be so fun for parents. :)