Non Toxic

The fourth of July happens to be one of our family's favorite holidays.  My husband gets choked up listening to patriotic music, I love the bbq and everyone adores the “pretty lights".  Chase always plugs his ears.but when we get home he will ask you watch the lights over and over again.

This year we had the opportunity to watch them throughout the week as we went from one event too another.  Two happened to also host car shows, which had all the boys in seventh heaven! 

We arrived at one event just in time for the kids to go get crafts and glow sticks.  Although Chase is six he still tends to stick things in his mouth, and the glow stick was no exception.  His bright fluorescent green short began to glow and he had lovely marks all over his face.  He looked fabulous! 

Then in slow motion I watched him reach up to rub his eye and held my breath in dreaded anticipation for the blood curdling scream I knew was on the way.  While my husband stayed with the other kids I went in search of the EMS I knew had to be hiding somewhere.

Chase wouldn't let the guys flush out the eye but he got a nice wash cloth with water, and left the ambulance with a  smile on his face.

"All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten"

I'm not sure how old I was when I first heard that quote from author Robert Fulghum.  As my son finishes his Kindergarten year I stop and think what did he learn?

1. How to recognize the beginning, ending, and some of the middle sounds of words - he is on his way to being phonetically aware!
2. Utilize inventive spelling.  Reading his first sentences brought such joy to this Momma's heart. 
3.  Perfect drawing his train, and the amusement park that his train calls home.
4. Make new friends. I noticed one little girl come and sit by him during summer school.  It melted my heart to see her reach out to my frustrated son, and brought a smile to my face when he smiled at her.
5. Manipulate adults.  Yup, you read that right.  He has learned how to manipulate the teachers around him to get what he wants.  He keeps them on their toes.
6. Play hookie from school  - "Mom, I don't feel good."  You ask him what hurts, he gives this pathetic look with those bright baby blue eyes, and we gave in.  It doesn't help that his temperature always runs a little high in the morning so we never knew if he was faking.  Now he goes to school until they call us!!
7. Addition and subtraction - starts with pictures, now he uses numbers and his fingers!  

I know there are a ton of things that he has learned this year, but for some reason (maybe the late hour) those are the ones that mostly come to mind.  I am proud of him for making it through his first year of Elementary School.