Andrew is older.

Another month.  Andrew is 6 years 4 months old.  The big news this month is starting school.  Andrew is attending Ridgewood Elementary and is in Mrs. Brinson's class.  She seems pretty nice and I've heard she is pretty strict - she seems that way.  But I think it is a good combination at this age, anyways.  A couple girls from the neighborhood are in his class, including our neighbor, so I think that has helped.  Andrew seems to like his class and school.  He isn't the kind of kid to tell every detail as soon as he gets home.  He always comes home itching to play, but if you listen carefully, you can get quite a few details from the day.

I went in and met with his teacher.  I think mostly so she can show me the testing they do for reading.  Andrew is on or above grade level for everything except for identifying sounds - like lake is l - A - k.  I think maybe he just wasn't familiar with what they were asking because he does it fine at home.  I think how they test their reading level is a bit much.  They read a story and they are given a piece of paper with the question on it and the kids reads the question and writes the answer done.  The teacher can say nothing.  It seems a bit intense for 1st grade, but what do I know.  Andrew couldn't move up a reading level because he didn't answer part of the question (he didn't explain why).  I find that kind of hilarious for 1st grade.

Andrew has also started homework this week.  He is taking it pretty seriously, which is great.  Spelling homework takes forever as does his reading log (which has to answer big questions in complete sentences!) because he is still taking quite a bit of time to write all his letters.  Hopefully, it will speed up through the year.  He just blows through his math homework and reads through his books super fast, too.  He had his first spelling test and he got a 100 today.

Andrew takes the walking school bus to and from school.  School starts so early, like 7:55, so he needs to be out waiting for the "bus" by 7:20 or so.  The "bus" consists of 2 or 3 parents in yellow vests leading a group of children through the neighborhood and then to school.  And the same on the way home.  It seemed a bit much to me at first, but I actually think it's a great idea.  It's safer than the kids just walking by themselves (there are a lot of cars on the street), but I don't have to go every day, which can be a pain because Seth never wants to go and Logan is sometimes still napping.  Andrew gets out of school at 2:15.  So, we just have to go one afternoon a week.  In the mornings, Katsu walks him across the street to the "bus" stop and me and Logan sit on the porch and wave and watch the kids go and then Katsu goes to work.  Seth is still sleeping, usually.  It is a pain to get Andrew ready in time, but it has always been a pain to get Andrew ready in time to go anywhere - even with hours notice.  Andrew just takes his time.  Invariably, we are all waiting outside for Andrew, and I'll go inside to find him and he will be standing at the top of the stairs mooning me and saying "Is it okay, Mom?".  Like seriously, you've been wiping fine for years.  I don't want to see your bare behind.  Oh, well.

Andrew has a snack and a recess each morning, but no recess with lunch.  They have reading time and writing and spelling and math every day and also science and social studies.  Reading is in two parts with a part with the whole class and then also meeting with a smaller group with special reading teachers as well for everyone divided into groups based on levels.  He has PE twice a week and then music, art, and library/computer (I think it alternates weeks) once a week.  He hasn't talked much about them yet.

Andrew hasn't told many details about school.  I know he gets dojo points whenever he does something well.  He has 20 points now.  A few girls have more than him, but apparently you can also get negative points when you misbehave and some kids are like -11 already!  Wow.

Andrew wears a uniform to school.  He was hesitant in the beginning, but I actually think it is really nice and easy.  He can wear a white, blue, black, or purple collared shirt on top and black, khaki, or blue shorts / pants on bottom.  The only thing that is tricky is no cargo pants, so that took out several we already had.  Andrew really wants some purple shirts, but try finding those for boys.  Tricky, even in a town where the color is purple (ECU).

Andrew's school is about 50% black, 40% white, and 10% other, so the demographics are very different than in St. Louis, where the suburbs are white white white.  Though his school "imported" some black kids from the center of the city in St. Louis.  Some of the kids have really crazy names.  It's pretty funny.  There is like one other Asian family we saw and they came up and talked to us at open house.  I thought that was kind of funny, but then I realized it was because the man knew Katsu from work.

Andrew got a new bike this week (well, new to us), an Iron Man two wheeler, so I am trying to convince him to learn to ride without training wheels.  We'll see - he is still not convinced.  I thought because the walking school bus has Thursdays as scooter/bike day he would be interested, but not yet.  I bet when Seth is riding his well, Andrew will suddenly be very interested, though.

Fun Things This Month

• A few play dates. 
• Lots of ECU picnics.  One at a lake beach while they loved playing in the sand.  And hot dogs and chips - what could be better?  
• Birthday party for a neighbor at the mall bouncy house.  Wow - it was a little crazy, but the boys had so much fun.  Logan would go on the big ones and go down the slides with his older brothers.
• A couple times at Play Date - a drop in child center.  Andrew loved the video games and bounce house, but was not so interested in having to look out for Logan, but he did, because he is a good brother.
• Going to Chic-fil-A several times and out for ice cream thanks to our realtor.
• Winterville Watermelon Festival - we watched the parade -  And then we rode rides.  We had to go get our new car, so we didn't have time to watch any of the concerts, but next year.
• Our first dinner party.  And a cookout the next night with friends.  Andrew convinced us we had to invite his friend over from church, so we did - even though they have 7 kids!  It was actually great fun and we'll have to have him over for play dates.  He doesn't live too far; he is homeschooled, but I think otherwise, they would go to our school.
• Back to school night - Andrew was a little nervous at first, but we met everyone.
• Another trip to Atlantic Beach for Labor Day.  This time we went to the Fort Macon State Park and we saw the fort first.  The boys loved it.  Andrew is so enthralled with forts, so it was fun.  And the beach is always lots of fun.
• Andrew started soccer.  He seems to really enjoy it so far, at least when he is there, and he plays the whole time and doesn't whine and take two million water breaks like some of the other boys.  He doesn't run as hard or kick as hard as the other boys - I don't think he really gives it as much intensity - but he is doing pretty well.  He has Saturday practices (the first few weeks) and then games, plus a weekday practice and a couple weekday games at the end.  We'll see how the season goes.