Such a Day it Was

Today Alec and I visited our public library for the first time this summer. While there, Alec received his very own library card. He was extremely excited - over the moon in fact. I shared his enthusiam but was a bit surprised that he was so very taken with it. As he cradled it in his hot little hands, I asked him which book he would check out first. ``Oh no Mommy,`` he responded, ``I`m going to use it like one of those credit cards you have``.

On the way out, I spotted an attractive display that gave us the opportunity to name the library`s new dragon mascot. As I was explaining to Alec what it was all about, he was positioning the paper to start writing. I was immediately impressed, and wondered what he could possibly have come up with so quickly. As he wrote his suggestion he said to me (in a loud voice) ``I think we should name him after my Grandpa`` (also named Alec), then (in a whisper), ``really I want to name him after me.``

Finally, see Alec on his new slip `n` slide. We were not hot, just looking for some late-in-the-day action.

Yearbook 2010-11

Here`s another thing Alec is famous for in our small circle - his chosen future profession of desert ninja. As far as I know, he came up with it all on his own and is so adament about it that he does actually become quite insulted if anyone suggests he consider other options.

Proof We Learned

I have realized that there are not many pics on the blog of Alecgator hard at work, but I did locate a couple that were taken at one of this year's people's nights. Alec has always been very proud of his classrooms and the materials in them that he has worked with, so seeing him in action was lots of fun. :-)

We Came, We Saw, We Learned, We Played, We Grew

Alec - Summer 2011

Alec - Summer 2008

One of the things I had to face in June was saying goodbye to another beloved school, the one Alec has been attending since he was just 2. In the fall, Alec is starting a french programme that can't wait for us to see through another year.

Without further ado then, here is a list of things I will always remember about GMS, for Alec's future reference:

1. Dropping you off on your first day. Passing you over that gate into someone else's arms was heartbreaking. You didn't like it much either.
2. Hearing the story of how happy you were to see your Grandmom and Grampie when they came to retrieve you. If the story is true, your Harry Bear received a full body slam hug when you got home and you said the words "Oh Harry Bear, I missed you so much".
3. That next day, seeing the toast drop from your hand and your mouth open in awe when I walked into the kitchen dressed in business clothes. Too bad that wasn't just a one-day thing, we both thought.
4. Hearing another story that you introduced yourself to the class by saying "My name is Alec, and I don't share."
5. The day you said: "Know what happened at my school? One boy took another boy's cookie and ran away with it. He took one bite." Me: "What did the teacher say?" You: "She yelled "NOOOOO Alec!". Busted.
6. First school Halloween party. Me: "What was your favorite costume?" You: "Taylor wore a princess dress. I DID NOT touch it Mommy." That's how I knew you had touched it. That dress kicked off your first crush.
7.  More on Taylor: "She says I should come over to her house and eat candy and watch TV with her". I didn't even know you knew what "TV" was.
8.  The first friendship you made all on your own with Jason (soon to be known around our house as "Jase"), which was forged by mutual admiration of a leaf blower-man conducting business in the school parking lot. You had a skip in your step on the way to school those days and he would meet you at the gate. "Alec, will you play leaf blower with me?" he would ask, very sincerely. "Sure," you would say and you would be off, without looking back at me and your Dad.
8. Easter Egg Hunt 2009 - you couldn't believe your luck!
9. You walking proudly into the school and even the classroom on the very first day of your second year, without trepidation. That was your school, after all.
10. Trying to get feedback from your Casa I teacher those first few days was rough - she had a long list of items to discuss with parents about their children and you and I weren't on it. All I could get out of her was "Alec is great. He never touches his friends, never snatches. He is a model student". You were 3 then.
11. First rumbling of friendship problems when some of your buds learned about the power of words. "I'm not your friend anymore", everyone would say to everyone else. Good thing they didn't really mean it.
12. The day we picked you up, covered in lip stick from head to toe. The girls had secreted a tube of tinted chapstick into aftercare, put it on and puckered up. "Jason and Ethan wouldn't stand still", you said, "but I sure did".
13. The time you finally decided who you would marry. Avery. Your heart is a loyal one - one day we were met at the classroom door by an excited girl who proclaimed that she was a princess and you were the prince. You were all smiles, but as you and I walked down the hall together, you announced "Mommy, I'm not really going to marry her. I'm really going to marry Avery, because she's my best girl".
14. Your desire to perform in the school magic show. Your father and I advised you against it (strongly), but you would not be detered. I worked all night on the hat, and you performed brilliantly the next day. That was a day to beat all days! I was one proud Mamma.
15. All those times you told us tall tales about what you got up to at lunch. It started off with stories about them not giving you any lunch, and finished off with stories of your teacher taking you and your buddy out for ice cream at lunch or, otherwise, letting you go off by yourself because she knew you "were big boys".
16. Your love of the binomial cube. You just couldn't get enough binomial cube.
17. Once again, walking into the classroom proudly on the first day of CASA II. No flies on you.
18. Tangling with the big kids (6 year olds, compared to your 4 years). It took you a while, but you got in with them in the end.
19. How you liked to take the class snack - cheese, muffins and crackers, every time.
20. The pumpkin cake we made for Halloween - we loved that cake and you reported back that everyone thought it was yummy and that Jessica even thought it was yummier than pie.
21. How you learned to read, just like that.
22. All that beautiful work you brought home.
23. How you decided that you would take a Zhu Zhu pet to school  but scolded me when I tried to put a label with your name on it. "Ahhhhh, Mom - nobody puts labels on Zhu Zhus". I had never seen such a disapproving look (well, not one from you anyway).
24. How you witnessed the bigger boys playing beyblades and said to me the next morning: "Mom, you've got to get me a spinner with a top and a puller. Tell the store man you want the winner and not the loser. The only way I'll take a loser is if that's all he's got".
25. How you strived to find a "show and tell" that would get the ooohhhsss and ahhhhs. Adorable.
26. First time as the only boy invited to a girl's party. I see more of those coming our way in the future, for sure!
27. Your parting words to your CASA II teacher as you went your separate ways on the day of the afterschool pary "Maybe next year I'll be faster on the hundred board". "We'll see Alec" she said, "we'll see".