Today I am a Kindergartener

August 22, 2011. A very special day. I started school today! Can you believe it? Mommy and Daddy wanted to make it extra special for me. So, we started off with a back-to-school dinner party last night. I got to pick the menu and guests. Of course it was Grandma and Grandpap along with Aunt Beth. I choose to make-our-own pizzas. I love helping make the dough and spreading the sauce and cheese on the pizza.

After we ate our pizza and had chocolate cream pie for dessert, Mommy and Daddy gave me some presents. I got a couple of water bottles, a growth chart, pencils, pencil sharpener, “Oh the Place You’ll Go” book and college football guys. Grandma also brought me two new books about Kindergarten.

I was tucked in bed by 8 pm, but I couldn’t sleep. I told Mom and Dad that I was “too excited about Kindergarten!”

Mommy packed my lunch: peanut butter crackers, veggie puffs and an apple along with a snack: gold fish. Mommy also packed a family picture and a copy of the Constitution. 

The next morning, Mommy made my favorite, pancakes! Grandma and Grandpap came up to see me off to school. We had to take several pictures first.

My homeroom teacher is Mrs. Hall. The way our school assigns kindergarten teachers is that the first week we have a homeroom teacher. Over the course of the first week, we will visit the five other classes and teachers so we can see who might be the best fit for our teacher for the rest of the year. I will know by this Friday who my teacher is. When I got to my class, there was a coloring sheet ready for me. I put my name on the top and I was ready.

I had a great first day of school. Mommy, Daddy and Cara were there to pick me up at the end. Just to be sure I didn’t miss Mommy too much, she drew a little heart on my hand. She said that whenever I looked at it, for me to know that she was thinking of me. I went ahead and drew a heart on her hand too. You know my Mommy will miss me.

xoxo, Sean

I am 68-months old today!

We are on pace to break a record here in North Texas! Consecutive days over 100 degrees, not necessarily one to brag about, but it’s better than watching the stock market (or so my parents tell me). We are 39 days over 100 with no end, or rain, in sight. The record is 42 days. We will see!

I have had a great month. We spent 10 days on vacation between Washington D.C. and Pittsburgh, PA. My parents had to work in D.C. so Cara and I got to go to Camp Grandma on the road! Grandpap, Grandma and Aunt Beth flew to Pittsburgh and Mommy drove me and Cara from D.C. to Pittsburgh. While in D.C. though we did have some fun. We stayed at the fabulous Gaylord hotel and went to the Air & Space Museum, did a double decker tour of the monuments, rode the subway, toured the Capitol Building with a high school friend of Daddy’s and went to a Washington National’s baseball game, that would be my 15th ballpark. We managed to get that done in two days! Plus a quick tour of Old Town! Mommy doesn’t mess around. Neither does Daddy. Here is a video of our vacation.

After arriving in Pittsburgh, we went to a family reunion on my great-grandfather’s side of the family. It was neat to meet so many relatives and run around and play. That night we made it to a Pirates game with everyone plus my Uncle Joe and our dear friend Susan. I love keeping score now and scored the first three innings of the Pirates game. My Daddy even found an iPhone app that I use at home to score games.

Mommy traveled back to D.C. to work and we stayed with Grandma and Grandpap. They had lots of fun things planned for us. We went on a tour of Heinz Field and to the Children’s Museum. Of course there were lots of stops for ice cream and treats – we were with Grandma! She makes sure we are well taken care of. Mommy came back to Pittsburgh a few days later and we all enjoyed a great night with cousins, second cousins, aunts and uncles at Aunt Gail and Uncle Joe’s house. My second cousins love baseball as much as me and we had a great game going!  It was a lovely evening and anyone who loves baseball is OK in my book!

Now, my parents do tell me they were working. I saw this video of my Daddy “working” so I am not really sure what kind of work they were up to.

We went to Kennywood Park, which was the amusement park Mommy grew up going too. We all had such a great time! I rode my first real wooden roller coaster. It was fun!

We visited the Duquesne incline, which offered great views of the city. We also visited lots of family and a very special visit to my great-Grandma’s house. This is the house Grandma grew up in! It was a great trip to Pittsburgh.

We headed back toward D.C. with a stop in Baltimore. Why a stop in Baltimore?! Well, to see an Orioles game of course! Camden Yards was awesome and we had a great time. This was my 17th ballpark. I learned about Cal Ripken Jr., who wore the same number that I wear, 8. I will have to give big kudos to my sister Cara who just rolls with the whole baseball thing. She does great at the games and knows a lot about baseball for a little girl!

After returning home I went to a week of basketball camp and then a week of Vacation Bible School at our church. I have had a great time hanging out with family and friends this summer. We enjoyed our annual outing to Hawaiian Falls with Grandma, Aunt Beth, cousin Abbie and Auntie Louise. We also had a super fun evening of water sports on Lake Ray Hubbard with the Pabian family.

Cara is doing great. She can recognize all of her ABCs and we now can play the ABC Bingo game together as a family. I am continuing my ice skating lessons and fall baseball practice has started. I participated in the library’s summer reading program and read 25 books! Mommy read me one of her favorite books while we were on vacation, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

This next month is a super big deal for me. You see, I will be starting kindergarten in 13 short days. I am pretty excited about it. I am a little worried about Mommy though. I think she stills sees me as this.

So think of my Mommy on August 22 when I start Kindergarten. I think she is really going to miss me.

xoxo, Sean