Here he is hanging up his raincoat.
Will had his first day of First Grade on Friday. He actually didn't seem all that nervous even though earlier in the summer he informed me that he would be shy at first. It felt almost anticlimactic compared to the drama of school starting during the toddler and preschool years. I guess it would have been silly to assume he would cling to my leg as in earlier days but you never can be so sure. This time he just walked off carrying his knitting and sketchbook leaving Jasper and I staring into the doorway wondering what he was going to do next, if he would like it, if he was "prepared" enough, etc.
We missed him horribly too! Jasper was actually very fussy all day and I was feeling pretty fussy myself without Will to inspire outings and activities. Jasper and I are going to need to find a new rhythm at home together that will hopefully include some quiet uninterrupted naps and nursing sessions.
When Will returned home we drilled him thoroughly on his every single moment of first grade. He told us about his first lessons from his mentor (although he insists this is a "mental") Oscar and the first Great Story that he has been waiting since last year to hear about the Formation of the Earth including the explosion of a volcano. Will was so excited about the volcano he drew several pictures of it for us and later told us some of the details of the story like how many earths can fit into one flame of the sun!
He said that even with 72 children around his age, he didn't have anyone to play with on the playground yet. Instead he said that he "followed around a boy and a girl" until they asked him politely to leave them alone and they would play with him on another day. He shrugged when he said this and then said that he opted to go down the slide over and over which was near to where the two kids were playing. Paul and I laugh at this. We have watched Will very carefully as he acquires friends. He tends to do things like this... just hang around another child and then he might copy something that they do or make a sound or something until next thing you know he has acquired a gaggle of friends to play with and never wants to go home. I asked him if he was worried that he didn't have anyone to play with on the playground and he said confidently, "No, I always make friends."
A few interesting new things that Will mentioned:
1. He has a pencil now that is blue and engraved with his name on it. This is huge. Oh, the pencil is now taking a prominent position in his classroom experiences as he will use it to record his activities and do all the writing that comes along with an elementary education. He also needs to be responsible for it which I began talking with him about but it will be VERY interesting to hear about the day he missplaces his pencil.
2. They have a snake in his class and his friend Greyson fed the snake a mouse on Friday which Will watched very carefully. He told us that after the snake swallowed the mouse the little tail was hanging out the side of the snakes mouth.
3. He has chorus class once a week which should be fun. I already am amazed at how much singing we do at home. Jasper loves it when we sing to him.
4. Soon the class will hatch salmon fry and release them in Pipers Creek. This is so delightful to both of us because Will and I have planted trees for salmon along Pipers Creek and we also watch the salmon make their way up the creek each fall. It would be so fun to imagine Will's little fry making their way back to the creek for spawning next season.
Jasper wasn't entirely sure about all the things Will was telling us but he listened intently, competed occasionally for airtime, and then laughed hysterically at the end with true delight that his brother was now home to play with him.
