Preschool and Temple Day!

Dear Jack,

You are growing up so quickly!  For the past month you've been so eager to start preschool and when the time came for your first day you couldn't contain your excitement!  Yes, I got a little misty-eyed when I dropped you off... But you were out of the car before your teacher could even come over to help you and yes, you made sure to show her your new backpack and your new shoes. :)  On the way to drop you off I said:

"Jack, I'm going to miss you, buddy!  Are you going to miss me?"

And you replied:

"Yes, but only a little bit because I LOVE preschool!"

And you sure do!  You loved every bit of your first week at school and Daddy and I are now 100% sure that we made the right decision in sending you.  

Love you little monster! :) 

Last Tuesday was Jackson's very first day of preschool!  He was SO excited to get dressed in the morning and especially eager to wear his new Transformers backpack.  We had looked EVERYWHERE for a Transformers backpack, but couldn't find one.  Finally, after going to Target and striking out yet again, we said a prayer.  It had worked to help us find his shoes and I am always looking for ways to help Jack understand that we can pray to Heavenly Father about anything because he cares about whatever we care about.  Anyway,  we decided to go to one more store before going home for naps, but just as we were leaving Target Eddie bolted and ran straight for the bicycle section.  Jack (and Norah) and I chased him down and, after looking at the bikes for a minute, started to make our way back to the exit.  However, to get there we took a shortcut through the luggage section and there just happened to be one lone Transformers backpack that had been misplaced!  Jackson was so excited that Heavenly Father had answered his prayer!  And his new backpack is black and red so it even matches his shoes. ;) 

One of the first day activities at preschool was this little questionnaire.  You'll notice that the first favorite food on the list is 'cake'.  Jackson actually really doesn't like cake that much..  He also doesn't pronounce the 's' in words that start with an 's' (i.e.:  spider = pider).  So what sounded like 'cake' was REALLY 'steak'!  LOL!!  Poor teachers!  I can just imagine him getting frustrated as they kept saying 'cake'.  They finally figured it out and corrected their mistake, though. :)  I am glad his top three favorite foods didn't include McDonald's, even if salad isn't on his list yet. ;)  As for his favorite game being 'Bakugan' (or 'battle-gon' as he pronounces it) - he actually doesn't even know how to play!  He just likes to throw the balls against the wall or floor to open them.  *sigh* So destructive...as usual.  :)

Here are two beautiful pieces of art that Jack made and brought home just for me during the week.  He knows I love rainbows. :)  I am planning on matting and framing both pictures and then hanging them in the playroom.  I can't wait for more Jackson originals. :)  Since I know there will be PLENTY to come I've been scouting out various magnetic frames used to rotate/display kids' art.

Saturday was our Ward Temple Day!  We got up early to make the two hour trip to SC where we first dropped Eddison and Eleanor off with Aunt Jayne and Uncle Seth and then took Jack with us to the Columbia, SC temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  SO much of our ward showed up!  The kids' primary teachers did activities outside while the parents got to go do whatever they came to do.  Justin and I served with the youth in doing baptisms and confirmations.  It was a wonderful experience to be there with the youth and with my sweetie.  We're hoping for the announcement of a Charlotte, NC temple soon!  Hmm...Maybe I should get Jackson to pray for one? ;)

 

Jack LOVED the temple!  He was so excited to point out, "The angel 'Roni!" on the top of the temple.  

Justin and his mini-me.  

Some more funny things Jackson has said over this past week:

Setting:  Driving Jackson to preschool - Jackson doing his usual running commentary of the scenery.

Jack: (in rapid succession) "Mom?  Mommy?  Mom?  A-cuse me, mom?"

Me:  "Yep?"

Jack:  "Where you find a cart big enough a-get your house in?"

Me:  (Totally confused) "What?"

Jack:  (annoyed at my ignorance)  "When you buy your house at a 'tore (store), where you find a cart that be big enough a-put your house in?!"

After laughing I explained that you only buy the materials you need to build a house at the store and then you build the actual house wherever you want.  It is pretty cute to think about him imagining a cart big enough to put a house in, though. :)  Kids have the greatest imaginations! 

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A few months ago Jackson spit on one of the little girls, Keira, in his Sunbeam class.  He said he didn't know why he did it and he apologized, but sweet little Keira hasn't spoken to him since because she's now slightly scared of him.  (This is the little girl who wants - or at least used to want - to marry Jackson in the temple when she grows up. :)  After just recently finding out from her mom that she was still scared of him I had a talk with him about how the next time he saw Keira he needed to go reassure her (again) that he would never spit on her again and that she was his friend.  

I also explained:  "Now Jackson, she may not say anything because she's very quiet and shy..."

Jackson:  (cutting me off)  "Oh, I know what shy is!  Shy is like on Curious George when they go in the forest and they not see a moose a-cause a moose is shy!"

Me:  "Exactly!  Shy means you might be quite because you just don't feel like talking a lot."

Jackson:  (excitedly)  "I talk a lot!"  

Me:  (laughing)  "I know, dude."

For the record - he did give Keira a hug today right before sharing time started.  She looked quite surprised, but did smile just a tiny bit.  I just hope she's not scared of him anymore! :)

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The Setting:  Getting ready for his first day of preschool.

Me:  "So Jack, what do you want to learn about today?!"

Jack:  "Hmm... How 'bout dinosaurs?"

Me:  "That would be fun!  You'll have to tell Ms. Mary Beth that you'd like to learn about dinosaurs."

(Driving Jackson home after picking him up)

Me:  "Well, what did you learn about today?!"

Jack:  "We NOT learn about dinosaurs.  I learned about not punching people."

Me:  (a little concerned)  "Why?  Did you hit someone?!"

Jack:  "No, I not hit anyone.  We just learn about not punching people."

(Turns out week #1 is just about going over the classroom rules. :)

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The Setting:  Getting ready for his first day of preschool.

Jackson:  (coming into the bathroom where I was getting ready - backpack on and ready to go)  "Moooom... Look at me!  I look perfect?!"

Me:  "Yes!  You DO look perfect!  And VERY handsome."

Jack:  "You know what will make me look even more perfect?  Hair gel!"

He then proceeded to step up to the sink and wet his hair with his hand.  Then he added just a touch of hair gel and rubbed it all over his head.  It was so adorable!   He can't stand it when Justin tries to put gel in his hair on Sundays, but apparently hair gel is completely acceptable for preschool. :)