The "First Grade is Over" Blues...For Eden

I have a love/hate relationship with first grade.
I love that my kid is in school all day. I hate that my kid is in school all day.
I love the how the brain is developing and how letters become words. I hate that I am no longer needed to read a book.
I love that they have so many fun new experiences. I hate that I'm not there when they happen.

~

I am sad that first grade went by so fast, I've been through this with Maya so I know how fast it goes from here. I have loved watching Eden blossom this year. She is so darn smart it's ridiculous, but because things come so easy she can be very lazy which makes for some tension around here some days.

What I LOVED most about first grade with Eden, and what I don't ever want to forget...
Her "SAVE THE APPLESAUCE" cause. She just couldn't watch all that applesauce go to waste! She is so my girl...

Her obsession with her teeth. She loves to wiggle them and pull them out. She brushes religiously and looks forward to her dentist appointments like they are trips to Chuck E. Cheese.

Her cute hairstyle. Always side pony tail with a pony that matched her "elefit".

The way she folded every single piece of paper she was supposed to bring home from school and then stuffed her back pack to the max! Here is a sample of her paper folding and back pack stuffing.

The way she tackled me every time I walked into her classroom and insisted on a kiss on the lips. I had to pry her off of me every single time.

Having lunch with her at school. She made me feel like a celebrity.
Watching her play at recess when she didn't know I was there.
The way she would run to the fence during recess when she saw me and Camden rollerblading by.
The way she tied her sweater/sweatshirt around her waist. She even had one on during her class picture!

The field trips I was able to go on...the county fair and the butterfly freedom day.

For the most part Eden had a great first grade year. She had a very loving teacher who truly saw Eden as the precious spirit that she is.
See Eden was in a class that had THREE special needs kids. There were two autistic little guys and one other child who had some serious behavior/emotional issues. I was the room mom and was in the classroom on a regular basis. I knew that her teacher had her hands full. Eden had been in an integrated kindergarten class so she already knew one of the boys very well, and she was not phased by their behavior.

Her teacher knew Eden could handle these guys so she would have Eden usually sit in a group with one of them to help them out. One boy became very comfortable with Eden which meant he would act out at her for no reason. The teacher was on top of this and did her best to intervene before things got ugly but Eden definitely had some tough days. It made for some teaching opportunities and I know that she has a big heart that was able to understand what most kids her age don't. She learned what it meant to love unconditionally and have compassion. There were many times she would come home and tell me about something that had happened that day where she had to stick up for one of the boys.
A couple days after school got out I found this note in Eden's report card envelope.

There are many reasons to love Eden and because I am her mom, I get a front row seat to see her greatness. But when someone else sees it and gets how great my kid is...well... it just makes me feel so honored to have such a special little girl.

 

I'm going to miss my first grade Eden. She rocked!...but I have a feeling she will rock second grade too.