Pierson's Orientation and First Day of Big School

With great anticipation and excitement we loaded up the car to go to Kindergarten orientation! Pierson told me "I try it one day. OK Moum?" It took some convincing to get him to agree to go to big boy school rather than preschool which he has loved so much!

I think as soon as he saw his classroom door with his name on it he was sold out for Big Boy School. Having a jungle theme didn't hurt either! As he walked in the door he acted intimidated for about 3 seconds. Then his teacher asked him if he could find his name on the table and he was off!

It didn't take him long to find "P for Peershon". His eyes lit up when he saw his own name tag and knew he had his own space in the room! Then he was off exploring the rest of the room. He had his hands on everything checking everything out. It was fun and a relief to watch his enthusiasm grow for "Big see-cool".

Daddy demonstrated to Pierson and Maylin what school might be like and how they should sit and listen to the teacher. Daddy is so fun!

The night before school! Clothes set out, book bag packed, watch already on and smiles in place! I don't think he could have been more excited! We let Pierson pick a "CD" to watch before bed (everything involving music, movies or just plain TV are called CD's around here.) He picked the Chinese version of Dora that we bought while in Taipei.

Good thing there are subtitles right! :)
The kids are so cute while watching their Mandarin "CD's" They sing the theme songs and respond to Dora as if she can really hear them. This is really the only Mandarin we hear around here anymore. I need to get them into Mandarin lessons soon before they forget it all! :(
Early Friday morning Aunt Kristi, also known as Ayi which is Aunt in Mandarin, called Pierson to send him well wishes for his first day of school. If you can't tell from his expression he isn't exactly a morning person. :) But he was excited that Ayi called him!

All too quickly it was time to load up in the car and get going! Somehow time got away from us we were boarder line running late! :0

We got there just in time to catch his class starting down the hall going to their room. Pierson was excited to get in line and I think would have been just as happy if I had left then. However Mommy and Daddy needed to walk with him and watch him enter his first day of school! (we weren't the only parents to do so. We were the only crazies!)

He quickly put his things away and fell in line with the other kids. He sat down next to Jayden a little girl from our church and obviously wasn't having any doubts about being at school and Mommy and Daddy leaving.

As his teacher got started the rest of us parents figured that was our signal to leave. :( Pierson blew us kisses with a huge smile and then turned around and seemed to instantly forget that we were there. I think that it helped that the class was small for his first day due to the staggered entry. Monday will be another test as the whole class will be there.

At 2:15 I went to pick him up and meet with his teacher to discuss his assessment. He was ALL SMILES!!! He was so excited to show me everything in the room! He was wearing his safari hat and looking through his binoculars! He couldn't have been more proud! His teacher gave me a great report! She was impressed at how well his English has progressed in just 5 months. He recognized numbers 1-10. Recognized several letters. Understood many opposites like hot/cold, and over/under. The teacher said that when she said "ice is cold and fire is hot", he said, "and coffee is hot too!" :)

While I was talking to the teacher the assistant teacher was very kind and helped Maylin make a hat and binoculars too! She was thrilled and even more jealous of Pierson and big school! As we were leaving they ran ahead to hide around the corner so they could "hunt" for me with their binoculars. Aren't they the cutest little hunters?

And just as fast as they have grown up in these five months they moved towards the door and just like that Pierson's first day of school was over.

Maylin and Mommy had spent the day together getting used to Pierson being gone. So as a little treat we went to Wal-Mart to pick out a little gift for each of them. Maylin picked lip gloss over the pink guitar she had initially picked up. (fortunately it was her decision and I didn't have to coerce her!) And she decided that Pierson would love a "Car's" puzzle. She was right. His eyes widened and he grinned from ear to ear. Mommy picked a Kit Kat bar for all of us to share! That was Mommy's favorite part! :)

First thing we did when we got home was put the puzzle together. Second thing we did was take a much needed nap! We were all tired after an exhausting day! I am hoping that day two goes as smoothly as this one!