Kindergarten graduate

Jimmy had his last day of Kindergarten today. 

He is so excited to be a 1st grader!

My sister Meta, gave me this idea of making a paper wall for the doorway for him to break through when he got home from school.  Johnny helped me decorate it.


We also decorated the sidewalk and driveway with fun little notes for him to read on his short little walk home from the bus stop.


Last night he and I put together this little gift for his teacher, Mrs. Cox.
He wrote the note all by himself:

It reads: Dear Mrs. Cox, thanks for being the best Kindergarten teacher.  I love you.  From, James.

One funny thing about starting school this year is that Jimmy decided at school he wanted to be called "James".  It all came about during the "meet the teacher" where Mrs. Cox upon first meeting him said, "Hi James".  And then I went on to tell her "he actually goes by Jimmy", and then Jimmy spoke up and said "I want you to call me James".  So James it was.  Everyone just knew him as James at school.  In fact, when he had his birthday party, I sent out some invites to a couple of the kids in the class with the heading "Jimmy's birthday", and a bunch of them didn't know who "Jimmy" was.  In fact, Jimmy was so embarassed about it.  He told me he didn't want anyone to know his "real" name.  I got a chuckle out of that especially since Jimmy is actually his nickname and James is his real name.

He's been such a good boy and Mrs. Cox has told me on countless occasions he has been such a pleasure to have in class.  He plays well with the other kids, is kind and considerate of others, likes to have fun, and participates well.  He has brought a little "behavior folder" home everyday.  In the behavior folder, the teacher reports with a color: Green: good day, Yellow: one verbal warning, Red: 10 minute Time out, Blue: 15 minute time out + phone call to parents, Black: Office/discipline note.  He has come home with a yellow about 5 times this entire year.  Every other single day was a green!  Whenever he would come home with a yellow we would sit down and talk about it and see what he could have done differently if the situation arose again.  I do have to admit, during these moments, in the back of my head I'm thinking "a yellow really isn't that bad- a verbal warning- he gets those at home all the time!".  But Jimmy didn't like getting yellows, and it showed in how hard he would try to avoid those verbal warnings and get green.  He really is a good kid at school, and at home (for the most part!) and I'm grateful for that.

Now for the summer to begin!