Our Kindergartener

There's something about Kindergarten that makes a mom feel as though she's at a jumping-off point.  Preschool didn't feel this way.  Having my child turn five and go off to Kindergarten does.  Not that he's independent now--far from it--but there's something so Big Kid-ish about packing a lunch and kissing him goodbye for the whole day.  August 20 was Noah's first day at school, so he's completed one full week.

Here are the milestones of the week:

• Noah learned to tie his shoes this week.  The motivation?  I bought him a pair of sneakers with laces and told him he couldn't wear them to school until he learned to tie them.  15 minutes later, he had mastered that skill.  No more velcro shoes for this boy! 
• He got sick at school on the second day. :(  Almost our whole family came down with some sort of nasty bug promptly upon returning from The Wilds last week.  Josh and Noah had shared a water bottle on Saturday, just a couple of hours before Josh was laid low, and then Noah came down with it on Tuesday, apparently just minutes before the end of the school day.  Bummer for him, and also for his teacher who had to clean up after him (Reason #1 why I would NEVER want to be a school teacher.  Honestly!).
• Noah brought his own lunch to school, and told me he ate his sandwich and fruit first and saved his dessert until last!  *proud mom*  I thought for sure the dessert would go first.
• At five years old, we have finally given up Noah's nap!  With a school day that ends at 3pm, there just  isn't time for one.  They do have naptime at school, but Noah tells me he just lays there and watches other kids sleep.  So this has ushered in a MUCH earlier bedtime to compensate.  Even going to bed an hour and a half earlier, he is asleep almost as soon as his head hits the pillow.  And an earlier bedtime has a side perk as well: Josh and I now have an extra couple of hours alone together each night.  Bonus!