Our Boy Can READ!!!!!

So, I knew the day was coming and I knew he was very close to reading because he's been asking "what's that word?" "what's that say" type questions for quite some time now... BUT, and this is a BIG BUT, I never realized how quickly it would happen.

Last Thursday night when I put Jake to bed he was so excited about getting "his book" the next day. It sounded as though one of his teachers was making it for him to bring home to read over the weekend. I wasn't quite sure what to make of the whole "his book" thing because frankly, anything that consists of a few pages (no matter what's on them or not on them) stapled together is a "book" to Jake these days. And with the recent spike in creativity and affinity for arts/crafts, we've had quite a number of "books" being developed every hour in these here parts... which is probably why my printer and fax machine NEVER has any paper anymore.

So Friday afternoon when I arrived at school, he could NOT have been more excited to proudly show me "his book". It came in a very special "reading" folder that only the kindergarten children (usually) get and had instructions for his reading "homework" for the weekend. He held it in his hands the entire ride home and when we arrived, we sat at the table (me in my assigned "listening seat") and he READ the "book" to me!!!! OK, so truth be told, the "book" was simply 6-7 pages of a photocopied "story" with 3-4 word sentences and pictures. Yet, I could NOT have been any prouder!!!!!!!!! My boy, my just 4 year old boy, READING to me!!!!!

The next day, we were off to Jordan's 3rd bday party held at none other than 1 Todd Terrace and yes, we just had to bring the book with us. During an intermission between delicious courses, the Posse and some others (Goobie, Gail, Christiana, Andrew... etc) gathered round and Jake proudly read his "book" to everyone. It was one of those moments when I'm so touched by the loving friends (more like family, really) that we have in our lives. It felt as if they were just as proud of him as I was and the feeling could not have been any better.

Jake returned the book to school on Monday and spent the better part of this week getting in mischief. Every day I arrive to a report of someone he "harassed" or some teacher he didn't listen to and by the middle of the week I was online late at night researching boarding schools...LOL So, I had a little sit down with the Asst Head of Schools and we agreed that they would not force him to lay on his mat and nap during the day any longer...as this seemed to be the time when he got himself into the most trouble and frankly, I absolutely DON'T want him to nap. Instead of napping, they decided to try to give him a workbook that the kindergarten children use and wouldn't you know, he loved it!

Today, when I picked him up, though not a perfect report for the day, we certainly had a much better one and no nap time troubles at all. The best part of the pick up, however, was seeing him excitedly run over the show me the REAL BOOK that he was taking home this weekend for reading homework. His teacher came over and explained that he just blew through the whole first set earlier in the week (typically takes 2-3 months) and so she had no choice but to start him on this real series of books. Funnier still, she said that she caught him trying to sneak ALL of the books from this set into his backpack to take home and when she asked him what he was doing he said he "I really, really, really want to read them all please". She explained that she had to have some to send home with the other children and with a little bit of a struggle was able to get him to leave with just one.

We were lucky enough to have Aunt Bear come over to visit tonight and so Jakey actually had a 2 person audience for his first read through his new REAL BOOK. It was amazing and we were both stunned to be sitting there watching him read this book to us...a REAL book!!!

Days like this, it's just too cool to be a mommy...