Dear Lucas (6 years and 1 month),

The last month of summer flew by far too quickly. I meant to take you swimming more. I meant to take you to the beach more. We were supposed to go on so many more adventures. The summer is just never long enough. I guess our adventures don't have to end just because the summer has come to a close.

Since your birthday fell right smack in the middle of the week we scheduled your party for the following weekend. What a fun birthday weekend it was too! Our church had a "Water Day" for the kids with a giant water slide, tons of water guns, different sized swimming pools and cotton candy. You had a ball.

The following day was your birthday party. We celebrated at your Grandparents' house just like we have done for the five birthdays before this one. Hey, it works. They have a pool and your birthday is always in the middle of the high heat of the summer. You wanted a Captain America theme and that's what we did.

During the last week of summer we tried to squeeze in as much fun as possible. We went swimming with friends, we went to Ellis Square in City Market, and we read as many Harry Potter books as we possibly could for the Summer reading program at the library.

The last day before school started we helped Joshua celebrate his 1st birthday party at your Grandparents.... for a pool party. Nobody seemed to mind another chance to take a dip in the water and eat some cake. You loved getting to see your cousins Shane and Colby again. I wish you could see them more but everyone is busy. I just hope you guys grow up to be close when you are older, especially since you don't have any brothers or sisters of your own. Your Dad and I have been trying sometime to give you a sibling but it doesn't seem to be in God's plan right now. I don't want you to think you are never enough for us... because that couldn't be further from the truth. We just didn't want you to be alone when it is our time to no longer be here.

I wasn't sure how you were going to feel on the first day of school. You were a little bummed that you didn't get to be in Mrs. S's class again but you seem to have gotten an equally fabulous teacher. On the first day of school you were up and dressed before my alarm went off at 7:30AM. Your school doesn't even start until 9. You were so excited to get to school and start the day as a First Grader.

There are a few kids in your class from last year and that seemed to make you happy. When it was time to for me to go you whispered that you didn't want me to leave. We did our "kissing hands" from the book that someone recommended when you were having a rough time in Pre-K, and that seemed to help.

You rode the bus home and you were all excited about your first day and told me that you had the best day ever. Later I got an email telling me that you spent the first half of the day hiding in the corner or the room crying. The second day of school I had to wake you up and encourage you to get up. You told me you wanted to go back to Kindergarten because First grade just had to much learning. I'm sure you just need a little time to adjust and before long it will be your first day of Second grade and you'll be wishing you were back in Mrs.B's class.

Luca-Lou, I love you to infinity and beyond,

Mama

Dear Lucas (5 years 11 months),

You are officially a big first grader and in one month you will be six. You are already telling people that you are six. When I remind you that you aren't quite six you tell me, "Well, I am fake six." The other day you asked me if I was sad that you were growing up and you told me, "I'm still me. I'll always be your son."

Your last day of Kindergarten was fun. Your teacher put together a safari party complete with games and an outdoor picnic. You were blessed with such a special teacher this year. It's been amazing seeing how much you learned in Kindergarten. You can now read short books. Since it's the summer you can stay up a little later and the two of us stay up reading books. We just finished the first Harry Potter book and I love reading you chapter books just like my Mom used to read to me.

The summer just got started but we're already off to a great start. We've been the the movies, you've driven a go-cart, we've gone on a short road trip and you've gone swimming more times than I can count. You also spent the week with your Grandparents and went to Vacation Bible School. When it was time to bring you home you asked me if you could just live with Grandma and Grandpa. You said you would just come visit me and Daddy sometimes.

You have become a little fish. You've been able to swim for the last few summers you just didn't have the confidence. You finally decided to trust yourself and you went swimming off into the deep end without any floats. Before long you were jumping off the diving board and swimming to the side of the pool. It was so awesome to watch you conquer your fear. I can't wait to see what the rest of the summer holds.

Sweet-pea, I love you to the moon and back,

Mommy

Dear Lucas (5 years 10 months 1 week and 3 days)

I guess the biggest news this past month is that our family has grown by four paws. Once again we have a kitten and it is the sweetest little at ever. You decided to name her Squeakie because when she meows she squeaks a little bit. She loves to play and snuggle. She even gets along with Jadie.

The day we got Squeakie we also went to Matthew's graduation. It was really cool to see him graduate. After it was over you were so excited to run up to him and say congratulations.

Thursday was your kindergarten awards night, it was kind of like a graduation with out the cap and gown. You looked so handsome all dressed up and you even wore a tie.

During the awards ceremony you guys sang songs and had different lines to say. You had a line at the start of the program and it was, "we weren't sure exactly what to do each day." Then everyone got a special medal. Afterwards we went out to dinner with Grandma, Grandpa, Tony, Lori, Joseph, Josh, and Matthew. You even got presents afterwards.

The day after awards day was field day and man was it HOT! Your class was supposed to do 12 events but I think you guys only made it half way. I remember doing field day when I was a kid so it was cool to get to see you guys do some of the same stuff.

I can't believe you just have a few more days of Kindergarten left. Next year you will be a big first grader. You will also be in the gifted program next year.

You are still good friends with David and Gabriel. They spent the night a few weeks ago for the first time. You all had a ball. I'm sure we'll do all kinds of fun stuff this summer and next year they'll be at your school.

I love you to the moon and back,

Mom

Dear Lucas (5 years 9 months 1 week and 2 Days),

In just a few weeks you will be finished with Kindergarten and I'm looking forward to having you home for a few months. A few weeks ago was your Spring break. Originally we had planned to do a few fun things but unfortunately your Dad and I were sick almost the whole time. However, you got to go spend the night with Grandma and Papa for the first time and you thought that was pretty neat. You are already asking when you can come back. I think it is already decided that you can go to Vacation Bible School with Grandma and stay the whole week.

Being in Kindergarten you get to go to awards day, which they didn't have last year in Pre-K. For the last two marking periods you have made perfect attendance. I love being able to get to attend school functions during the day.

Another fun activity that you are now old enough to participate in is Jump Rope for Heart. You haven't quite got the whole jumping rope thing down yet but that is okay you never gave up.

The last day of school before Spring break was pretty fun. I got to go help hide 472 Easter eggs for your class egg hunt. Well, maybe hide is the wrong word. There were so many eggs that we were just throwing them on the ground. I am pretty sure it took longer for us to put the eggs out than it did for your class to scoop them up. Each of you had to pick up 23 eggs. You got to practice your math skills while having fun with your classmates.

You got to go to another special Easter Egg hunt. Every year we get together with your old playgroup pals and have a hunt. This year was no different. The crowd was a little smaller than it usually is but it was still a lot of fun. Afterwards we spread out blanket out and had a picnic in Forsyth. I really love the weather this time of year.

We went to the Sidewalk Art Festival again this year and you really enjoyed it. We got there after the actual festival was over so we could see the art a little better. In my car I keep a "park bag" and it has a blanket to sit on, balls to play with, sidewalk chalk, and water bottles. When you noticed there were a few empty squares in between some of the artwork you asked for your chalk and started to draw. People kept walking by telling you what an awesome job you were doing. On the way back to the car you told me, "I'm the best chalk drawer in the whole world." I'm still not sure what you ended up drawing.

You have officially kicked off the swimming season. You were a little scared to go in the pool at first and you were worried that you won't remember how to swim. You slowly inched your way in and before long you were doing cannon balls off the side of the pool. It is going to be a fabulous summer.

One of your favorite things to do lately is to swing. You learned how to pump your feet and really get yourself going. Now you take every chance you can get to swing. You are always begging to go to the park or to Grandma and Papa's house. Your Dad keeps talking about making a swing for our backyard. I guess we need to make sure he gets right on that!

On Easter we got together with all of your cousins. In a few months there will be a totally different photo op. It is looking more and more like Joshua and Joseph might be moving away soon and this fall you will be getting a new cousin. Your Aunt Lisa and Uncle Ted are pregnant with their fourth child. Right now everyone is waiting to see if it will be a boy or girl. I just hope there will be lots of chances to take pictures of all 7 of you.

Sweet pea, I love you to the moon and back!

Mommy

Little Learners Need Leveled Libraries

Lucas' kindergarten class is participating in a special project on a website called DonorsChoose. This website helps teachers get some much-needed supplies for their classrooms by asking for donations from companies, private parties as well as parents, families and friends.

Lucas' class project is entitled “Little Learners Need Leveled Libraries.” From the project page, you can make a donation so that they can receive a set of Nonfiction Social Studies leveled readers for the classroom. They have already received half of the money to fund this project from the company Horace Mann!!!

Please tell your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers about this website.

All donations are tax-deductible.


Thank you so very much!

Dear Lucas (5 years 6 months 1 week... and a few days late),

This is probably the latest I've been with a letter to you. It's just crazy life seems to get as you get older and how much it seems to go by quicker. It's also funny to think how when your Dad and I first found out that I was pregnant with you that we both hoped for a girl. I can honestly say however since you've been in our lives we never once thought "man I wish we had a girl instead." I just never realized how much fun pirates and super heroes are. The other night I went to dinner with a friend and came home to find you passed out in bed. You were all snuggled under the covers and next to you was your Spider-Man costume. I couldn't help but smile because the way everything was laying there it looked like I had just discovered Spider-man's secret identity.

Caden and Aunt Sam are still staying with us. You and Caden are finally starting to warm up to each other. When Caden first moved in he was terrified of taking baths for some reason but he started to see how much fun you had he decided to give it a try. Now every night when he hears the water running or you splashing around he comes running. Caden has been giving you a taste of what life would be like with a little brother or sister.

This month I've noticed how much you are like your Dad. The two of you really are two peas in a pod. You both get so frustrated if you don't get something right the first time. You both love to work with your hands and you both love video games. I just got a new phone and every chance you get you are always swiping it to play games on it. There are these puzzle games on my phone that I can barely figure out but you just zip through with no problem.

This past week you were the Star Student for your class. We had to make a poster so that you could share a little bit about your life with your classmates. You were supposed to include pictures of your family and pets. Last month your cat Siren was hit by a car and we had to bury her in the backyard. You wanted to include her picture on your poster. When we put that picture on the poster you almost started crying and grabbed on me and said "Mommy, I still miss her and I think I'll miss her forever."

At the end of each week you always bring home the papers and activities you did at School. You must have studied the planets last week because you brought home a paper you did where you placed all the planets in the right order from the sun. I made a comment to you about how when I was a kid there were nine planets. I totally thought you were going to be shocked or think I was making something up. Instead, without skipping a beat you said, "Yeah well that was Pluto. It got destroyed or something and now it's just a star." Then you started talking about the libery bell and how it got cracked. I am always amazed by just how much you have learned.

Friday was awards day at your school. You got a perfect attendance certificate and you were so proud. I think only four or five kids in your class had perfect attendance (including you) this last marking period.

The other day a little girl that lives a few houses down came and asked if you could play. She goes to your school and rides your bus. I've met her parents so I let you go play for a little bit. It was your first playdate at a neighbors house.

Sweet Pea, I love you to the moon and back,

Mom

Dear Lucas (5 years 4 Months),

So here we are and another year is coming to a close. We just had a wonderful Thanksgiving and we have so many reasons to be thankful. It has been so much fun to decorate our new house for the holidays. I'm also thankful that we have more room to have family and friends over more often.

Your cousin Steven has been coming to spend the weekend with us once a month. You really enjoy him being here. He is 12 but he is so awesome about treating you like a big kid. When he was here this time you guys built a tower of books at the Children's Book Festival and built periscopes at the Lowe's kids clinic. When he left this last time you were so upset to see him leave that you cried. It was so sad.

A few weeks ago your Dad helped build a house that is going to be on a show called "Extreme Makeover Home Edition." He helped his co-worker install shower doors and mirrors in all the bathrooms. We went down there a few times to see the house being built and you thought it was so cool because for once you could see "where" your Dad was working. I can't wait to see the episode when it airs in a few weeks! We might have to let you stay up and watch it too!

Last week we got together at your Grandparents' house to celebrate your cousin Colby's 7Th birthday. It was the first time since Joshua was born that all six grandsons were together in one place. Matthew is about to graduate from High School in a few months and Joseph and Joshua may be moving away soon so opportunities like this one will become few and far between.

Before school got out for Thanksgiving your teacher put together a special feast. You guys got dressed up in costumes that you made and sang three songs. Then it was time to feast on things like fruit, cheese, veggies, pumpkin pie, and apple juice. I love times like that when I get to be called "Lucas' Mom" and get to see you interacting with your teacher and classmates.

This weekend we went to Holly Days in downtown Savannah for the first time. You got a chance to play in "snow" and you loved it. You ran around and threw snowballs, made snow angels, and just had a blast. I hope one day before you are grown that we can take you to somewhere with REAL snow on the ground but until then this was pretty awesome.

The other cool thing we did at Holly Days was go "ice skating." Well, according to you it is "board skating" because it was more like you were skating on a big cutting board. You have never roller skated or ice skated but you were a natural. I was worried that you were too young and that I was wasting the $5 renting you skates. You sure proved me wrong, You were a natural! You begged to take the ice skates home with you. I can't wait to take you in a few weeks to go ice skating at the Civic Center.

I just know this is going to be the best Christmas yet. You are so excited and it is rubbing off on me. Before Thanksgiving you were begging to put up decorations. I let you have our little old tree that we used when we lived in the trailer and it is now your night light. Some days you will decorate it with your toys. One day you put a construction hat on the top and toy tools on the branches and one day you had a Super hero action figure tree. I can't wait to see what you come up with next.

Little one, I love you to the moon and back,
Mommy

Kindergarten Picture