Kindergarten!

Let the adventure of Kindergarten begin!  Maddy started Kindergarten at Vestal Elementary School on September 1, 2016.  During the summer Maddy attended several Vestal events, including Kinder Round Ups and a Science Night, giving her the opportunity to meet some of the other kids and get a feel for her new school.  Having attended these events helped the transition, as Maddy already had formed some friendships with her new classmates.

Maddy's teacher is Miss (Anna) DeVille and we love her already.  Right away she informed parents that she wanted to try using Appletree, an online sharesite for teachers to share updates, photos, videos and calendar events.  Miss DeVille posts updates regularly and we think it's great!  It's fun to receive real-time updates and it also helps us extract more information from Maddy about what she's up to at school (more than just the one word answers like "good" or "fine" when we ask how her day was).

The Vestal administration realized quickly that the Kindergarten classes (2 of them) were too full, at 29 students apiece, and happily Portland Public Schools granted Vestal a third Kindergarten teacher.  Classes were shifted, Maddy got to stay with Miss DeVille (yay!) and now class sizes are down to 19.  Whew.  That's much better for the teachers and the students.

Maddy's transition from ChildRoots to Vestal has gone smoothly.  We appreciate the groundwork laid by ChildRoots which taught Maddy to be a strong, confident independent thinker with the skills to handle new situations with ease.  Although she is pretty shy, she already had some new friends and had met Miss DeVille several times.  School ends at 2:15 and at that point Maddy goes to Y-Care, an after school program offered by the YMCA.  She really enjoys this program as it includes lots of reading time and crafts, two things she absolutely loves.  We have her signed up for year-round care, so all late starts, teacher in-service, conferences, breaks (including summer break) are covered.  This has been a good choice for us and Maddy, so Steve and I don't need to worry about her care and missing work, and Maddy really enjoys the program.  A win-win!

Maddy is also involved in extracurricular activities: swimming and gymnastics.  She takes gymnastics with her buddy Carson from ChildRoots which I think has also helped her transition to Kindergarten, as she still has the tie to her old friend too!  I have also signed up to be a Girl Scout Troop Leader (!!) so Maddy will also soon be a "Daisy" with Girl Scouts. 

 

First Day of School Drop Off

First day at Vestal Elementary

Ready for Kindergarten!

Proud Mommy!

Southsider Graduation Party

Silly Southsiders with Amber and Thavy

Ben's parents threw the Southsiders Graduation Party at their home, complete with a bouncy house, snow cone machine and TWO pinatas.  What a fun gathering!  The kids seemed to enjoy themselves immensely and the adults had a nice time hanging out as well.

That afternoon Ben's Mom, Kathy, informed me that Ben had a bit of a crush on Maddy.  This was the first I'd heard of this, as it was well known that Maddy's and her best little buddy, Carson plan to get married some day. (Although there is some contention around the fact that Maddy would like children but Carson would not, and Carson isn't so sure he wants to work, but he will learn to cook).

Anyway, it came out that Ben and Carson have had some "altercations" regarding our little Maddy.  Who knew such things start at five. 

Amber and Maddy

Thavy and Maddy

Maddy vs. the Pinata

Beautiful home, yard and Bouncy House!

ChildRoots Graduation

The Graduate! Ready to take on the World!

Big milestone for Maddy...graduation from preschool and her five year program at ChildRoots.  I am so happy she spent her first five years in a magnificent school, learning to think for herself, fend for herself ("Move back, friend, I need space!") and be herself.  Her first three years as an infant, wobbler and toddler were spent with her primary teacher Krystal.  Krystal and Maddy had a special bond and she will remain close in our hearts always.  Krystal traveled from her current home in California to see "her kids" graduate.  Kati was Maddy's first preschool teacher (year four of the five year program), then Kati left for Spain to pursue her dreams overseas.  Maddy adored Kati and even at the end of their year together, Maddy would still become a "noodle" (as Kati would say) in the morning when she'd first see her teacher.  We miss Kati dearly.  Enter Amber (fondly known as "Ambie" to Maddy), Maddy's final preschool teacher, and another wonderful role model and nurturer. 

Maddy made many wonderful friends at ChildRoots and several children were with her from infancy.  Her two closest friends are Karina and Carson, and both have been part of her life at ChildRoots since 5 months of age.  Even though none of Maddy's Southsider friends are joining her at Vestal, her new school, I'm sure she will have bonds that will last for many years to come.

Here is what Amber said about Maddy at graduation:
"I am not sure how many of you are aware of Maddy's reading ability, but this child regularly leads circle times and small groups in our room, with the accuracy that many adults would envy. An amazing friend, and student, she is beyond ready for kindergarten."


We could not have asked for a better environment for Maddy to grow and learn.

Amber Reading about Maddy

Entering the Teacher Tunnel

Maddy with Thavy and Amber, her Preschool Teachers

Maddy's Thank You's

Carson and Maddy

 

Maddy and Krystal - Maddy's first teacher

Karina and Maddy

Mommy and Maddy on Graduation Day

Maddy's Last Day at ChildRoots

Bluegrass Dinner

Far Out West - our neighbor Casey playing upright bass

Our neighbor Casey is quite the musician and is in two bands.  Sometimes the bluegrass band practices outside on the front porch which is great- I love those evenings!  Casey let us know his bluegrass band had a gig at Produce Row, a bar/restaurant near the Willamette Rive, on the East side.  Maddy, Steve and I decided to check it out.  Maddy had fun running around (a lot, as she had boatloads of energy that evening) and it was fun to see Casey and his band, Far Out West, play.  It was a fun night and Maddy was extra cuddly near then end of the evening.

Love this girl to pieces!

Fun music!

My heart.

Summertime at ChildRoots

Southsider's Beach Day

As this was Maddy's last summer at ChildRoots it's time for a ChildRoots catch-up.  Maddy has grown by leaps and bounds and her love of reading amazes us.  She reads to her class at times and loves reading at home as well.  Her closest friends continue to be Carson and Karina, but she branches out and plays with other Southsiders as well.  It's hard to believe that this five year program is almost at an end.

During Maddy's last month at ChildRoots the kids put on plays.  Maddy's play was called "The World with Pears All Around"  Steve and I were there to watch the show, which was pretty funny. Maddy was shy and needed her teacher Thavy to introduce her, but once the play started, she got into it and played her role.  Pretty neat to see!

 

Jamie

 

Maddy and Carson

 

 

Preparing for the Play

End of Play Dance Party (Of course!)

Armstrong - Camping along the Clackamas River

These Girls!

Andy, Christy and Luella Sweany joined us for a lovely camping trip at Armstrong Campground in Mount Hood National Forrest.  We had a beautiful campsite and it was a great weekend to hang out, play with Lu and Maddy and enjoy the Clackamas River.  Saturday morning, Christy and the girls put together a nature based scavenger hunt for Steve, Andy and my enjoyment which was fun for all of us.  The weather was nice, but the river was cold.  Being from Minnesota and growing up on Lake Superior, I enjoyed it more than the others, but it was chilly even for me.  A camper had spend quite some time creating hot-tub like areas in the river itself, which I thought was a brilliant idea.  I'm sure the force of the water will not allow them to last, but for the day, it was great.

We hiked, roasted marshmallows, the girls biked, I swam, we scavenger-hunted, I climbed a monster hill just because, and we all thoroughly enjoyed our camping weekend!

Andy and Christy

Awesome "Cold Tub" built into the river

Playtime!

Mmmmmmarshmallows

Happy Camper

Enjoying the river - right after seeing a swimming snake!

Luella trying to make Grumpy Maddy smile

Silly faces can make anyone cheer up!