Dear Noah......a most memorable statement.......

As you climbed into bed on August 29, 2007 and after your prayers....you looked up at me and said "Mommy....I LOVE school!"

I will remember that sentence and night forever. A moment in time I always wanted to experience but had wondered if I ever would. I hope and pray you will be like me and love school and learning forever with each day being more exciting than the previous!

You are so excited about it still. This morning you got up and got ready all by yourself again. I did not have to walk you through any steps on what needed to be done to get ready for the day like I normally do. I mean sometimes it is like pulling teeth to get you to do anything in the morning to start your day. NOW you are just doing it! You got up....got dressed. Brushed your teeth....came in and smiled and said good morning to me. Talked about your day and what you wanted for breakfast.

When we pulled up in front of the school today you told me to NOT walk you up to the school but to just drop you off. I dropped you off...watched you walk to the line where you are supposed to place your backpack in the mornings. I saw you wave to a little boy on the way up.....but even before that you said hello to some girl walking by our truck.

Once inside the playground you waved to your teacher and ran to the swings. THAT is where you stayed till they called everyone to get ready to go in to start your day. You had told me this morning there was a squeaky swing you like best because it makes a sound like a horn when you swing in it. You also said you swung all by yourself and did not need any help....that you used your own legs and arms to pump yourself really high! You were very proud of this.

Today I sat in the parked truck and watched you. I watched you jump OUT of the swing you were in to grab another one.....cause you saw another little boy jump out of a swing. I know I need to let you be but it about made me want to instinctively jump out of the truck and yell to you to NOT do that...so you would not get hurt. Your feet and legs are not that strong...YET. BUT I did not move out of the truck. I know I have to let you try things....this will make you stronger AND me stronger. SO I saw you jump from the swing....and your feet and legs only held you for a bit and you fell onto your butt. You got up and brushed yourself off. In the past if you had gravel on your hands or shorts you would have had a fit. NOW you know it is no big deal and you can just brush it off.

I saw kids darting in between the moving swings. I DO HOPE you never try that as you are not always very coordinated YET and could get kicked in the head!

BUT......it is play time. Natural things most kids do to play. I have to let you do it and I actually encourage it as long as you really work to be careful which I think you would.

I am so happy for you and very proud you are doing so well. I am even more proud of the fact that you have been wiping your own butt after bowel movements. At 8-1/2 years of age that has been the longest thing for you to master and overcome......but you are doing it! I KNOW before the year is out you will be doing it all by yourself all the time!

WOW......so much progress. YOU are quite an amazing little man Noah.

And I love you.....so very much!

Mommy
XOXOXOX