Our First Grader

It's hard to believe but my little Alden started first grade a couple weeks ago (he'd be angry at me for writing "my little Alden"). Nonetheless, it seems like not very long ago that Alden was my baby, and now he really is getting to be a big kid. He really likes his new teacher, Mrs. Erickson, and I'm hoping he has a great year. I was impressed when he came home from school during the first week and told us that Mrs. Erickson read a story to them in Spanish. Apparently there was an English version and a Spanish version about ants or hormigitas. When Mrs. Erickson read "hormigitas," Alden politely (according to Mrs. Erickson) raised his hand and said, "Mrs. Erickson, remember the letter "H" is silent; you're not supposed to say "H" in Spanish." I was really happy that she was willing to try and hope that she'll continue to find opportunities to use Spanish in the classroom. In Alden's class, he has a few of his friends from last year. His favorite friend at school is still Jack Place. They really love to do stuff together—we got together with his mom and brother a couple times this summer; it wasn't nearly as often as they would have liked. Anyway, although he and Jack are not in the same classroom, they play together every recess. Alden told me that when they have to go back to their respective classrooms, they say to each other, "May the Force be with you."

With Alden starting school, it also means really early mornings once again. I wonder if every year this 6:00 a.m. will be as shocking to our family as it's been the past two years. Anyway, Alden is quite the trooper about getting up so early in the morning. He is usually very tired, but it doesn't take long until he's his usually happy, jabbery self. He's such a fun kid. Michael has also started having seminary at our house on Friday mornings. It's a fun change of pace for his students and is obviously a nice thing for Michael. Seminary starts at 6:00 a.m., and I usually get Alden up at 6:10. When I woke him up on the first Friday Seminary was at our house, I told him that one of the parents would be in our living room and that Daddy was having his seminary class in the basement. Alden was very excited. After he got dressed, we headed down to the kitchen. Alden excitedly asked, "Mom, can I hurry and go look at them." I said that I thought that would be all right. Soon he came scrambling up the stairs at a lightening pace yelling, "There are a hundred of 'em! There are a lot of people down in our basement!" It was really funny (there were actually only about 15 people down there that day, not 100).

Alden is a costume fanatic. Every day he wants to dress up as someone as soon as he gets home from school. It always makes me laugh to see what he comes up with. The other day he was wearing his Power Ranger suit and hood, a Ninja Turtle top, and his fireman goggles. He was quite the sight! I'm not sure who he was trying to be at that point (he just told me he was just a bad guy), but he looked pretty impressive. Right now he's talking to Michael explaining that Michael will be Jengo Fett from Star Wars, he will be Bubba Fett, while Thobe is a clone (who is also one of Jengo Fett's sons in Alden's world), and Hyrum's Yoda. They are running around the room yelling and fighting. It's pretty cute. He especially loves being a superhero. Sometimes he and other people in our family can only be Marvel superheros, while other days we can only be Superfriend superheros. There are also days that we can be whoever we want to be or of course like today, days that we can only be Star Wars characters. I am never allowed to be a boy superhero or a male character, but I always have to be someone almost every day.

Alden and I have had a lot of fun reading chapter books together. He loves the funny parts and will laugh and laugh and laugh. Thobe and Hyrum enjoy them too, but not nearly as much as Alden does. We have read Summer of the Monkeys by Rawls Wilson (we both cried toward the end of this book; it was very, very heart-warming), Superfudge by Judy Blume, a Junie B. Jones book, and are going to try out a few Hank the Cow Dog books. If you know of any engaging fun books for a 6 year old read loud, please feel free to share them with us. I really feel so grateful for all Alden does for me. He really is my right hand man. Michael has been on several business trips in the last couple months. Alden helps me more than most kids his age could ever help their moms. He is such a great kid!