Already 2 weeks in...

Yes, I'm back & longer than EVER!!! well maybe not longer...I won't know till I'm done. LOL

Gabby came home yesterday & told me that her new AR reading score is 3.1-4.1. I was like wow you've improved over the summer. I think her last score was 3.2 and that was the high end of the rage. Then last night I had the opportunity to meet Gabby's teacher. She's very nice & she told me that she's probably going to take Gabby & a few of the other kids that read really well & let them get through their stuff very quickly. I was thinking...hmm that's kinda cool. (Guess I didn't realize she was at such a high level.) Especially since last year she struggled to have time to take her AR tests but as Adam reminded me, her teacher last year said that had to do with her age (she was the youngest kid in her class & some kids were almost 2 yrs older than her) & that we shouldn't worry about it.
Fast forward to this afternoon when she gave me all her papers from school. She had her STAR test results and as I read the results my eyes teared up. Yup, call me an emotional sap if you must...I won't deny it. (And doesn't that make you feel sorry for Adam when I was pregnant & had more emotional stuff to deal with. LOL) Back to the present, as I read the results I was totally impressed & proud of my little girl (whom isn't so little anymore. Well she's still really tiny compared to other kids her age but she's growing up fast.) Apparently her results stated

"Gabby reads at a grade level equivalent to that of a typical 4th grader after the 3rd month of the school year. She reads at a level greater than 97% of other students nationally in the same grade. This score is above -average. She is at least 80% proficient at recognizing words and comprehending reading material. And she is at least 80% proficient at reading 3rd grade words & books. And her Zone of Proximal Development is 3.1-4.8."

It may seem like I'm bragging a bit because....well, I am. But not because I think she is more brilliant than any one else's kid. This is more of a relief to me that we made the right decision to push her into the class that we did when she started elementary school. This is me being extremely happy for her that she excelled in something when I think she has always felt like she was lagging behind & would sometimes get frustrated with her school work. I am so proud of her & feel as though all the time we've invested in her is finally showing. She still struggles with adding & subtracting & it was getting to the point that I was nervous that she just wouldn't get it but tonight she was telling me ways I could figure out that 7+7=14 if I didn't know it. If I knew 6+6=12 then I know that I just have to add 2 more to get to my answer. This isn't how she was thinking just a few days ago. And she still struggles with being quick to get things done but as she's maturing I see her speed quicken too...she may just blow us COMPLETELY out of the water & I'd LOVE to see that happen. She's just exceeding my expectations & I'm lovin' it!

Though I haven't talked to Braly's teacher yet to see how she gauges his abilities; I have no doubt that he's doing well. He has been reading for quite a long time & is getting better at sounding very large words out. He's been able to count well over 100 for a long time too so he's doing great there but he struggles with the fine motor skills of writing his name and coloring in the lines neatly. I think that has to do a lot with his personality so I'm not overly concerned. I was hoping that he wouldn't get bored in his class since he knows all the letters & the sounds & that is something they are working on as they learn to read. The great thing for Braly is that they changed the way they are teaching the kids the letters & the sounds by incorporating sign language. It's fabulous & he's really enjoying it. He's been coming home & showing me the letters that he's learned & signing them. I'm glad that I learned them when I was little so I can help him out. It's pretty cool to be able to relate to what he's working on. I find it funny that he thinks I'm a cool mom since I know the stuff that he's learning. Kinda like this summer when I started playing Super Mario Brothers 3 on the Game Boy Advance with him. He told me I was pretty cool since I can beat so many of the levels. I dare say that I'm even better than dad. LOL. Braly talks about several kids in his class & tells us of things that he's been playing with some of his new friends & some old friends (from previous classes at Headstart) while they are out at recess. He is quite the social butterfly.

One of the best things about this year (I am unbelievably thankful for) is that Gabby & Braly get on the same bus at the same time in the morning. They are A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E!!!! No, I really mean it! They hold hands as they cross the street to get on their bus & then sit together & wave, make faces, blow kisses, etc to Morgie & me as the bus drives away. This is the BEST thing in my book. I no longer have to struggle to get Gabby on the bus & Braly too. He gave me a hard time a few times last year. oh.... Gabby has been difficult for the last 4 years that she's been attending school. NOT this year & I think it makes a HUGE difference in her demeanor and in her school work as well. It has been wonderful for me to be able to wave "see ya later" to them and walk in the house with a smile on my face & not have to collapse on the couch from emotional exhaustion that I had to force my child to get on the bus because I knew it was the best thing for her to do, that she likes school, and would be fine by the time she reached the end of our block.

Today was a great day and I thank God & my family for this wonderful glorious day that I have been privileged to have enjoyed. All praise to Him! Now it's time for me to get some sleep. At least its Sat & we get to sleep in. horray!!!