The Kindergarten Life

I can't believe my boy is in Kindergarten. And it is no surprise that he LOVES it. I am so grateful for Evan's love for school; interacting with his peers, independence from home and his love & dedication to learning! He is so proud of his accomplishments whether a worksheet completed, drawing created or story to share. We are very fortunate to live in an amazing community and that Evan's peers are so kind, warm and accepting.

Dancing in music class!

The biggest change going into Kindergarten was getting use to a FULL DAY of school. Since Evan attended the same school for Pre-K 3&4 we had already gone through the process of transitioning into a school setting (were ichthyosis is concerned). But I was a bit worried how Evan would manage on an energy level for an entire day, as well as how his diet would be compromised from the "distractions" in the cafeteria. Luckily his energy has been great and to my surprise he comes home seemingly energized! Though all the fun of eating lunch in a cafeteria full of kids has been more enjoyable for Evan than Mommy. Eating well has never been his forte but we are still working on it!

Math center on the carpet!

As far as his skin care goes while in school, I have to admit that we have the best crew there is! Being away for 7+ hours compared to 3 is a big difference when taking care of his skin. And yet again we are extremely lucky to have a nurse, aides, teachers & staff that are all working together to make sure he stays comfortable and safe. He now gets to enjoy lunch, recess and specials at school so planning for his skin in different environments, like the temperature of the cafeteria or gymnasium to what kinds of paints he can have on his skin in art class, have been considered.

When it's too hot, Evan and a few buddies eat in the classroom!

All in all I have nothing to complain about. Evan has gotten into a good routine, now, being in school for a full day. I know he is in good hands and his skin is the "least" of my worries while he is at school. He comes home happy, excited and has lots to share about his day. I can only hope his enthusiasm for school will continue throughout the years and he will continue to "jump for joy" when the bus pulls up!

Evan's favorite thing to play, GROCERY STORE!

**Side note** I usually offer to go into the classroom in the beginning of the year to talk about Evan's skin with his classmates. Since most of the students know Evan already and they have accepted him for him, I decided to talk about ichthyosis from more of a biological standpoint than talk about differences (which I did speak about on the preschool level). I did this mainly because Evan is older and more aware now and I didn't feel like it was necessary to have a discussion about how "different" Evan was when he really isn't. He's a kid just like all of his classmates.

Video: Explanation of Ichthyosis to Elementary Students

 

Goodbye Summer! Until Next Time!

Wow summer flew by! And we had quite a full one at that! So many fun memories, vacations and time spent at home with the family. Evan just headed out the door for his first day of Kindergarten. My emotions are going haywire but I am so excited for him and can't wait to hear about his day.

First on the list of summer fun was a trip down south to the Carolina beaches. Our entire family and extended family gather there each year. This year Joe was unable to join us again, due to work obligations, so I went down with the two boys. Thanks to the many helping hands, it was a fun vacation for all!

Listening to seashells!!

This one decided to wake up at 5am each morning. So we usually headed outside.

Evan played mini-golf for the first time!! And at an indoor course! 

AND we were with another child we met who also has ichthyosis!!

One morning it was cloudy and cool so as soon as Evan opened his eyes we went to the beach. 

Still in his PJs too! So convenient staying at a house on the ocean!

The next big event this summer was a vacation to Cape Cod! The weather was much more forgiving than the south and a cold front had come through creating ideal outdoor conditions for Evan. Unfortunately, he was a little under the weather himself so Joe and I were a bit worried to travel. Of course Evan said he "felt fine" and "didn't feel sick" to make sure we would still go on vacation. Luckily it all worked out and it was a great visit with more family.

The second time this guy got to play mini-golf!

AND GOT A HOLE-IN-ONE!!!

Don't mind my sqeaky excitement!

It was a happy day!

Beach time was perfect and cool! To the point Evan asked for a blanket!

What's a Cape Cod vacation without stopping for some School House ice cream! 

Another big event this summer was our family camp out. We started the summer off with some backyard camping but Joe and I braved the wilderness to do some real camping with the boys. We headed up to the Green Mountains in VT and camped at a beautiful park with some good friends. Luckily they lived close by so we knew we had a house (aka bath tub) to go to when we needed it! Evan just loved camping! His favorite part was helping his daddy make the fire! And again we got beautiful, cool, comfortable weather which included some chilly nights! It was a great family outing!

We had a gorgeous spot on top of a grassy hill with a little nook of trees for shade!

Evan picked flowers for us!

Vincenzo enjoyed the camping life!

Evan LOVED the campfire!

The benefit to an early rising baby!

Brothers!!!

Family!!!

I probably could go on and on and on about how eventful our summer was. It really was the busiest summer we ever had. Which included lots of picnics, pool parties, birthday parties, playground adventures, Action Wildlife visits, LOTS of blue berry picking, fishing at the lake and the usual home fun. We were always doing something or going somewhere but also had time to wind down and rest at home after busy trips and adventures. AND did I forget to mention Evan was in the summer school session and had physical therapy at the house? Yes we fit that in too! Next post will be all about Evan's Kindergarten experience!!!

And I couldn't not post an Action Wildlife pic! We spent half of our summer there!!!