4th Grade...

Having a 4th grader certainly doesn't seem like I have a "little kid" anymore, does it?

It's been a great summer break, despite the pesky seizures trying to ruin our time.  We didn't get to go on many trips, like we had thought of doing.  We stuck close to home, but had a lot of visits from family, which was a lot of fun.  And for the first time in a few summers, he stayed out of the hospital and just grew, and grew.

I admit, I'm ready for the routine of school for both the kids.  Summer is fun, but having the routine just works well for us all.

The night before school started, I looked at my little giant, sleeping in his bed and to be honest, I shed a few tears.  They were happy, bittersweet tears.  Every single day he grows older is amazing...it's just, how did we get here so quickly?

Tuesday morning, we had to wake Max up to get ready for a visit to his classroom.  He was awake until 1:00am, then woke again at 5:00am, so excited to go to school.  He got back to sleep around 6:00, and I let him sleep until about 8:00.  When we got to school, I tried to get a good photo of him going into the school.

But, alas, he was sound asleep.


So, I rearranged his head to see if he would wake up.  No such luck.


We went inside and ran into his SSN teacher, and chatted with her for a bit.  Then his principal stopped to say hi.  All the time, Max was snoring along.  We headed out to his classroom to visit with his new classmates and teacher.  Still sleeping.


Here we go, Max...wake up for me!!!


After questions from his classmates, about how he eats, and germs, his talker, and music that Max likes, it was time for a read-aloud.  Guess who decided to wake up?


We stayed for the book, about a scaredy squirrel who didn't like to leave his tree, and had an emergency kit for all the scary things he could encounter in the world.  Max later told me in Speech Therapy he didn't like the book because it was too short.  I guess, at least, he was listening!

We said good-bye to the classroom, then the office staff and back to his van we went, and thankfully he was awake enough to get a 4th Grade picture.


I told him he was a stinker for staying asleep most of the time and not smiling once for a picture........and he smiled.



And just because it's fun, the past 3 years first day pictures.

First grade:


Second grade:


Third grade:


and Fourth grade:


Max starts back with his homebound teacher tomorrow.  Today, he had to sleep all the day long, even through music with Ms. Laura...his favorite.  I think he must have been growing 2 feet, or something important.  It didn't stop him from trying to play the guitar while he slept though.


So big.