My Growing Big Boy Matthew

I haven't really posted a whole lot about Matthew so it's time that I do!
Matthew is just becoming more and more like a little person and less like a little boy! Don't get me wrong, he still acts like a boy and we have our issues here and there, but since he has started school, things have improved tremendously!! His attitude is better and we have a lot less meltdowns each day! It's hard to believe that 9 weeks have passed by! I had a conference with his teacher around the 6 week mark. They do the conferences with the parents at the 6 week mark with the Pre-K kids since a report card really isn't appropriate, they just sit down and discuss where your child is at and what needs to be worked on etc. With exception with a few incidents here and there(especially when his class got a new teacher) his teacher is just so impressed with him! Of course Matthew is off the Pre-K charts academically. I told both his first teacher and his new teacher about how advanced he was and that I was afraid of him getting bored. I think at first they both thought that I was one of those parents that thinks too highly of my child, but assured me that they would come up with extra stuff for him to do if it seemed that he was getting bored. Both came to me later very pleasantly surprised and impressed with Matthew's intellect! But he does need to work on his socialization, attention span in large groups, and some fine motor skills like using scissors; all to be expected of any 4 year old. His teacher just loves his knowledge of different things and yet still has an excitement about the things that they are learning. Matthew is one of only may be a few that can right his name, knows letters, sounds, numbers, and simple addition. He is also starting to learn how to read! She told me that because he already knows much of what they are doing, instead of gettin bored, he becomes a leader in his class and helps the students around him. I talked to the school at the beginning of the year about placing Matthew in Kinder, but was told legally the child has to be 5. I am glad that he went to preschool, so that he could learn how to behave in a classroom setting and will be ahead of the game when he gets to Kinder! Matthew just loves school! He comes home singing songs that he has learned and talking about his friends(mostly girls!). Matthew loves repetition so even though he knows most of what is being taught, he loves doing the work anyway.

Matthew came home excited one day and just had to show me what his new teacher showed him how to do!

Crisscross applesauce is what she calls it. Others(SS and VBS teachers) have mentioned that they thought that it was strange that Matthew couldn't cross his legs while sitting. I have explained so many times that it's due to his legs twisting in. I have tried many times to show him and only end up hurting him. So I was just as thrilled as he was that she taught him that. I know that it's not that big of a deal for most, but again, given Matthew leg issues, it's huge!

Matthew practicing writing his name at home, since they aren't doing yet at school. He was so proud, he took it to school to show his teacher. Before he would only write his name in capital letters. So a few days later she sent home a paper with him writing his name correctly and said, now more capital letters, it was funny.

Besides school, Matthew is thriving at Awana Cubbies! He loves going of course. He loves anything that involves other kids!

I wasn't sure how well he would do with all the memorization of verses and school at the same time, but he of course has surpassed all expectations of what he is capable of. Along with remembering everything that has happened at school, he memorizes Bible verses so easily. Just saying it once or twice and he has it down. And not just for the one day or week. So far they have learned 9 verses and he remembers all of them when prompted!

Here are the patches he as earned so far!

I am so proud of my little man and just loving this stage of his life! His excitement and pure enjoyment of learning, both academically and spiritually is just awesome! Sometimes it gets taxing, when he constantly asks how every word he sees or hears is spelled and wants you to stop what you are doing to help him sound it out, but LOVE that his brain is such a sponge; well actually more like a vacuum. LOL