The Hatz Family: Kindergarten Graduate!

We have had an exciting things happening lately! Most recently, Carter finished up his kindergarten year! I seriously cannot believe he is done with school and is going to be a first grader. It is so very crazy how fast time flies. I didn't think it was possible to cry more the last day of kindergarten than I did on the first and yet I found myself holding back the tears. I was doing pretty good until Carter's teacher played a video she made of the kids including their first day pictures and video of what they learned in kindergarten. Oh my! I had to really pull it together because I am at the stage in pregnancy that if I start to cry it turns into a sob, ugly cry :).

Carter had a great time in kindergarten and learned a lot. He really enjoyed school and was excited to get on the bus most days. His favorite subject is math and the district uses a computer math program as part of their curriculum (ST math) that Carter is seriously obsessed with! He is able to access the levels he passed from home for practice and could spend hours on it if we let him. He does get frustrated when he has some trouble on a level but it is crazy because a couple of the levels he has asked me for help on and I can't help him and I thought I was pretty good in math. :)

His handwriting improved and is really neat when he wants to take the time to concentrate. I could always tell when he wanted to rush through schoolwork because his handwriting was always bigger and messier. His favorite 'special' at the beginning of the year was art but it switched to gym by the end of the year. He really enjoyed eating hot lunch and tried a variety of new foods throughout the year because they were on the menu. Carter is a really good reader although he does get tired if the book is really long. He does a good job sounding things out but I think wants all words to be 'sight words' so he can read faster. I have to remind him that he needs to practice reading to get there. I love to listen to him read aloud and said to him the other day..."I love to listen to you read. Do you know why?" Carter replied, "because I read with expression!" Which is exactly the reason but I didn't know he knew what that word meant.

He has great reading comprehension and a good memory. It is crazy some of the stuff that comes out of his mouth that his has learned. For example, the other night we were driving and Isla asked where the sun went because it was getting dark outside. I told her that the sun went to bed. The following conversation occurred...
Carter: "Isla, the sun is diurnal like us."
Matt and I looked at each other and asked him what that meant...
Carter: 'it means that it is awake during the day and asleep during the night.'
Matt and I chuckled at this...
Carter: "what? what do you want from me?"

His class did a unit on nocturnal animals so I am sure he learned the information from that but I had no idea that the term diurnal even existed!

We are so proud of him and his love of learning. I am a little sad that his kindergarten year is over because now he is really becoming a 'big kid.' I told him this and he said to me, "but mom we have all summer to spend together." That boy is wise beyond his years...