Calvin graduates from kindergarten

We have some catching up to do -- summer is off to a galloping start!

It's hard to imagine that a year ago, Calvin was so anxious about starting his school career. A full year later, he's a savvy, smart student, still shy but so much more confident than last spring.

 Most of the credit goes to his beloved teacher, Mrs. R., a.k.a. The Kindergartner Whisperer. She was the perfect person to guide Calvin through his first year. He adores her, which means we are quite fond of her as well. To say thank you and goodbye, he decided to decorate magazine holders with a portrait he took, and he baked biscuits for her two dogs. To his surprise, all the ingredients were "people food," including a large amount of peanut butter, but the treats didn't taste at all like people food. Blech!

The second-to-last day, the kindergartners put on a show for the parents. Our usually reserved boy didn't smile, but he did sing and play kazoo and do most of the hand motions. At the classroom graduation ceremony and after-party, he read his year-end story and shared a pile of work from throughout the year.

The next morning was bittersweet. Finn, a regular visitor to the classroom, asked to carry the gifts for Mrs. R. Soon after, we met up with Calvin and his class at a nearby park for a long, fun, sprinkler party.

Calvin asked to cap off the day with a celebratory Happy Meal -- and we were happy to oblige. Yay for summer!

Here's a look at two of Calvin's stories from the year. The first is from way back, before he knew to put spaces between words, he explained. Don't be, ahem, alarmed -- it's a work of fiction. He doesn't even have an alarm clock. The second is non-fiction. If you need a translation, click on "Notes" below the slide show. And as always, we have a few more photos over at Flickr. 

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer