Dexter Turns 5!

Dexter has done an awful lot of growing up this past year. He is taller. His face continues to get slimmer and lose more of those chubby babyish features. He has matured dramatically. His personality and sense of humour/sarcasm has blossomed. He is just amazing!

Dexter started full time school in September (loving it!) and has already settled in well, seemingly a popular member of his class, always happy to play the joker because he likes to make people laugh.

He continues to be such a bloody awesome big brother too. Having being an only child for the first 3 years of his life, Dexter already took to having a sibling around with the greatest of ease from day one. But as she has grown and developed her own personality, Dexter's little sister isn't always the easiest sibling to get along with haha.

And now my grown up boy is turning 5. Rayna treated herself to a lie in that morning so Dexter got to open his presents without having to share them straight away :)

After having some time to play with his new toys, Dexter got ready for school and got to share sweets with his friends, have some cake and get a present from the birthday fairy. After school we went to his place of choice for tea... Pizza Hut.

And given what a large group of friends he has made over the previous year at nursery plus the extra he made in such a short space of time after he started reception, Dexter had a proper birthday party this year and got to invite some of his friends along.

  

Dexter is so grown up and mature and funny, I can't even tell you how proud I am of him! He got an absolutely glowing report at parent's evening. He is excelling academically which just makes him seem even more amazing to me. I just can't wait to spend many more years nurturing him and watching him grow <3

Parents Evening - Reception

Today we attended parents evening at Dexter's school to find out how he's been settling in since starting in Reception in September. We always say what a bright boy he is but at the end of the day, we're not teachers and we have no other scale to compare him to. We know he has a pleasant personality at home, but what is he like at school with his friends egging him on? Is he a nightmare? Does he pay attention?

We could not have asked for better feedback!!!!!

Under his personal & social development, the comments from his teachers to 'work on' for the rest of the school year was to "continue being perfect!" Those exact words. My boy; perfect. Mrs T couldn't say enough good things about how polite, well mannered and mature he is.

Academically, he is thriving. Already meeting expectations, his teacher said she expects he will be exceeding in several areas by the end of the school year. Commenting about how much of a sponge he is, we were told that he listens attentively & takes it all in, that he's keen to learn and is totally in to everything they do.

There has never been a point (ever) where I haven't been proud of my boy, but to have someone unbiased sit and say so many good things about your child, well you have no idea how beaming with pride I was sat in that classroom. Well done, Dexter! x

Reception

After almost 7 long weeks of 'Is it a school day today?' this week, Dexter started reception.

What can often be a tearful, emotional milestone in a lot of mums (and dads) eyes was actually a super happy occasion for all of us!

For me, I did the all the tears when Dexter was 14 months old and I had to leave him at nursery for the very first time.

I had the 'my little boy is growing up' feels last year when he started nursery and saw him in his uniform for the first time. This year he looks equally as awesome in it, but just that little bit more grown up (same smile!).

For Dexter, he'd attended the school's nursery the year before and had already made friends that he is now moving up with.

He got to spend time in his new classroom in the weeks leading up to the summer holidays.

And he just has far too much energy to not be at school. Seriously, he is THRILLED that he now gets to go 5 days a week instead of just 2 and 1/2.

Tuesdays and Thursdays when Rayna is at nursery, Dexter is in breakfast & after school club. The prospect of getting to spend even more time with friends from school made him even more excited.

I dropped him off on Thursday morning. He walked in (I didn't even get a kiss or cuddle first), he turned around with a big beaming smile on his face and waved me off. And just like that, my first born was in full time school.

Primary School Placements

I had submitted our primary school choices for Dexter the day that the applications had opened. In my head, selecting a 2nd and 3rd choice was simply 'following protocol' - we'd never need them. It never even crossed my mind that he wouldn't get in at our first choice. I mean we're literally on the doorstep (catchment area, check) and as he's been attending their nursery, we knew he'd be devastated if he didn't get to move up to school with at least some of his friends....

...that was until the day that placements were confirmed.

I opened my emails that morning and saw the correspondence sat there in my inbox, unread.

All of a sudden I didn't feel so confident. What happened if he didn't get in. Not only is that our most local school, not only does he already know the grounds and a lot of the people there, it is one of the BEST schools around here!!!!!

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Thank god he got his place :D He's so happy he get's to move to the 'big class' in September!