Report Cards

I'm writing this in the blog so I can refer back and put this in their annual book I give them for their Birthday.

Luca and Olivia got their 3rd quarter report cards.  Luca continues to exceed the standards in ALL of the English/Language Arts category.  A plus (+) means student demonstrates superior performance with in-depth understanding of the standard, and can apply the knowledge and sills in a thorough, consistent, independent way.  This report card he even got a + in writing, religion, math, Phys Ed, Science and Social Studies.  He's doing SOO good!

Here's what his teacher had to say " Luca is continuing to do very well in all of his work  I am especially pleased how he has expanded to his book choices to inlude more nonfiction.  He has been trying to work on neater handwriting, too.  Keep up the good work at home and thank you for all of your support.

Olivia is also doing well.  She got check marks in every single subject which means she meets the standard, student has a solid academic performance and consistently demonstrates proficiency of the standard with few errors. Her teacher said " I am proud of all your hard work this quarter.  Way to go!"

Dinner/AR

Today we went out to dinner as I didn't have time to cook because I had a newborn session and tons of editing to do.  Anyway, during dinner our waitress was actually very excellent.  She asked the kids their names and would say stuff like "Is your food yummy?" Rather than How's everything? etc.  It was like she was on their level and the kids had huge smiles.  Luca said "She's really nice!' So after she asked the kids their names, she said my name is ? can't remember her name, she said "I'll be taking care of you."  About 10 minutes later, Luca says "So will our waitress be taking us to school tomorrow?" We were like what!? "Well, she said she would be taking care of us."  He's funny.

Last year in Kindergarten, toward the end of the year, Luca was in TEARS and was devastated that "he didn't get to go to the donut party."  I had no idea what he was talking about.  Later, I found out that if you read a certain amount of books and take a certain amount of tests you get to go to the AR donut party.  They have donuts and you get to pick a prize depending on how many points you have.  He was DEVASTATED.  I was also a little upset because I had no idea about it.  So, this year, I made sure to find out how many points the kids need to have to go to this donut party.  1st graders need 45 points.  Most books are worth 1/2 point.  Luca reads 3rd grade and 4th grade level books and sometimes the 10 chapter books are worth 1 point.  Well, he made a goal to have 100 points (even though 45 is the donut party goal, he aimed high).  Yesterday, he achieved his goal and I was so proud of him.  He read over 150 books and took and passed 149 of them.  He got an average of 95% correct.  He failed a 5th grade book that had big words (we realized that was too challenging for him).  He was soo excited. We told him if he achieved his goal we would let him get Shadow Fight 2 an app that he's wanted forever, but told him he still has to read and that he can only play 30 minutes a day. 

Growing up with Italian parents who only went up to 8th grade in Italy, I honestly can say I don't ever remember them reading to me.  I had a great childhood and my parents were hard workers and taught us all kinds of things, but as their English wasn't good they just never read to us.  I feel like if I was read to, that I would have been a little more successful in school.  I always did good in school, but not Excellent.  I hope by encouraging and reading with my kids every single day that this will help them become successful at school and whatever they decide to do for their future.  I'm just so proud of them.  Olivia is getting to be a better reader.  She's reading 1st grade level and is starting to take tests, too. Kindergartners goals are 10 points so about 20 books and tests that she has to pass.  She's already at 8 points so I'm very proud of her, too! 

Luca, you're smart!

Today after school, I was practicing spelling words with Luca for his test on Friday and I said to him you are soo smart!  His response "Smart, S-M-A-R-T, Smart!"  LOL Too cute!

Luca's 007 Spy Party!

Happy 7th Birthday Luca!!

I REALLY need to get better at blogging!  Today is Luca's 7th Birthday.  I just can't believe how fast 7 years have gone by so far.  He's such a sweet little boy.  Yesterday, I picked him up from school he said "Addy is my girlfriend."  It's funny because he had her in her kindergarten class and that was probably one of his only good girl-friends that he had that he got a long really well with.  He normally almost always plays with the boys.  Every time I go to school for a Valentine Party/Christmas, etc.  I always notice how nice they are to each other it's really cute.  One time after school, he said "Mommy, we have to go home and Facetime Addy."  He got home and grabbed his I-Pad and I said, "You have to know her address to be able to facetime her.  He was soo disappointed."

He told me that all the girls at school would ask him "Are you in love with Addy?" and he's always said no.  They would tell him "But you're always so nice to her."  Her last name starts with a B so they have always sat next to each other or are always in line together for the past two years.  He said that he always grabs her backpack and coat for her.  And sometimes he even helps her put her coat on.  SO SWEET!!! He also told me that she always laughs at his jokes.  So, he said he was kind of sick of all of her friends asking him if he was in love with her so he went up to her and said "Addy, are you my girlfriend?"  He said her eyes got wide open and she had a big smile on her face and she said "YES!" So apparently they are now a thing.  It's actually kind of cute at this age.  Give him a couple of years and I probably won't think it's cute and won't allow "girlfriends."

I told him that I needed to get his 7 year pictures done. Our last session (for Valentine's Day) wasn't so successful and he had a meltdown because I didn't want him to wear socks in the pic.  This time, he was was so willing and wanted to show me a ton of different poses he wanted to do. 

I just can't believe he's 7!

So handsome!

He is going to have a spy themed party tomorrow so here are some of the poses he wanted.

I like this one.  His party is just going to be his cousins.  I asked him if he wanted to invite some of his classmate friends and he said, no, it' shard for me to play with everyone and I don't want anyone to feel left out.  He did ask if he could go to Chuck E Cheese with his best friend, Ojas.  He also wanted Olivia's friend Ashlin to join so she would have someone to play with. He's so sweet.

His zen/meditating pose?

Happy Boy!  I asked him this morning if he felt like a 7 year old he said no but had a huge grin on his face.  He was so happy.

Olivia is also super sweet. The past couple of days she has brought home some drawings that said Luca on them.  I told her that was sweet and said to Luca, look your sister draw you a picture. She got so upset with me and started crying.  She said "You ruined the surprise, that was for his Birthday."  "Luca said it's ok, I haven't seen it yet!"  So this morning she put all of her drawings about 5 of them in a gift bag and she was SOO PROUD to give it to Luca.  And Luca was so sweet and looked at every picture and told her it was nice, and said to some pictures, "oh I remember that."  He even said thank you to her in a very sincere way.  It made my heart full.

Happy Birthday to my 7 year old.  Love him like crazy.

This one is my favorite of him laughing!

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What Olivia learned in school today...

So today in the car on the way home from school Olivia says to me "Josie and Morgan told me when I get married I have to get naked and wear bras.  I just told them ok, but I'm really not going to do that Mommy."