I put Landon on the bus to kindergarten this morning in the middle of a thunderstorm. Just a few hours later, he got off that same bus to a sunny, hot, humid June day. Only now, he’s a first grader!

Landon learned so much this year. There are the academics, of course. He recently counted to 200 and I think would’ve gone further but we’d arrived at our destination. (A local ice cream stand!) He understands odd and even numbers, basic addition and subtraction, and what numbers are bigger than others. This makes him even more of a backseat driver. “Mommy, you’re going faster than 35.”

He sounds out words everywhere. He reads me road signs, reads the song names on the car display, reads lists on the refrigerator and even tried to read a Daniel Tiger story to Bryce a couple nights ago when Bryce couldn’t fall asleep.

School is so much more than academics, and that’s where I have seen the most growth in Landon. His ability to sit and concentrate on a task is growing exponentially. He can work on a Lego set for a couple hours at a time; that would’ve felt impossible a year ago.

Landon’s learned how to wait in line. He’s learned how to raise his hand to ask a question or offer an answer, which I saw him do firsthand during some remote learning days over winter.

He’s learned how to better ask for what he needs. His teachers had glowing reports about how much he’s grown since the first days of school. They use language like “focused,” “very strong” academics, and “hard worker.”

His kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Allen, and his special ed teacher are just who he needed this year.

The best illustration I have of Landon’s growth and what I most remember about this year is the difference from his Christmas performance to end-of-year performance. Landon struggled to be on stage during the Christmas performance and ended up leaving stage. He knew the songs and poems the kindergarteners recited, but stage was frightening.

Landon was still nervous about the end of year performance, which included songs with his classmates and also an individual line at the microphone. We practiced at home. He practiced at school and his teachers encouraged him.

Come show time, I still didn’t know if Landon would do it. He was on stage through the songs, singing some of the words and doing some of the hand motions. He waited while other kids walked up to do their lines and then it was his turn. He walked up, looked down at Mrs. Allen and said his line!

“Long A is for able. We can do many new things.”

Yes, Landon, you can do many new things.