Back to school night!

Another school year, another back to school night. Tonight we got to see Rachel's first-grade classroom. She has a lovely teacher, Mrs. McAdam, and a locker, and a desk, and the emphasis this year is on independence and responsibility. (Can't imagine how Waldorf-supporting parents would feel about this; learning is fairly regimented -- if fun -- at this age.) There was a note for us from Rachel at her desk, and a paper-plate portrait she made of herself, and artwork along the walls, and some writing (Rachel said her favorite activity is reading, and that she LOVES -- not likes -- American Girl doll books and "The Thicketty," which I am hoping to read to her on our train ride up to NYC next week for Rosh Hashana.)

Parent-teacher conferences are in a couple of weeks.

It was so cute to see Rachel so eager to show us her world at school, and she insisted on reading a book to me that was really hilarious, "The Diary of a Worm," in which a worm talks about taking a vacation at The Compost Resort, and how he has a bad dream about chickens playing hopscotch. I told Rachel it was a great book.

Tonight as I got her ready for bed, I told Rachel that they didn't have American Girl dolls when I was growing up, and then she immediately replied, "Well, maybe I can get you one for a present," and then insisted I listen to the brief biographies of all the dolls. I really think that she may end up saving money in her NEW SAVINGS ACCOUNT (which she opened with Drew at his credit union last Saturday while I was on a catering job) to buy me one. Which just tells me how sweet she is.