There is a first for everything

Yesterday, we got Wubbles' first report card.  Officially, it's called an "Observation Inventory," but let's get real, that's the politically correct way to say: report card for a baby.  It's 14 pages long and it's oddly fascinating.  Actually, it's odd that I find it so fascinating.

The truth is, the teachers at his school know him probably just as well as we do and while that kind of makes me sad, it also makes me happy that they share this awesome kid with me and Jim.  My favorite part is the short answer section; it's overflowing with "doesn't every baby do that?" information like: When Cullen does not want something he will push it away or scream.  But it also has these totally cute, endearing comments like: Yesterday, Cullen had found another child's binky when that child started to cry he gave it to me.  (This proves what I've always felt; he's a total sweetheart!)

Cullen's first report card

I do think it's totally outrageous though that they have report cards for babies.  When we visited the school, the director was telling us all about the "baby room curriculum" and I was like, "What?  I'm not sure what other people's baby's are like, but mine sleeps a whole lot.  What exactly do you think you will be teaching him the four hours a day he's awake..."  So I think it's odd that they have an entire standardized 14 page long report card that they document for each baby, but I guess that's the world we live in.  People want to know every day the developmental minutia of their genius babies.

I, on the other hand, would really like to just concentrate on being a thoughtful parent and raising a well adjusted, kind, honest, caring young man.  If he doesn't wave until he's 13 months (true story), so be it.  I'm not going to document this in the "needs improvement" column of his baby journey.  However, for some reason I poured over this report card of sorts with eager delight.  Reading every word thoughtfully and thoroughly.  Rereading his progress and beaming with pride.  He is a developmental genius!  Yes!  I knew it!  This makes me selfishly happy.  For all of my laid back, take the journey one step at a time spouting off, I too seem to have the biological instinct to demand information that confirms my feelings: Wubbles is awesome and kind and smart and funny...  (He took off his shirt the other day at school, just "because he didn't want to wear it."  That's hilarious.)

I know I don't need a report card to validate my thoughts, but it sure doesn't hurt to read it and think, "My Wubbles is great.  I love him for every single thing these pages say and so much more."

But even better than reading the report cards that the teachers are required to write is getting to spend the quality time with him every day and just relishing that he's mine.  No report cards necessary.  No observations required.  No supplies needed.  Well that's not true, a few supplies are needed, they may just not always be what you have in mind.  Take for example Wub's need to open things and remove the contents.  We apparently have a very interesting things in those cabinets because he looks for and examines the same things over and over again.

 

So now, I just need to make sure that his report card gets into his keepsake box so we can pour over these comments years from now while savoring the memories that they hold.