Joy School Graduation

The school year ended for Pickle too. He had his Joy School Graduation a couple days after Pach.
It was so cute and fun. The kids sang a couple songs, with help from past Joy Schoolers and us moms. They did a great job and were so excited!

Pickle got the award for “Best Listener.” As a group, we mom’s decide on the award for each child. Some kids got “Most Energetic” or “Best Singer” or as Pach got “Best Monster Drawer” and “Best Scissor Handler”. I agreed with most everything but I clearly had no input whatsoever with “Best Listener.” Even Tim laughed when I told him what award Pickle was getting. He knows how it really is at our house! I would NEVER have given him that award. Don’t get me wrong, I love Pickle but when we have the following conversations almost daily, you know he must be acting WAY BETTER at other people’s homes:

Pickle: “Mom, what store are we going to? The big one?”
Me: “Yes, we are going to Fry’s. The big one you like.”
(a 4 to 5 second silence)
Pickle: “Mom, we’re going to Fry’s? The big grocery store?”
Me: “Yes, we are going to Fry’s. The big grocer store that you like.”
(another 4 to 5 second silence)
Pickle: “Mom, where are we going? Are we going to Fry’s?”
Me (somewhat exasperated): “YES!!! DO YOU LISTEN TO ANYTHING I SAY?”
Pickle: “DON’T YELL AT ME!!”
Me: “Well, did you listen to anything I just said to you?”
Pickle: “NO!”
Me: “You asked me a question and you didn’t listen to the answer? Do you ever listen to me?”
Pickle: “NO!! I DON’T LISTEN TO YOU!!”

Just about every day we have a conversation like that and most of the time he doesn’t listen at all. And it doesn’t even have to be him asking me questions. It can just be me asking him to do something and he ignores me. At times, he is actually quite proud of the fact he asks questions and doesn’t listen to me. Someday he’ll get why I finally  yell at him right?

Anyway, he was VERY happy with his award. Then we handed out the graduation certificates and ate food. It was also pretty short and fun. He got to wear a cap and gown. I’m not sure how he felt about them though. The cap kept falling off his head. He did look cute though and was so excited about it all.

Pickle all ready to go!

L.T., the Media Man at the graduation.

All the kiddos singing.

Pickle and his "Best Listener"Award.

All the kiddos after getting their awards.

Pickle and his diploma That's his good friend J.T. next to him.

Pickle and J.T. Sadly, J.T. is moving onto Kindergarten this year!