Cooper's School Field Trips, Part 1

February 2013

Cooper's very first school field trip was to a hospital.  He loves all things having to do with doctors and nurses, so he was super excited to visit a hospital and see first hand these people in action.  I think it has to do with the whole rescue/helping people aspect (like firefighters).  I was really bummed that I wasn't able to go, but the mom assigned to be his chaperone sent me frequent text messages so I was up-to-date on how things were going.  (I'm not going to lie, I was really nervous about this first field trip, just from the safety stand point.)  Several people told me he did great--he was very well behaved, was a good listener and was respectful.  Yea!  I also heard that he was really interested in the x-ray machine and the wheelchair ride.  When he got in the car that day, after the field trip, he was so excited to tell me all about the hospital, what he learned and show me the great goodie bag that he got.

April 2013

Cooper's second field trip could not have been more perfect for him--a trip to a local fire station.  And not just any fire station, it was one with a fireman pole!  My little firefighter was so excited about this school outing and looked forward to it for days.  Luckily, I was able to arrange things to make this one!  All of the moms in Cooper's classroom knew how excited Cooper was and what a big deal this was going to be for him, too.  The morning of the field trip, Coop couldn't wait to get dressed in his fireman gear.  However, he didn't want to wear his fireman hat or his fireman coat.  He wanted to wear his DFD hat and t-shirt from Fireman Paul because "that's what real fireman wear, Mom." 

I'll never forget when we got to the station, the kids gathered in the fire station kitchen.  Coop walked in after everyone was sitting down and he took off his jacket and handed it me, then turned toward where the fire fighters were standing, put his hands in his jean pockets, and put his little chin down toward his shoulder (his serious, workin man stance).  The firefighters all commented on how Cooper's shirt and hat matched theirs, and Coop's eyes lit up.  I know in his little head he was thinking, "Alright guys, I'm one of you now.  Let's get to work!"  So perfectly Cooper.

This is where he is happiest: in the driver's seat of a pumper truck.

 

 

I kept smiling at Cooper and his reaction to all the firefighters and their questions and conversation with the kids.  Coop knew every single answer the firefighters asked, but he never once raised his hand or spoke up.  I saw his lips move like he would answer the question to himself or he would smile when he knew the answer, but he never answered out loud.  I hope that changes a little as he gets older.  I was always one who never spoke up in class when I knew the answer, but I always wished I had or did.  It was usually out of insecurity, so I hope it's different for him.  Anyway...back to firetrucks!

 Love in the picture below how Cooper is all smiles at the guy in full gear!  (Coop is toward the right, on the back row.)

 Watching the firefighter come down the pole!  Super duper awesome.

  

 We have a fireman pole attached to the fort in our backyard.  Up until this trip, Cooper would only go down with a lot of encouragement and me sitting at the top, holding and helping him down.  BUT, after this fire station visit and after Coop saw those brave fireman slide down the pole, he was super pumped to FINALLY go down his own fireman pole all by himself.  And that's exactly what he did!  That next morning, as we were leaving for school, Coop ran over to his fort, climbed to the top and after a quiet, "You can do it, Cooper" to himself, he slid down that pole all by himself!!  I could not have been more proud of him and loved seeing how proud of himself he was!  So maybe we were a bit late to school that morning because Coop then proceeded to slide down over and over and over again, but it was totally worth it to see Coop finally conquer this feat!