Blow Us All Away
December 19, 2016
On Friday, the fifth graders at Noah's school presented a living "wax museum," where everybody dressed up as a historical figure and gave a brief biography report on their life when "activated" by a visitor.
For long-time readers and Noah-understanders, let me preface that this assignment involved all of the following:
1) Wearing a costume
2) That included a hat
3) Actually pretending to actually be another person
4) Who could not be George Washington (because he already did a biography report on him last year and needed to branch out)
5) Reading/reciting lines in front of strangers
6) While in a large, loud, echo-y cafeteria while well over a hundred students were also doing the same thing for a huge crowd of family and friends.
OBVIOUSLY, Noah went with Alexander Hamilton. (Two kids over in his row was a King George III whom he gamely and playfully referred to as "Mine Sworn Enemy" and challenged to a duel.) He tried very hard to memorize his speech but ultimately his nerves got the better of him so he was allowed to read it. He was also offered his noise-cancelling earmuffs but opted not to compromise the integrity of his costume. Although he did include his Marty McFly watch because of something something time travel this means I'm still Noah coping mechanism.
Could I be prouder of this kid?
I could not be prouder of this kid.
Proud right along with you! Noah, you rocked it!!
Posted by: Brandy K | December 19, 2016 at 10:08 AM
That legit made me cry. Go, Noah!! βΊοΈ
Posted by: Chi | December 19, 2016 at 10:08 AM
Strong Work Noah
Posted by: Sam | December 19, 2016 at 10:09 AM
He is amazing.
Posted by: sheilah | December 19, 2016 at 10:10 AM
That little smile at the end just made me cry.
Posted by: Supertiff | December 19, 2016 at 10:10 AM
Ooh, that is so awesome! You go, Noah! <3
Posted by: Lilliana | December 19, 2016 at 10:19 AM
Don't make me cry! I remember when he would only dress as Steve from Blue's Clues at Halloween. Way to go dude!
Posted by: darra | December 19, 2016 at 10:20 AM
Awesome Sauce Noah!
Posted by: Brooks | December 19, 2016 at 10:22 AM
he's amazing. go noah!
Posted by: Suz | December 19, 2016 at 10:25 AM
Yay Noah! Great job!
Posted by: Brenda | December 19, 2016 at 10:34 AM
Oh my heart that smile at the end!
Posted by: Kelly | December 19, 2016 at 10:47 AM
Yey Noah!! I'd be terrified to do what he did!
Posted by: Kim | December 19, 2016 at 10:51 AM
I am so proud of this kid!
Posted by: Tiffany | December 19, 2016 at 11:07 AM
Looks like someone needs the "Clean Edit" of the Hamilton Soundtrack for Christmas. Way to go, Noah!
Posted by: Becky | December 19, 2016 at 11:12 AM
So obviously your getting him tickets to hamilton right?
Posted by: jodi | December 19, 2016 at 11:18 AM
Fuhreaking awesome!
Posted by: Kari Perry | December 19, 2016 at 11:29 AM
That half smiles slays me. Go Noah!!
Posted by: Jenallday | December 19, 2016 at 11:37 AM
Way To Go Noah!!!!
Posted by: Audrey | December 19, 2016 at 11:40 AM
Excuse me...I seem to have something in my eye.
The awesomeness cannot be described - go NOAH!!!!!
Posted by: Jean | December 19, 2016 at 11:43 AM
His smile at the end!? Killed me. :) I'M so proud of him! Way to go Noah!!!!
Posted by: Debra | December 19, 2016 at 11:55 AM
Go Noah!
Posted by: Betsy | December 19, 2016 at 12:03 PM
Great job, Dude. Seriously so great.
And Amy - you've been so open about his struggles and your struggles with his struggles with his struggles - let me just say that my over-riding thought watching this is: This is a boy who has been given a safe place to work out how to be his best self. You and Jason have provided that place. God bless you.
Susan
Posted by: Susan | December 19, 2016 at 12:18 PM
Add me to the tears group, please. Noah has come SO FAR. So stinkin' proud of your kid that I've never even met!
Posted by: Sue W | December 19, 2016 at 12:22 PM
Way to go, Noah!
Posted by: Dawn | December 19, 2016 at 12:28 PM
Watching that is the best part of my Monday, hands down. Great job, Noah!!!
Posted by: erin | December 19, 2016 at 12:32 PM
YES! Go Noah!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Lauren | December 19, 2016 at 12:41 PM
<3 <3 <3 Go Noah! Tearing up over here!
Posted by: Gwen | December 19, 2016 at 12:45 PM
WOW. Just wow. Go Noah! You rock dude. ππ
Posted by: Amy | December 19, 2016 at 12:46 PM
Not only am I so impressed with Noah and how far he has come but I am impressed with your school. What a wonderful project! I live in a town where the schools keep getting worse and worse. Even the "good" schools my kids graduated from. So it is great to see good schools and also to see students with special abilities flourishing in them. Way to go Amy! You have a great kid!
Posted by: Miss Dawn | December 19, 2016 at 01:09 PM
Lin Manuel Miranda needs to see this!
Posted by: Kristen | December 19, 2016 at 01:27 PM
Yay, Noah! The report was awesome and so was his smile at the end.
Posted by: Lynn | December 19, 2016 at 01:29 PM
W-O-W! Way to go Noah! This is the best thing I've seen all day.
Posted by: Catherine Stoutner | December 19, 2016 at 03:04 PM
Fantastic!!! So happy to see this - he's come so far and he seems proud of himself too (that smile!).
Posted by: Genevieve | December 19, 2016 at 05:19 PM
SO AWESOME. I'm all verklempt.
Posted by: liz | December 19, 2016 at 05:55 PM
Oh, the crooked smile at the end! I am dying over here. Way to go, Noah, I am totally not crying at all.
Posted by: KImtoo | December 19, 2016 at 07:27 PM
Also - our school does this project in second grade. My little chose to be Harriet Tubman, and 3 years later, I'm still proud as all heck of her.
Posted by: KImtoo | December 19, 2016 at 07:28 PM
Noah! That is awesome! I learned some things I didn't already know about Alexander Hamilton!
P.S. The smile at the end? I'm dying!
Posted by: Kelly Daniel | December 19, 2016 at 08:05 PM
Great work, Mr. Hamilton!
Posted by: Stacy | December 19, 2016 at 09:43 PM
Wow, great job!
Posted by: Julie | December 19, 2016 at 09:45 PM
I did *not* burst into tears when he finished. A bug flew into my eyeball. ( <3 him! )
Posted by: RzDrms | December 19, 2016 at 11:02 PM
Whoohoo! Great job, Noah!! So proud of him <3
Posted by: Secha | December 20, 2016 at 08:16 AM
YAY. This is amazing.
And it also gives me hope. My 5yo has never been diagnosed with anything in particular, but struggles more with social skills, sensory overload, etc. than the next kid. This includes a terror of speaking in front of anyone, an inability to cope with crowded, busy spaces (me too!), and a complete lack of empathy and understanding for other kids feelings. Multiple assessments just come up with the "eh, he just needs a bit more focus to continue to improve in these areas" - nothing more specific. And in the past six months, we've seen a marked improvement just with some caring and sharing groups at school, a parenting class we ourselves took, practicing some emotional comping mechanisms regularly, and the brilliance of his experience Kindergarten teacher. I'm chalking some of it up to getting older and just more aware of how to conduct himself, but this gives me SUCH hope that over time, while these traits might hang on in minor ways, he'll grow through them and into himself.
Posted by: Holly W. | December 20, 2016 at 08:30 AM
Oh, that kid!
Posted by: SarahB | December 20, 2016 at 09:55 AM
Oh my gosh Amy - that made me smile so much!!! He has come so far and every time you post about him overcoming a challenge instead of opting for an easier way out (headphones, for example), it warms my heart. He's amazing and I know you are all so proud. Way to go Noah!!!!
Posted by: Katie H. | December 20, 2016 at 12:24 PM
Noah " has come a long way baby". Good for him!
Posted by: Marie Perlow | December 20, 2016 at 05:59 PM
That's amazing! You go, Noah!
Posted by: gosia | December 21, 2016 at 12:04 PM
Yaaaaassssss πππ
Posted by: Stacy | December 21, 2016 at 02:23 PM
Love, love, love! What an amazing kid and amazing parents! Thank you for sharing Noah and his story with your readers!
Noah-WOW!!! Way to go!!!
Posted by: Laura | December 23, 2016 at 08:54 AM