Happy Friday

Today- I am working from home! This is my fancy way of saying I called in sick so I could stay home, run errands, grade papers, and clean up.

The house is a disaster but I've never been so happy to see it a mess! Yesterday we had hardwood floors installed and they are beautiful! Dusty, but Beautiful! Well- actually- EVERYTHING is dusty! If you've never seen this done, they actually cut the wood to size on site, which means IN THE HOUSE, which means- sawdust, lots of it! They did what they could to clean it up but it gets in the house and settles over the next day or so. Which means that now- about 18 hours after completion- there is dust on every surface on the first floor of my house.

SO happy though!
:-)

Another successful birthday

Yesterday we had Grant's Birthday Party. It went very well! The family was all there, the food was delicious (Thanks Moe's!), and he loved his presents!

I was so funny to see him exclaim over each new gift. Even a bag of new clothes was met with genuine excitement and the comment, "Look, New Clothes, Wow!" I hope at 13 he accepts gifts as well as he does at 3!

I love my little boy to pieces! And this week, when he drives me crazy, I will try and remember how cool he was on his birthday.

Temper, Temper!

My children have each had a temper tantrum each of the past 3 mornings.
Over things like using the potty and how many donuts are to be eaten.
While getting ready for school.
When we are already late.
Because mommy can't find anything to wear.
And daddy is rushing her.
Because, oh yes, it would be such a good idea to drive together and drop off the kids together and work together and have to leave work at the same time together and spend time at home together.

I love my children, I love my husband, I need a drink!

Have I mentioned yet...

We are working on potty training Grant.

His teachers have been bugging me since August to just put him in underwear. WELL- since I'm the one who has to do all the laundry, I held off. Finally last week, with his 3rd birthday around the corner, I gave in and sent lots of underwear and dry pants to school.

Everyday I pick up Grant, and his zipper bag full of wet underwear.
Except for yesterday! GRANT HAD A DRY DAY! I've never felt so happy to see a cubby with no zipper baggie!

Yeah Baby! You go boy!
Let's keep it up!

Thought this was funny...

This has always been one of my favorite songs from the 80's and thanks to Jenny finding this on YouTube.... Too funny!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HE9OQ4FnkQ

Cutie Pie!

Grant's language has finally reached a point where not only is he clearly understandable, but he understands the context of phrases. I am constantly floored by his knack of using the right phase at the right time!

While tickling him last night, I stopped to cuddle him close for a minute and he breathlessly said, "Oh, I'm laughing so hard I can't breathe!" I laughed so hard- I couldn't either!

When picking him up from his bed this morning, he said "I love you mommy, but I'm too tired to get up." I made him repeat the "I love you" part at least 3 times!

When his sister did a new gymnastics trick in the family room, he clasped his little hands together and said, "That's so cool Bri- Good Job!".

Too cute Grant-man! I love you too!

And it got me thinking...

Jamie's comment on my last post made me think...

How did I feel about having two kids who were more independent and vocal? Why did I want another little one who couldn't talk or help themselves in anyway?

And I realized- I don't mind that they are helpless- I kind of like it. I like being the provider of all things good; food, dry diapers, cozy clothes, comfort, love.

I have no delusions- I'm sure I was frustrated from time to time when my kids were babies. Like the nights that Brianna would cry unless we bounced her; she especially liked going up and down the stairs around 2 am! Like the month I returned to work and Grant absolutely, flat out, refused any style of bottle we could find.

BUT- I never held it against them, they were babies, that is what they were supposed to do. Actually, now I think I hold things against them more, and get more frustrated. When Brianna waits until the last possible minute to tell me she has to go potty and we are running through the Target or Jewel. Or when Grant chooses to get angry and throw or hit rather than using his words, words I know he darn well has by now.

I am some sort of crazy person- I prefer the helpless little baby. At least I know what to expect!

Bittersweet

Today I mailed the invitations to Grant's 3rd birthday party! I can't believe that my "baby" is going to be 3 years old soon. I still look at pictures of him as a baby and I can remember exactly how he liked to be held. I can remember all the nights I slept with him on my stomach because it was the only way we could both be asleep at the same time.

It's been no secret that I'd like a 3rd baby. However, as Grant gets older, and the possibility of a 3rd baby seems less likely, I feel more nostalgic. I know that children get older, and I love the kids more everyday, but I L.O.V.E. babies! I love holding them and cuddling and how they snuggle up and fall asleep. 3 and 5 year olds don't do that...

I have a proposal...

When children have birthday's, where is the present for the mommy?!?

Who carried the child and nourished it for 9 months? Who gave birth to the screaming watermelon? Who nursed and stayed up more nights? Who's the first one the day care teachers call to pick up the puke-monster?

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't give up a minute of any of that... but give a girl some love!

Every child's birthday is also a Momday! It is the day we changed our lives to be a Mom, and we love you, but it's our special day too!

Help?

Oh Loyal readers who are few and far between...

How do I track my "business" on a blog?
How would I know if I am getting hits, etc, if people don't comment?

If you know me- e-mail me please!

www.yearbookyourself.com

This is totally what I WANTED to look like in 1990....

But I would have loved 1966 too....


Thanks to Jenny at Bloggess and Good Mom/Bad Mom for the link!
I've successfully wasted quite a bit of work time today thanks to you! :-)
LOVE IT!

Seriously rambling

I just noticed that in changing my background and updating my system with blogger... I've lost some of the things I liked about my blog. I lost my links to other blogs I read. I've lost my list of categories that my posts fall under. I lost my "about me" section.

I suppose I'll get around to fixing it... someday!
Until then- whatever is my new mantra.

I have increasingly noticed over the years that unless faced with a immediate need, I don't want to or can't make a decision. ESPECIALLY at home. As a teacher and team leader at school I make thousands of decisions on a daily basis. What to have for dinner or what errands to run just seems to difficult come evening time.

Is there some amateur psychologist who'd like to tell me why in more detail?

I don't like Ike

I just wanted to send a heartfelt hug and my prayers to all those in the path of Hurricane Ike. It's going to be nasty and I hope you are safely away from the danger zones.

Especially to my friends at Mama Drama and Good Mom/Bad Mom.
Stay safe with your babies of all ages!

I really have nothing to say

I am trying really hard to post more often. And today I have a little extra time but I'm not sure what to say...

Brianna is loving Kindergarten. Everyday she comes home with a folder full of little work and she talks about all the friends (but she doesn't know their names yet). It's great! Best side affect for our family- she sleeps GREAT! Between getting up early and go-go-going all day long, by bedtime, poor little dear is wiped out! Soon it will be dark outside earlier and we may even make her bedtime sooner.

Grant is a great kid too! He talks ALL THE FREAKING TIME! Even his "teachers" at daycare say that he just talks to them constantly. It can be really cute sometimes... SOMEtimes. He fell into a table the other day and really hurt his head. Like- we Googled the signs of a concussion- bad. He seemed fine pretty quickly but it was 2 days before he even let me move his hair around to see the spot on his head. However, he loved the children's Tylenol and now asks for it when he's hungry. Good thing mommy knows better! Silly boy!

Adam and I are just as crazy as always. Work is finally settling into routine after all the start of school nonsense. I still feel scattered about half the time but I'm not sure that will ever go away. We signed the kids up for Gymnastics this fall and that starts tonight so...

That's all I can think of right now. What do you want to see/hear?
I am working on a photo fashion show of all Brianna's new school clothes! Still a few more outfits to wear...

Huh?

So- I don't think I have yet commented on politics on this blog. I am perhaps the least political social studies teacher EVER. I care about politics and who represents me however, I am just a bit too practical about the exact size and scope of my single vote. I vote... I don't obsess over it.

I watched most of Sarah Palin's speech last night. Jamie had some reviews of it that I sort of agree with. But mostly, I just kept thinking of the same thing. I would want to be friends with her but I don't want her a breath away from control of the nation. She seems like fun and I admire her resolve and family confidence. I would love to have a conversation with her and share mom stories and hear more about her kids and life and argue with her about our ideals. I don't want her telling the world who can, or mostly can't get an abortion. I don't want her influencing the education world in which I work and in which my children are learning. Just because she seemed fun... it's not a reason to put her in control of anything!

Ahhh, the quiet!

I have just successfully dropped the 2 amazingly wonderful children with Grandma and Grandpa for the night. Adam is at his fantasy football draft. We have wonderful dinner plans later but for now the house is silent and I have a massage scheduled in 45 minutes.

Honestly it's a little too quiet. I love it but... I had to turn the radio up REALLY loud on the way home to fill the silence.

A couple day's from now I won't believe I even just said that!

This touched me today

Back in September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a social studies school teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock, did something not to be forgotten.

On the first day of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks out of her classroom.

When the first period kids entered the room they discovered that there were no desks.

'Ms. Cothren, where are our desks?'

She replied, 'You can't have a desk until you tell me what you have done to earn the right to sit at a desk.'

They thought, 'Well, maybe it's our grades.'

'No', she said

'Maybe it's our behavior.'

She told them, 'No, it's not even your behavior.'

And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third period. Still no desks in the classroom.

By early afternoon television news crews had started gathering in Ms.Cothren's classroom to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her room.

The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the deskless classroom, Martha Cothren said, 'Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he/she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.'

At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it.

Twenty-seven (27) U.S. Veterans, all in uniforms, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand alongside the wall.

By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place those kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned.

Martha said, 'You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. Now, it's up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don't ever forget that.'

By the way, this is a true story.


Please consider passing this along so others won't forget that the freedoms we have in this great country were earned by U S. Veterans.

I doth overreact a little...

Yesterday I received a phone call from the daycare center that another student had scratched Grant's neck during circle time. They applied ice and gave hugs and it was all good.

When I went to pick him up, I had to sign a copy of the "incident report".
I read it... the written version sounds like Grant was the one scratching others, not the victim.
Except...
I CAN SEE THE SCRATCH MARKS ON HIS NECK!

SO- I don't sign it. I ask that the teacher who witnessed the event rewrite it properly. She looks at me funny and agrees. WE SHALL SEE LATER TODAY....

They probably throw out the little form later but DUDE- Grant is the victim here... VICTIM!

So Cute!

This morning, rather than let the kids come in our room to watch cartoons, Brianna went in Grant's room to play. I wandered that way a little later to see what was up.

Brianna was sitting on the ottoman of the chair, Grant was in the chair, and she was telling him a story. He looked mesmerized so I hid around the corner to listen.

She was telling him a story about her dream from the night. She described a pink castle floating a blue sky riding on a cloud that was shaped like a fluffy white bunny. She said that her cousin Hannah lived there and she was just visiting for a party. She described her dress, Hannah's dress, the party food, and all the games.

Either she has a GREAT imagination or GREAT dreams!
WOW!

Thanks Brianna!

So, for Christmas last year, Brianna got a digital camera designed for kids. Today, I got around to downloading the pictures....

Here's a blurry one of Aunt Jamie showing off something....

Here's a decent one of Grant, just a LITTLE off center....

There were a LOT that looked like this....

"Baby Carole" showed up quite a few times....

As did lots of AWFUL pictures of mommy...