He's Here!

Sorry I have not blogged in awhile! Who has time? Little J was born in July and will be six months old in 2 days! I cannot believe how time flies so quickly. He is wonderful. Big J loves him. To hear him tell it, "I love him more than even you mommy!" We had a little bit of a scare a couple of days before Christmas when we went to the doctor he was diagnosed with RSV and almost hospitalized. We worked on him with meds and breathing treatments four times per day - 10, 4, 10, 4. You don't realize how fortunate you are with something like health until you loose it. Prayer works! Even though I know this I have this mindset that I don't want to obuse it - I know how silly for me to even say. God wants us to bring our smallest to our biggest burdens and sorrows to him - I need to remember this in my daily walk with Him!

Busy, Busy, Busy

To say the least I've been very busy this school year. With trying to deal with teaching not only a new grade level but being pregnant at the same time.

My first three months were not fun at all. This pregnancy is nothing like my first. My actual due date was mid-July but I've sch'd a c-section for the Tues. 14th first thing in the morning (and we are talking early morning). I've gotten out the scrapbook of "J" and I saw something that I'd forgotten that I had my previous students do. Before "J" was born I had my students predict whether they thought I was going to have a boy/girl. It was about even when one of my special students said I was going to have a "frog." Yes the picture is really cute with either blue/pink teddy bear cutouts and then a frog. That's not the funniest thing - after 22 hours of labor I had to go for an emergency c-section because both my heartrate and the babies went down. The first thing out of my lovely husband's mouth was, "C was correct, it is a frog." When you are lying there helpless, you don't really want to be reminded of a student - but as usual "M" was correct, "J" was like a frog because he had green poop on him! I've had this year's class make a new prediction and so far most students say boy and staff members say girl. At this point I'm not sure. "M" wants a girl, "J" wants a boy, and I'm okay with whatever! Most people add, "if it's healthy." I hate when people say that because regardless we will love it because the baby is truly a gift from God - whether healthy in our eyes or not.

I've recently cleaned the nursery - okay it was Tues. night of last week from 5:00pm to around 2ish am. I'm crazy - I know! I had crafts/scrapbook stuff everywhere - I need a junk room of my own. I had to clean the nursery because coworkers did not believe me when I said I didn't need anything. I had a baby shower at work on that Wednesday and they came over afterwards for me to prove it to them. They were shocked because I proved to them I didn't need a thing - sometimes being a pack rat has it's advantages. I did register for a new car seat/stroller since my last one was faded navy blue and the wheels about falling off. Three grade levels went in together to buy it - which I thought was very sweet! The others mainly gave me gift cards which was also nice.

Maybe I'll post again before the baby comes - if not I'll try to afterwards. Oh, by the way did I mention not only being busy with my school year ending, baby, I also am helping my wonderful nephew with not just one online course this summer, but 3!?! I told him it was humanily impossible - except he is at the mid-term point and has 1 A and 2 B's. He just needs a C to transfer the credit. He owes me big time! You just have to love family!

Great Start

I cannot believe we are in week 7 of school! J did great - you should be proud of me I didn't even cry! He rubbed his eyes in order to stop the tears but he did great too! I think the hardest part is not giving him a hug when he needs to stay in line.

The funniest thing happened last Friday was after school his kindergarten teacher came and slammed J's folder down and said, "Well, he's loosing letters!" I asked where did he loose them at? What he meant was that J knew all his letters at preschool screening but when he retested them J kept saying, "I don't know...." Mr. C was upset and told him to go sit down and he would get him after school for detention. Good news, J knew them - he's just stuburn like his daddy!

J's in an all boy classroom of 21 students. I gave his teacher the best book that I've read called: The Mind of Boys. He really needs it to deal with them. My class has book/math buddies with his class and today we spend the time in our school's courtyard. We could of stayed outside all day because it was so beautiful.

The Big Day Tommorrow!

Tommorrow is the big day for Kindergarten! I cannot wait. Today he stayed with my sister because they had staggered entry. He only has 19 students in his class, but they are all boys. They are boy heavy. I have somebody covering my class so I can be mom in the morning. Wish me luck, I think I'll need it.

He is so nervous about Kindergarten that just last night about 3:30am he woke me up to ask if we had bears in our county. I made him repeat the question because I didn't think I heard him right. Of course I explained that some bears have been spotted but he shouldn't worry about it.

What Kind of Animal Would You Be?

I recently asked my son if he could be any animal, what would it be and why? At first without thinking to hard he said, "A lion because they are king of the jungle." I said okay, think about it a little harder and I'll get back to you. A few minutes after he replied, "I would be a giraffe." I asked why? He replied I might add as if I was stupid, "Because mommy they are closer to God!" It's amazing what comes out of the mouth of babes. Whether he knows it or not, he brings me closer to God.

Promoted to 4th Grade!

This past week I was told I was moving to 4th Grade. I wrote my pros and cons list. I will not tell you which one won, however, good news appeared in the newspaper today! The fourth grade writing test is no longer after about 15 years running. I am excited because I was worried about the state writing test and mathematics. Now this summer I can concentrate on getting my math in order. I have to move from my classroom of 9 years which forces me to do a little spring cleaning. Unfortunately I am a pack rat! One of the things on the pro list was the added technology that I get called - The Smart Board. This interactive board is great to get the students engaged using technology in our global world.



About a month ago, I did an act of kindness for a co-worker without her knowing about it. And this past Monday I had an envelope on my desk that read "Enjoy!" Inside were two tickets to the zoo! Two co-workers and myself along with our kids are going to the zoo in a couple of weeks. I cannot wait for our "Zoo Pal Field Trip!"

Kindegarten Orientation Comments

Last Friday I took the day off so my son and I could be ready for kindergarten orientation at school by 10:00. We walked in the front door which is unsual for us and he was lead to one room to "play" while parents went to the other. My lovely husband noticed the lack of dad's there, but I told him that is was good for him to see that both his parents value his education! As I was sitting there trying to listen to the presentation, the teacher (and mom) in me wanted to get up and see how well he was doing on the informal tests. I asked him later in the day how he thought he did and his reply was, "I think I missed a few of the letters because they were out of order!" How cute!

We left school and went to the doctors office in order to have an added eye exam because of new state guidelines. After that we met dad for lunch at his favorite Mexican restaurant. For a special treat we went to the movies to see Horton Sees a Who! It was great - we were the only ones in the theater. If you have not seen Horton yet I highly recommend it. The neat part was during the movie I had a connection to how small the speck was that Horton was trying to save to us here on Earth. I thought that Horton was a lot like God trying to protect us specks. It's amazing how a different perspective can be eye opening!

I think he is ready for kindergarten - the only problem is, I'm not. I know this may sound crazy but I have already gone school supply shopping. I got most everything on the list for only $30.00. Fall of last year, I went ahead and ordered his bookbag with his name/horse logo from L.L. Bean since they were having a sale. It is just his size - I guess I watch the kinders as they go by my room in the morning and notice that half of the bookbags overpower them.

The good part about our school is that as teachers we get to request who our child has - when asked by a staff member who my son will have - my reply was I have known since birth (or at least the first week of his life) because we were visited by him and I have the cutest picture of him holding him in the nursery. My plan is to have a copies made of the picture along with the first day of school for the future scrapbook for both the teacher and him.

Since I have spent the last three summers getting my masters - I hope this summer my son and I can make-up for lost time. The way gas prices are going I think that I might have to be a little bit more careful planning. Just today a couple of teachers and myself have planned two trips to the zoo (each continent separately) - at least we can carpool and share in the cost of gas. We are calling our group - Zoo Pals!