My baby

 

Well, not a baby anymore, I guess. She started big girl school today!

I had Chris go with me, not only to meet her teacher but to drag me out of there if I was hovering or if Z was having a rough time.

Today was her first official day at her new preschool/daycare and she LOVED it! This picture was taken in front of the building before we went in. I was worried as she looked apprehensive and was hoping the transition from in-home babysitter to child care center would be smooth.

We walked in, met her teacher and put her coat away in her cubby. She let me take another picture with a new friend and was eyeballing the toys on the shelf the whole time. I asked for a hug and a kiss and next thing I knew, she was out in the large motor room playing with another little girl. Chris and I get ready to leave and we notice the other kids are all cleaning up and there's my Z, in line with the other kids getting ready for a snack. Like she'd been there forever!

It was bittersweet for me. I was happy she liked her new school but sad that my baby was growing up so fast. If only I could freeze her in time right now. But then we would miss out on so much more that's coming.

Home Improvement Phase II

 

Over the summer I threw my hat into the ring of home improvement and painted Z's room "Sassy Lilac". Not too bad for my first foray into painting, if I do say so myself. There are of course spots I see when we're in her room playing dollhouse or reading before bed.

Today Chris and I headed off to Lowe's again and got a gallon of Chase's favorite color - blue - and rolled and trimmed out Chase's bedroom. We didn't bother with tape this time and instead bought this little gadget that promised we could "trim like a pro." Yeah. Ummmm. I did better with just the trim brush. We'll be making quite a few touch ups with the white trim paint around the trim and windows. Ha!

Perhaps by the time we get around to doing our own bedroom, we'll have this down to a science!

My Elfin' Kids!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Bye bye Hoosier Dome

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

We've entered the 21st Century.

Can you hear the choir singing? AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

To my husband, it's a 52" Sony HD LCD 1080p 120 Hz motion flow with tru-cinema.
To me it's so pretty.

Winter Break is here!

Finally! Although, looking back to a year ago, I was not near as frazzled right before the break. I definitely attribute that to my class this year. I'll take the (minor when looking at the BIG picture) behavior problems I have this year over the ones last year.

We at the Parsons' household are nearly ready for Christmas. Packages are arriving in the mail (so much easier to shop online!) and also being sent out in the mail. Need to do some vacuuming and dusting before guests arrive Thursday but overall, we are definitely ready.

I can't wait to see Z's face when she wakes up this year and finds her (she's sitting right here with me but I can write this because although she is a genius, she's only 2 and can't read yet!) her Princess toy box, Dora vanity and various other things "Santa" will be bringing while she's sleeping! You definitely have to be a parent to fully appreciate what your own parents went through trying to surprise you on Christmas morning! Thanks for the Barbie camper "Santa!"

Anyway, I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday. Enjoy your own children, family and friends.

We'll be having traditional cinnamon rolls for breakfast and opening packages in front of the fire.

Merry Christmas all!

Children and control

Not mine this time. There's a little girl in my class whom I absolutely adore. She is ornery, rotten, stubborn, loving, a perfectionist, very smart - both street and book - and such a control freak! It's amazing she can survive given the sometimes chaotic and out of control life she has been given to live.

She has 6 brothers and sisters, she's the second to youngest and daddy is usally not around. Mom tries her best but with 7 kiddos ranging from high school to kindergarten, she definitely has her hands full. The elementary kids are usually running to the bus, coats half on, backpacks sometimes closed, breakfast half chewed and half in their hands and someone usually yelling and/or crying. Not a great start to a day.

So, then, we expect our kids to just pick up and start working on math?

This little girl's a remarkably resiliant child. She is usually able to come in with a smile on her face.

Then there are days like today. She kept trying to find control over something and ended up making a poor behavioral choice and getting written up on the bus.

And so the day begins. I know it's coming. She's hanging out in the hallway instead of coming into the room bossing her tablemate around. Face screwed into the most puckered up, frustrated, I've given up look. Our behavior coach has suggested finding something she can do that is instant gratification and control. So - guess who's room is next to mine? The preschool! My little mama is great with little kids! The teacher and I now have an agreement where on "those days" my little one can go and help her little ones!

I told my little mini-teacher this morning that becuase breakfast was just sooooo messy, Ms. Ware had requested a helper and of course the first person that came to mind was her! She almost instantly disolved her face and agreed to help. When I went to get her later when it was time to begin academics, she was beaming!

The preschool breakfast tables were spotless and she was like the pied piper with the smaller children following her around like she was amazing!

I'm hoping this works again. As much as I hope for something different for my little warrior, I know we will once again need to help her regain a sense of control in her most times chaotic life.

As long as it helps her stay in the classroom and learn all she can, I think we can accomodate a little bit of this. All my years teaching preschool, I know school's not just about the academics. It's about the whole child.

I believe my students are worth it.

Boots!

Finally got Z some snow boots! Right now she's running around the house in them just relishing in her brand new boots! I am a huge fan of boots, but instead of hot pink with brown fur at the top, mine tend to be solid color, usually leather and have a heel on them. There's a pair of red ones I'm currently drooling over at at store in the Dayton Mall. I hope these boots will give my girl the strength to walk out into the snow this year!

Merry Christmas! We went out to Grandma's Garden in Waynsville OH today in the cold and snow - just like it should be - and picked out out Christmas tree! Hubs, SS and I did the lights and family ornaments and it looks very pretty! Such a big tree - it's the first year I've used every ornament in my big giant box o' ornaments! Hmmmm, reason to buy some more? :-)

Stress

Ugh. It sucks.

I know in my logical brain that things go in ebbs and tides. I know what goes down usually comes back up. So, why won't my emotional side listen to my logical side. Dunno. Damn Gemini!

How am I stressed - let me count the ways.
1. Students - always a stressor. This year more of a good stressor than a bad one, but still a drain nevertheless. Worried this year about keeping them moving ahead, keeping all students at a year's gain or better. All of my students came in this year at benchmark for language. Amazing. It's go time.

2. New curriculum - principal said ditch the math program (it spirals) and teach to mastery. Ummm. Okay. Scope and sequence? Design from scratch. Yeah. Pacing? Resources? Authentic assessments? Rote skills or problem solving approach?

3. Changing sitters - big stressor. Turned that letter in today, relieved and sad at the same time. Waiting so long to turn the letter in caused major lack of sleep and wild imaginings at the reaction of aforementioned sitter. Not near as bad as my imagination dreamed up. Still not fun.

4. Money - everything's going up in cost and down in value. Good thing we have a long time before retirement! I may end up going 35 years at this point. Working on our own little economic stimulus and hoping for better things with new pres.

5. Just daily stress of too much to do, too little time, too tired, too guilty of not spending time with daughter, husband, friends and desperately wanting time for myself.

That's enough whining for now. Time to take my big girl pill. This grown up stuff sucks sometimes.