Tale of two students

Exhibit A:
I don't want to get up.
I don't want to go to school.
I don't like homework.
Don't make me wear my uniform

Exhibit B:
Can I have more homework?
I got all check pluses today
Can I buy my teachers pumpkins for Halloween?
I learned that in school today.

Most likely the difference between second grade and kindergarten - but two incredibly different attitudes towards school.  But two of the same is boring, so I'm just enjoying the diversity...or so I keep telling myself.

Are your kids completely different learners?  Does one bound out of bed ready to go, and one hide under the covers an extra 5...10...15 minutes?  I sure hope so.

Didn't he just roll over?

How is it that my baby boy, who unexpectedly announced himself to the world early, and on his sister's second birthday, can be starting school already?

Didn't he just smile his first smile; roll over by himself; take his first step; say his first word; dance his first dance; make his first goofy face and hug me like I've never been hugged before?

There were no tears - just lots of smiles this morning as my baby boy incredibly becomes my little man! Congratulations Alex. Mommy and Daddy (and Abby) love you very, very much!

You go get 'em little man

Congratulations to my snug bug who officially graduated from preschool.  Holla!

He started the daycare/preschool process much sooner than his sister did so he's a pro at ABC's and 123's now.  His thirst for knowledge blows me away. We love you, little man. Bring on kindergarten!

Suburban Updates

Looking for some juicy, drama-filled neighborhood updates like you find on Desperate Housewive's Wisteria Lane? Well, you're out of luck. Nothing like that here. But I have been a little busy so I thought I'd just share the fun tid-bits from our month so far.

Have I mentioned I'm currently dwelling with the Student of the Month? No. I didn't share that news? I must have. Well it's true!! And I'm ecstatic because she reeeeallllyyy needed that boost from school and it has been a complete turn around since early January.

The SOTM (student of the month) has been bringing home these puppies, too:

 

Yes, that's a 100 and not the only one she's brought home recently. Buh-bye 12's, 13's and 40's (for now anyway)

Also, we've all started wearing rubber soles and have stopped wearing fleece. It's a tad dry around these parts:

It's Electric!!  

Little guy is thriving in skating lessons. Okay, not thriving - more like surviving - but he seems to like it:

 

 What? What are you laughing at? Oh, I know. His big helmet, right? Yeah, looks kind of funny. (p.s. he's moved onto using crates for balance. This shot is purely blackmail for his first date)

Other than that, the kids have started up skiing again, but it was too damn cold to try and use the camera last Sunday to share with you, so maybe we'll get some money shots this weekend for a future post. 

Everyone is looking forward to February vacation - hubby took the week off too.  I"ll be working most of the week so no vacation for me. Luckily I have Monday off so we'll do something fun in the snow - or on the cement depending on how the latest snow storm tracks.

Happy February!!! And give your loved ones an extra squeeze on Sunday for Valentine's Day.

Over the river and through the woods

Ok, there wasn't a river, but there were woods - and that was what I used to walk through in order to catch my bus to elementary school. This memory came back to me recently with the news of a 9 year old who was told to get off her bus and was left at an unfamiliar bus stop. The bus driver was fired. Thankfully, another students parent was able to get her home, but it got me to thinking about my own "busing" experience.

I didn't have to take the bus until I was in 2nd grade - ironically, I walked the same route to my first school, but at the end of the path it was clamoring with parents and students and a crossing guard. Sadly, it closed down after 1st grade. The bus stop to my new school was now across the street from my old abandoned school, in an empty parking lot, across from a bowling alley and on the edge of "the woods".

Each morning, my girlfriend Tammy and I would walk down our street, around the corner and down a woody slope covered in tree roots that would serve as stairs. I can actually see/feel myself walking down them now. From there, we'd walk about 25 or 30 feet through some woods, out to an open "field", and then down another hill that didn't have any trees or roots to steady our decent. So, in the winter that usually meant we had to slide down the hill like we were qualifying for the luge. I have vivid memories of sending our books down first, and we'd follow at 100 mph. At the end of the hill was the parking lot.

On the way home, that same slippery slope could be muddy or icy and on an occasion felt like Mt. Everest. But that was the commute - and it wasn't a convenient stop at the end of our street, and it wasn't even around the corner, and it wasn't well lit or monitored.

Today, that walk would be unheard of and unimaginable, but we did it, parent-free, every morning. And I when I think of that walk to the bus, I automatically think what has changed in the world? That's a loaded question, right? I watch parents in my hometown gather at the end of streets waiting for the bus to unload their kids. Few of them walk to their houses - most of them jump into a car or get a nice escort home. Through mud, ice, snow or sleet I never expected to be greeted at the bus stop and when I did get picked up, it was a special treat, and probably a blizzard or tropical storm brewing.

My daughter takes the bus now from her school to her after school program and she loves it. It makes her feel independent and grown up. And I don't mind because there is someone to help her get on and someone to greet her getting off the bus - no mysterious woods in between!

Play by the rules

Ugh. I always play by the rules. One time, my husband and I had pit passes for a NASCAR race in Richmond, VA and they told us to stay together as a group and, with much anxiety, we decided to break the rules and venture off on our own. Nothing bad happened in our travels, but being a rules-addict I obviously remember this moment and must be scarred by it or else I wouldn't have shared it with you.

So when Abby's school sent home the notice that today was picture day and to follow the "Dress Down" section of the student handbook, I rushed to find our copy to read what is said:

Students should use discretion and dress appropriately for "dress down" days. Jeans or docker type pants are allowed. Students may wear ankle length non-baggy pants. Capris are allowed in warm weather...No sweatpants, windpants or skin tight, form fitting capris, jeans or other pants.

Her: "I don't want to wear jeans today. I want to wear a dress."

Me: "It's sort of chilly for a dress plus the handbook said jeans or dockers."

Her: "Awwwww...I don't like pants."

Me: "You have a pretty sweater on for your pictures today and we won't even see your jeans. You look beautiful."

I was on drop-off duty this morning since hubby had an early meeting at work. All the girls in her class were wearing dresses.

I suck at being a Mom.

Turning hate to love

Late last night I wrote a draft blog about what I see as the resurgence of hate in our country. 7 year old murdered. Anchorwoman murdered. Neo-nazi's planning assassinations. Then I tried to sleep last night. And I couldn't. I not only had a bad day at work but I had a bad feeling about our nation. And then it occurred to me...turn the focus from hate to love.

So, today I decided to trash my post and write about the lovely things that happened yesterday. Like how my daughter has her first set of rosary beads from school and at night she wants to do her prayers and always starts with,

"I Pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America."

I tried to explain it's not a prayer, but since that is how they start their prayers each morning at school, I was told I am wrong. Quietly, I listened to her run through her prayers and I smiled. She only sees the good in this world.

And how my son was getting a candy out of his candy jar of Halloween candy from our fall festival this weekend and quietly he exclaims, "Mamacita" as he was digging to the bottom for his favorite taffy. I asked him what he said and he had a big grin on his face and explained,

"At my new school, Miss Karen says 'Mamacita' when we don't take our naps."

It was his soft, innocent voice exclaiming Mamacita that had all of us laughing around the dinner table.

And then when we carved our pumpkin for Halloween, my son put his hands inside the pumpkin and quickly pulled out his hands.

Him: "Mommy. I think I need gloves. Can I have gloves?"

Me: "Absolutely not. Get your hands inside and pull out that pumpkin spaghetti."

Within minutes his arms and elbows were covered in pumpkin.



Life will get me down. My kids will always bring me back up.