Not even two, and he's already hitching a ride!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Rock Me Baby
I have a confession to make: I still rock my baby to sleep every night. And yes, that baby is 19 months old. I've heard all the warnings that he'll never be able to sleep without rocking, but you know what? I've never met a 26 year old who needs to be rocked to sleep. I'm just sayin'. Sleep is an individual choice, and I definitely believe parents should make the sleep choice that is right for them and their child(ren). This is the choice that is right for us, in so many ways.
Toward the end of my pregnancy, I used to sit in the glider and rock every night. I'd talk to my stomach and tell him (though I didn't know for sure I had a him in there) that we were ready for him. Our first night home from the hospital, I rocked with him snuggled in my arms, and I could hardly believe he was here. Since then, we've rocked nearly every night. As he grows, his feet dangle off my lap, and it's not the same snug fit we once had. But somehow, his body still molds itself into my arms as he sinks into sleep.
This is our quiet time, our time to nurse, and then cuddle into each other. I smell his hair, I study his impossibly long eyelashes, and we are us, in the way that we've been since the moment I discovered I was pregnant.
Toward the end of my pregnancy, I used to sit in the glider and rock every night. I'd talk to my stomach and tell him (though I didn't know for sure I had a him in there) that we were ready for him. Our first night home from the hospital, I rocked with him snuggled in my arms, and I could hardly believe he was here. Since then, we've rocked nearly every night. As he grows, his feet dangle off my lap, and it's not the same snug fit we once had. But somehow, his body still molds itself into my arms as he sinks into sleep.
This is our quiet time, our time to nurse, and then cuddle into each other. I smell his hair, I study his impossibly long eyelashes, and we are us, in the way that we've been since the moment I discovered I was pregnant.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Feeling the Burn
I hate to feel this way, but I feel like I'm starting to burn out on teaching, and it's WAY too early in the year for that! I'm just not feeling it this year, and I'm not sure why. I thought this year would be easier because I'd already left Luke once, and because I wouldn't be spending every break--including lunch--hooked to a breast pump (YAY). That said, I was wrong! See, it's a lot harder to leave when Luke is wide awake saying, Bye bye Mama! He's just so much fun and so full of life that I want nothing more than to spend every waking moment with him. I also feel like I don't have the strong relationship with my students that I did last year. Last year, I joked around with students a lot, gave them nicknames, and other fun things. This year, I don't quite have that. I hope I will get there with some students, though. We also have a very different schedule. Last year, we taught from 7:30 to noon with no breaks, but then we basically had the afternoon off. This was great! This year, however, we have two breaks in the morning, then teach from 10:50 to 2:45. I'm not such a fan of that. I don't enjoy eating lunch at 10:30 in the morning, and I feel SO tired afterward.
Mostly, though, I feel like everyone in my school is feeling the burn out, too, which doesn't help. Last year was the first year in this BRAND NEW building. For most of us, we had new administrators, and although many of us already knew each other from the other middle school, there were some new teachers and all new support staff. It was fun. Everyone was pumped and ready to go, and I definitely didn't miss our old school one bit. This year, the honeymoon is definitely over. Everyone seems negative, quicker to get annoyed, and definitely less interested in doing things as a staff. It's a shame, too, because last year, our staff was really special. This year, everyone seems more interested in running out the door as quickly as possible. And hey, I get that because I'm right there, too, but on some level, I think it is important for co-workers to have a relationship outside of work. I think it builds trust, friendship, and it makes everyone more likely to lend a helping hand when needed.
I just hope that everyone can find a common ground, myself included. We need to be on top of our game for our students, and if I can't get there soon, I'm going to be using a lot of sick days!
Mostly, though, I feel like everyone in my school is feeling the burn out, too, which doesn't help. Last year was the first year in this BRAND NEW building. For most of us, we had new administrators, and although many of us already knew each other from the other middle school, there were some new teachers and all new support staff. It was fun. Everyone was pumped and ready to go, and I definitely didn't miss our old school one bit. This year, the honeymoon is definitely over. Everyone seems negative, quicker to get annoyed, and definitely less interested in doing things as a staff. It's a shame, too, because last year, our staff was really special. This year, everyone seems more interested in running out the door as quickly as possible. And hey, I get that because I'm right there, too, but on some level, I think it is important for co-workers to have a relationship outside of work. I think it builds trust, friendship, and it makes everyone more likely to lend a helping hand when needed.
I just hope that everyone can find a common ground, myself included. We need to be on top of our game for our students, and if I can't get there soon, I'm going to be using a lot of sick days!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Gone Missing
A week ago, I decided it would be a good idea to take a nap with Luke, as opposed to the 212 productive things I should have been doing. Luke has napped in our bed since he was a baby because, well, let's face it. I'm lazy, and it was always so easy to just get in bed with him and nurse him to sleep. Now that he's older, he just climbs down off the bed and finds us, but if I nap with him, he wakes me up by patting my face. Or screaming HIIIIIIIIIIIIII two inches from my ear. That is, until last Sunday. I woke up, realized he wasn't in the bed, and heard him chattering. I thought, Oh Shane has him, and drifted back to sleep. A few minutes later, I jolted awake, realizing that Shane was outside mowing. When I got up, Luke was sitting innocently near the computer, "reading" a book. However, when I later tried to use the computer, it was so not working. Well, it was half working. I ran virus scans galore, but nothing showed up, leading me to believe that while Mommy was napping like a slacker, Luke was doing something devious to the computer. At any rate, Dell gives super sweet teacher discounts, so I am now the owner of a gorgeous flamingo pink Dell Inspiron. Although I have a laptop at work, many sites are banned, so I was unable to read blogs or check Twitter. I was seriously starting to feel like John McCain, but as of Thursday, technology and I are BFFs again. I've yet to hook up the wireless, mainly because I can't find the time to sit and read the instructions, but I am loving my laptop! In case you're blind and did not guess from my layout, I love pink. Aside from the laptop, I have a pink Kitchenaid mixer, a pink Kitchenaid blender, a pink Dyson vacuum, and a pink bike. My husband is clearly a very tolerant man!
Unfortunately, nothing really exciting happened in the week that I was sitting around twiddling my thumbs. My students are doing a community service project that involves writing letters to soldiers in Kuwait, and we did receive a letter back from one soldier. This made the kids happy, and we're now making plans to put together care packages for the soldiers. I just need to find out what they need, and of course, what they can't have. Luke is adding new words every day, his most recent being spider, due to my freak out over a GIANT spider that has taken residence over our front door. Thankfully, the spider is outside, but I am forever afraid that it's going to launch itself at my head one morning. If you don't hear from me for awhile, it's not because of a broken computer, but because I might break a bone executing my stealthy ninja spider avoiding moves every morning at 6AM.
Now that I'm all out of mundane news, enjoy this fun baby meme that I yanked from
Cassie.
1. Were you married at the time? Yes, we'd been married for 11 months. Our agreement was to start trying after we'd been married for a year, but it happened a month sooner!
2. What were your reactions when you found out you were pregnant? I was really excited, but also nervous!
3. How old were you? 24
4. How did you find out you were pregnant? My first inclination was the giant boobs. Seriously, I'd warn the same bra size since 7th grade, and despite my wishes for cleavage, they just never grew. All of a sudden, they exploded.
5. Who did you tell first? Shane. Actually, I didn't tell him I was taking a test, because I wasn't really sure that I was pregnant. Then I was confused because although there were two pink lines, one was really faint. So my triumphant announcement was, "Um, could you look at this? I think I might be pregnant."
6. Did you want to find out the sex? No, we wanted a surprise.
7. Due due: February 15, 2007
8. Did you deliver early or late? Late! I really wanted a Valentine's Day baby, but there was a stretch from Feb 13-19, where a close family member had either an anniversary or a birthday. Luke was born on Feb 20th, so I guess he just wanted his own day!
9. Did you have morning sickness? Yes, but thankfully, it was summer so I wasn't working!
10. What did you crave? I really didn't have many cravings, aside from milk. I've never been a milk drinker, but I drank two gallons a week while pregnant.
11. Who irritated you the most? During the first trimester, definitely Shane. It was nothing he did, just hormones. During the second and third trimester, it was definitely 8th graders!
12. What was your first child’s sex? Male.
13. How many pounds did you gain throughout the pregnancy? 30. The last ten pounds came at the very end, which annoyed me.
14. Did you have any complications during your pregnancy? None! Unless you count my midwife and doula saying that they'd never seen such bad stretchmarks.
15. Where did you give birth? St Anthony's
16. How many hours were you in labor? 20
17. Who drove you to the hospital? Shane
18. Who watched? Shane and my mom and dad.
19. Was it vaginal or c-section? vaginal
20. Did you take medicine to ease the pain? Nope! And to answer your questions, no, I did not get a medal, and yes, I would absolutely do it that way. The only moment that I regretted it was during the ring of fire, but you can still feel that sensation with an epidural.
21. How much did your child weigh? 9lbs.
22. What did you name him/her? Lucas, but we call him Luke.
23. How old is your first born today? 19 months
Unfortunately, nothing really exciting happened in the week that I was sitting around twiddling my thumbs. My students are doing a community service project that involves writing letters to soldiers in Kuwait, and we did receive a letter back from one soldier. This made the kids happy, and we're now making plans to put together care packages for the soldiers. I just need to find out what they need, and of course, what they can't have. Luke is adding new words every day, his most recent being spider, due to my freak out over a GIANT spider that has taken residence over our front door. Thankfully, the spider is outside, but I am forever afraid that it's going to launch itself at my head one morning. If you don't hear from me for awhile, it's not because of a broken computer, but because I might break a bone executing my stealthy ninja spider avoiding moves every morning at 6AM.
Now that I'm all out of mundane news, enjoy this fun baby meme that I yanked from
Cassie.
1. Were you married at the time? Yes, we'd been married for 11 months. Our agreement was to start trying after we'd been married for a year, but it happened a month sooner!
2. What were your reactions when you found out you were pregnant? I was really excited, but also nervous!
3. How old were you? 24
4. How did you find out you were pregnant? My first inclination was the giant boobs. Seriously, I'd warn the same bra size since 7th grade, and despite my wishes for cleavage, they just never grew. All of a sudden, they exploded.
5. Who did you tell first? Shane. Actually, I didn't tell him I was taking a test, because I wasn't really sure that I was pregnant. Then I was confused because although there were two pink lines, one was really faint. So my triumphant announcement was, "Um, could you look at this? I think I might be pregnant."
6. Did you want to find out the sex? No, we wanted a surprise.
7. Due due: February 15, 2007
8. Did you deliver early or late? Late! I really wanted a Valentine's Day baby, but there was a stretch from Feb 13-19, where a close family member had either an anniversary or a birthday. Luke was born on Feb 20th, so I guess he just wanted his own day!
9. Did you have morning sickness? Yes, but thankfully, it was summer so I wasn't working!
10. What did you crave? I really didn't have many cravings, aside from milk. I've never been a milk drinker, but I drank two gallons a week while pregnant.
11. Who irritated you the most? During the first trimester, definitely Shane. It was nothing he did, just hormones. During the second and third trimester, it was definitely 8th graders!
12. What was your first child’s sex? Male.
13. How many pounds did you gain throughout the pregnancy? 30. The last ten pounds came at the very end, which annoyed me.
14. Did you have any complications during your pregnancy? None! Unless you count my midwife and doula saying that they'd never seen such bad stretchmarks.
15. Where did you give birth? St Anthony's
16. How many hours were you in labor? 20
17. Who drove you to the hospital? Shane
18. Who watched? Shane and my mom and dad.
19. Was it vaginal or c-section? vaginal
20. Did you take medicine to ease the pain? Nope! And to answer your questions, no, I did not get a medal, and yes, I would absolutely do it that way. The only moment that I regretted it was during the ring of fire, but you can still feel that sensation with an epidural.
21. How much did your child weigh? 9lbs.
22. What did you name him/her? Lucas, but we call him Luke.
23. How old is your first born today? 19 months
Friday, September 19, 2008
Can't Help...
Lovin' that MOM of mine.
I need to dedicate a post to my mom, because she is simply amazing. I feel that amazing doesn't even begin to sum her up, and there are so many things I could share with you about why my mom is amazing that I'm not even sure where to start.
I remember when I was in high school, and I first started to realize that my mom was amazing. It occurred to me on nights when my friends would show up randomly for dinner, and my mom would never complain, just set an extra plate. See, we were the family that always ate dinner together, that always had a delicious meal on the table, so my friends who didn't have this? They came for dinner. Right after I graduated from high school, I started spending a lot of time with my friends, knowing I'd be leaving for Indiana University soon. One night, my friends and I were out late at a movie, so they all ended up crashing at my place. When my mom woke up the next morning to discover my friend Rachel sharing my room and THREE boys in the living room, did she get upset? No, she said, "I guess Erin had a sleepover," and proceeded to make us homemade blueberry pancakes and bacon. See, my mom knew we weren't up to anything bad, no drinking or sex or anything of the sort. She knew we were just being kids, and she embraced that. I knew right then that I wanted to be this mom, the safe haven who made blueberry pancakes.
My mom is a huge fan of The Birth Story on TLC. See, my mom saw an OB who supported natural childbirth (even in the 70s!), but due to my brother having the cord wrapped around his neck, my mom had a c-section. And since VBAC was unheard of at this time, my mom had c-sections with all of us. Yet, my mom loves to watch these birth shows, even though when I lived at home, I'd make faces at the sight of a baby being born. When I was 8 weeks pregnant, and we told my mom, my mom said, "Get a doula!" And we did, of course. When I asked my mom if she wanted to be in the delivery room when the baby was born, she shyly said, "If you want me to..." but I knew she wanted to be there, and she knew I wanted her there. And so she was, she and my dad both. When I was in labor with Luke, she sat up with me while Shane slept. She helped out, and when Luke was born, the first noise I heard was my mom cheering. My mom is not the mom who cries a lot, but when she called my sisters to tell them the news, she was speaking through tears. The day we got home from the hospital, my mom had put clean sheets on the bed (my water broke while in bed), and we were greeted by a clothesline of onesies above the front porch that spelled out, "IT'S A BOY!" When I had trouble nursing at first, my mom who breastfed all four of her kids (two were twins!) at a time when breastfeeding was frowned upon, gave me calm advice and let me know that it would get better. And my mom who breastfed me until I was almost two has never been anything but supportive of toddler nursing.
And today. Today, I pulled into the driveway after a long day of work. My parents watch Luke on Fridays. When I got out of my car, I realized that my mom had planted mums out front. And when I came inside, I realized that my mom had washed a load of cloth diapers for me. My mom is who she is not because she feels she like she has to be this person, but because this IS who she is. Because she is amazing, because she is beautiful, and because when she became a mom? She meant it.
Right after her 5th grandchild was born...
Our welcome home greeting
I need to dedicate a post to my mom, because she is simply amazing. I feel that amazing doesn't even begin to sum her up, and there are so many things I could share with you about why my mom is amazing that I'm not even sure where to start.
I remember when I was in high school, and I first started to realize that my mom was amazing. It occurred to me on nights when my friends would show up randomly for dinner, and my mom would never complain, just set an extra plate. See, we were the family that always ate dinner together, that always had a delicious meal on the table, so my friends who didn't have this? They came for dinner. Right after I graduated from high school, I started spending a lot of time with my friends, knowing I'd be leaving for Indiana University soon. One night, my friends and I were out late at a movie, so they all ended up crashing at my place. When my mom woke up the next morning to discover my friend Rachel sharing my room and THREE boys in the living room, did she get upset? No, she said, "I guess Erin had a sleepover," and proceeded to make us homemade blueberry pancakes and bacon. See, my mom knew we weren't up to anything bad, no drinking or sex or anything of the sort. She knew we were just being kids, and she embraced that. I knew right then that I wanted to be this mom, the safe haven who made blueberry pancakes.
My mom is a huge fan of The Birth Story on TLC. See, my mom saw an OB who supported natural childbirth (even in the 70s!), but due to my brother having the cord wrapped around his neck, my mom had a c-section. And since VBAC was unheard of at this time, my mom had c-sections with all of us. Yet, my mom loves to watch these birth shows, even though when I lived at home, I'd make faces at the sight of a baby being born. When I was 8 weeks pregnant, and we told my mom, my mom said, "Get a doula!" And we did, of course. When I asked my mom if she wanted to be in the delivery room when the baby was born, she shyly said, "If you want me to..." but I knew she wanted to be there, and she knew I wanted her there. And so she was, she and my dad both. When I was in labor with Luke, she sat up with me while Shane slept. She helped out, and when Luke was born, the first noise I heard was my mom cheering. My mom is not the mom who cries a lot, but when she called my sisters to tell them the news, she was speaking through tears. The day we got home from the hospital, my mom had put clean sheets on the bed (my water broke while in bed), and we were greeted by a clothesline of onesies above the front porch that spelled out, "IT'S A BOY!" When I had trouble nursing at first, my mom who breastfed all four of her kids (two were twins!) at a time when breastfeeding was frowned upon, gave me calm advice and let me know that it would get better. And my mom who breastfed me until I was almost two has never been anything but supportive of toddler nursing.
And today. Today, I pulled into the driveway after a long day of work. My parents watch Luke on Fridays. When I got out of my car, I realized that my mom had planted mums out front. And when I came inside, I realized that my mom had washed a load of cloth diapers for me. My mom is who she is not because she feels she like she has to be this person, but because this IS who she is. Because she is amazing, because she is beautiful, and because when she became a mom? She meant it.
Right after her 5th grandchild was born...
Our welcome home greeting
Thursday, September 18, 2008
All About Meme!
The rules:
* take a picture of yourself right now.
* don't change your clothes, don't fix your hair...just take a picture.
* post that picture with NO editing.
* post these instructions with your picture
I saw this a few places today and thought it'd be fun. At least, after I had two glasses of wine, I thought I'd be brave enough to post a photo of my untouched, after a long day of administering ISTEPs self!
Oh, and the eyebrows? I decided to be lazy and not wax them, under the guise of letting them grow out, but I'm not really liking the grow out stage. I may have to fix these after seeing a photo of myself!
Also, I wasn't sure if not editing meant no cropping, so excuse the off-center photo, and my husband's open closet!
* take a picture of yourself right now.
* don't change your clothes, don't fix your hair...just take a picture.
* post that picture with NO editing.
* post these instructions with your picture
I saw this a few places today and thought it'd be fun. At least, after I had two glasses of wine, I thought I'd be brave enough to post a photo of my untouched, after a long day of administering ISTEPs self!
Oh, and the eyebrows? I decided to be lazy and not wax them, under the guise of letting them grow out, but I'm not really liking the grow out stage. I may have to fix these after seeing a photo of myself!
Also, I wasn't sure if not editing meant no cropping, so excuse the off-center photo, and my husband's open closet!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Wordless Wednesday: Gift of Rain
After all this rain, we were graced with a beautiful rainbow. It was too big to fit all of it in my camera, but I tried my best!
Luke was rather unimpressed with the rainbow, but he was very happy to be outside.
Luke was rather unimpressed with the rainbow, but he was very happy to be outside.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Rain, Rain, Go Away
First of all, huge congrats to Stephanie who welcomed a baby girl into the world early this morning and to Mimi who was also there to welcome her new granddaughter! I can't wait to see pictures.
Now on to the rain. Oh, I do not like Ike! The rain started on Thursday, and it came in bursts until Saturday, when it started and DID NOT STOP. It rained so much that most area schools are closed due to flooding. Saturday night, Luke and I stayed the night at my parents' house because Shane's monthly poker game was at our house. The poker games go late, and it is hard to get Luke to bed with a houseful of men. We left my parents' at about 9 Sunday morning. I knew it had rained a lot, but I didn't think it'd be that bad yet. Well, a 20 minute drive turned into an hour drive because the roads were so bad. I drive a Ford Focus, which is not exactly made for navigating high water. There was one time on a main road, crossing a bridge, where I was really scared. I didn't realize how high and how fast the water was until I got into the middle of it, and my car started to pull. At one point, I hit the gas, and the car didn't respond, but I made it through (as of yesterday afternoon, that stretch of road was closed to traffic). When I was almost home, I drove through water, then got to another spot where I knew I wouldn't be able to get through. I pulled over to the side of the road and called my husband, in tears. He told me to stay on the phone with him, to turn around, and try and get back through the water I'd just driven in. I did and made it, but I wasn't sure how to get home. I finally made it, winding around back roads, and I was glad to be home! Shortly after, I got the phone call that school was canceled, and I celebrated with a few glasses of wine to try and calm my nerves!
In August, I posted about some flooding we had. After the rain finally let up last night, we took a walk to the same area, and wow! It was way worse than August. These are not the best photos because it started to get dark quickly, but you can get an idea of how much more water there is than in August.
I zoomed in to show that the metal guardrail (which you can see in the August photo) is completely underwater.
While we were down there, these guys in a huge monster truck drove past and gave us the peace sign. They then drove through the water, with the doors open, cheering the entire time. It was hilarious! And because I'm a dork, I waded in to my ankles to feel how fast it was moving. Even in the shallow parts, it was fast and ICE cold. And yes, I'm wearing my pajamas!
We went out this morning for much-needed items (Starbucks and beer, duh), and I was surprised at how flooded everything still is. This is the entrance/exit ramp to I65, still very under water.
This is a restaurant about ten minutes south of our house, on the Kankakee River.
The area beyond the black wrought iron fence and below the hanging flower baskets is actually an outdoor dining area, but as you can see, it is all under water. The river itself is up to the very bottom of the bridge, and the water is creeping higher still because the bridge is jammed with debris--there was an entire tree stuck there! As the water drains into the river, I expect it'll get higher as the day goes on. We saw farmers out sandbagging along fields, but I imagine a lot of crops are ruined. I am thankful our sump pump was working overtime, so we did not have any water in our house.
Now on to the rain. Oh, I do not like Ike! The rain started on Thursday, and it came in bursts until Saturday, when it started and DID NOT STOP. It rained so much that most area schools are closed due to flooding. Saturday night, Luke and I stayed the night at my parents' house because Shane's monthly poker game was at our house. The poker games go late, and it is hard to get Luke to bed with a houseful of men. We left my parents' at about 9 Sunday morning. I knew it had rained a lot, but I didn't think it'd be that bad yet. Well, a 20 minute drive turned into an hour drive because the roads were so bad. I drive a Ford Focus, which is not exactly made for navigating high water. There was one time on a main road, crossing a bridge, where I was really scared. I didn't realize how high and how fast the water was until I got into the middle of it, and my car started to pull. At one point, I hit the gas, and the car didn't respond, but I made it through (as of yesterday afternoon, that stretch of road was closed to traffic). When I was almost home, I drove through water, then got to another spot where I knew I wouldn't be able to get through. I pulled over to the side of the road and called my husband, in tears. He told me to stay on the phone with him, to turn around, and try and get back through the water I'd just driven in. I did and made it, but I wasn't sure how to get home. I finally made it, winding around back roads, and I was glad to be home! Shortly after, I got the phone call that school was canceled, and I celebrated with a few glasses of wine to try and calm my nerves!
In August, I posted about some flooding we had. After the rain finally let up last night, we took a walk to the same area, and wow! It was way worse than August. These are not the best photos because it started to get dark quickly, but you can get an idea of how much more water there is than in August.
I zoomed in to show that the metal guardrail (which you can see in the August photo) is completely underwater.
While we were down there, these guys in a huge monster truck drove past and gave us the peace sign. They then drove through the water, with the doors open, cheering the entire time. It was hilarious! And because I'm a dork, I waded in to my ankles to feel how fast it was moving. Even in the shallow parts, it was fast and ICE cold. And yes, I'm wearing my pajamas!
We went out this morning for much-needed items (Starbucks and beer, duh), and I was surprised at how flooded everything still is. This is the entrance/exit ramp to I65, still very under water.
This is a restaurant about ten minutes south of our house, on the Kankakee River.
The area beyond the black wrought iron fence and below the hanging flower baskets is actually an outdoor dining area, but as you can see, it is all under water. The river itself is up to the very bottom of the bridge, and the water is creeping higher still because the bridge is jammed with debris--there was an entire tree stuck there! As the water drains into the river, I expect it'll get higher as the day goes on. We saw farmers out sandbagging along fields, but I imagine a lot of crops are ruined. I am thankful our sump pump was working overtime, so we did not have any water in our house.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Precious Moments
There is much I could say today, but I could not say it any better than her or her, so I will direct you there. I will say that we had a moment of silence today, before which our Assistant Principal did a beautiful reading. The kids were better than I could ever have hoped for, and it made me proud. We sang The Star Spangled Banner at lunch today, and even though the football players on stage with the microphone sang the same verse TWICE, it was still sweet.
Do you ever have those moments where your tongue tricks you, and you end up saying something in such a wrong way? Those moments are only amplified when you have 8th graders to forever remind you of your slip of the tongue! I have never slipped and said a swear word in front of my students, and believe me, this can be difficult with 8th graders. Instead, I seem to have a knack for saying things that are just SO, SO wrong.
Case in point, last year, I was discussing the Harlem Renaissance. At some point, I tied in Prohibition, and I was trying to explain what a Speakeasy was. Somehow the following sentence came out of my mouth: "Since people could no longer drink legally, parties weren't much fun." Before I could backpeddle and explain, I had a chorus of, "So you're saying parties aren't fun unless alcohol is involved?" While I rectified my statement, I still spent the rest of the year hearing, "Do you remember that time that you told us we couldn't have fun without alcohol??"
Yesterday, I had another one of those moments. Lately, the girls have been asking me if they're fat, OVER AND OVER. I never know if they're just looking for attention or if they have self-image issues or both, so I always tread lightly with this, and assure them that no, they're not fat. Because they're not. Most 8th graders don't even have hips yet, let alone extra fat. Anyway, the SAME group of girls kept asking me and pinching their non-existent stomach fat, so I finally said, "LISTEN, go have a baby, then come talk to me about what THAT does to your stomach!" And again, the instant it came out of my mouth, I said, "NO, NO WAIT, I'm not telling you to have a baby now, I meant like 10 years from now, OKAY?" But of course, they latched on to that, and I will now spend the rest of the year listening to how I told them to go have babies.
What really amazes me is that they don't hear me when I tell them FOUR times in a row that we have a quiz tomorrow, but they sure pick up on ONE erroneous sentence!
Do you ever have those moments where your tongue tricks you, and you end up saying something in such a wrong way? Those moments are only amplified when you have 8th graders to forever remind you of your slip of the tongue! I have never slipped and said a swear word in front of my students, and believe me, this can be difficult with 8th graders. Instead, I seem to have a knack for saying things that are just SO, SO wrong.
Case in point, last year, I was discussing the Harlem Renaissance. At some point, I tied in Prohibition, and I was trying to explain what a Speakeasy was. Somehow the following sentence came out of my mouth: "Since people could no longer drink legally, parties weren't much fun." Before I could backpeddle and explain, I had a chorus of, "So you're saying parties aren't fun unless alcohol is involved?" While I rectified my statement, I still spent the rest of the year hearing, "Do you remember that time that you told us we couldn't have fun without alcohol??"
Yesterday, I had another one of those moments. Lately, the girls have been asking me if they're fat, OVER AND OVER. I never know if they're just looking for attention or if they have self-image issues or both, so I always tread lightly with this, and assure them that no, they're not fat. Because they're not. Most 8th graders don't even have hips yet, let alone extra fat. Anyway, the SAME group of girls kept asking me and pinching their non-existent stomach fat, so I finally said, "LISTEN, go have a baby, then come talk to me about what THAT does to your stomach!" And again, the instant it came out of my mouth, I said, "NO, NO WAIT, I'm not telling you to have a baby now, I meant like 10 years from now, OKAY?" But of course, they latched on to that, and I will now spend the rest of the year listening to how I told them to go have babies.
What really amazes me is that they don't hear me when I tell them FOUR times in a row that we have a quiz tomorrow, but they sure pick up on ONE erroneous sentence!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Hormonally Challenged
I am constantly amazed at how 8th graders can go from one extreme to the next in the span of sixty seconds. I just cannot imagine living in such a crazed state all the time, although when I was pregnant, I did once pour half a bottle of syrup on the kitchen floor (but that, my friends, is a story for another time).
Still, I'm sure that most of you remember how in middle school, you and your classmates could easily go from being best friends to enemies in the span of a day? And likewise, you could be fighting with someone at lunchtime and then pass them notes in 7th hour?
Unfortunately, teachers are not exempt from this hormonal craziness. I have a student who from DAY ONE has had a chip on her shoulder. I had her older brother last year, and he ended up suspended the last week of school when he swore at me, left my classroom, and then left the SCHOOL. When I saw her last name on my class roster, I was worried that would happen, but I was more than willing to be proven wrong. She was rude to me on the first day of school and was then tardy to my class each day thereafter. All of her friends in that class were immediately rude to me, as well, and I started to dread it. I kept trying to be nice, but eventually, I had to come down on them and let them know that they did not run the class, I did. After that, they just refused to look at me.
I kept trying, though, and I smiled at them just like I did all the other students. It didn't seem to work, and I could just feel the glares and eye rolls the instant I turned my back. Today, I made cookies for all of my students to do an exercise on sensory details. I was dreading the class they were in, because I worried that, somehow, they'd do or say something to ruin a fun activity.
As always, I underestimated the power of hormones. Suddenly, this girl who has hated me since day 1 was my BFF. She came up to my desk and began to confide in me a number of heavy things she has going on in her life right now. She then said, "I thought you'd hate me because of my brother," which broke my heart. I told her that I didn't hate her, and I certainly wouldn't because of her brother. I told her that, actually, I liked her brother a lot and thought he was really funny. Then, in typical 8th grade fashion, she began hopping up and down, telling her friends, "Mrs. C likes me the BEST!" She also asked me if I thought she was fat, a question that always makes me want to smack an 8th grader! After that, she asked if she could sit next to my desk, and it was all I could do to pinch myself and wonder if I was dreaming. I hope this isn't a fluke and that it lasts, because now that I've finally gotten a chance to know her and talk to her, she's really a sweet girl. And you know, if I'm to be honest here... teachers? We just want to be liked, too.
Still, I'm sure that most of you remember how in middle school, you and your classmates could easily go from being best friends to enemies in the span of a day? And likewise, you could be fighting with someone at lunchtime and then pass them notes in 7th hour?
Unfortunately, teachers are not exempt from this hormonal craziness. I have a student who from DAY ONE has had a chip on her shoulder. I had her older brother last year, and he ended up suspended the last week of school when he swore at me, left my classroom, and then left the SCHOOL. When I saw her last name on my class roster, I was worried that would happen, but I was more than willing to be proven wrong. She was rude to me on the first day of school and was then tardy to my class each day thereafter. All of her friends in that class were immediately rude to me, as well, and I started to dread it. I kept trying to be nice, but eventually, I had to come down on them and let them know that they did not run the class, I did. After that, they just refused to look at me.
I kept trying, though, and I smiled at them just like I did all the other students. It didn't seem to work, and I could just feel the glares and eye rolls the instant I turned my back. Today, I made cookies for all of my students to do an exercise on sensory details. I was dreading the class they were in, because I worried that, somehow, they'd do or say something to ruin a fun activity.
As always, I underestimated the power of hormones. Suddenly, this girl who has hated me since day 1 was my BFF. She came up to my desk and began to confide in me a number of heavy things she has going on in her life right now. She then said, "I thought you'd hate me because of my brother," which broke my heart. I told her that I didn't hate her, and I certainly wouldn't because of her brother. I told her that, actually, I liked her brother a lot and thought he was really funny. Then, in typical 8th grade fashion, she began hopping up and down, telling her friends, "Mrs. C likes me the BEST!" She also asked me if I thought she was fat, a question that always makes me want to smack an 8th grader! After that, she asked if she could sit next to my desk, and it was all I could do to pinch myself and wonder if I was dreaming. I hope this isn't a fluke and that it lasts, because now that I've finally gotten a chance to know her and talk to her, she's really a sweet girl. And you know, if I'm to be honest here... teachers? We just want to be liked, too.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Since I'm Already Awesome...
I need no improvement, but I'm still working on improving my home. I am really loving it! It's a nice way to treat myself each month, and I don't feel guilty about it because it's something we can all enjoy (as opposed to the Sephora order I just made, but I promise it was all necessary items. Okay, except for the lip gloss. And perfume.)
At the end of August, I ordered a comforter set. This was a little above my set limit of $50, but Shane and I both agreed that we needed a nice comforter. Our old one was ruined by muddy paws, so we've just been using a blanket. And who could resist the clearance price?
My September purchase has been my favorite thus far. I recently discovered Golden Flower Creation, ran by a good bloggy friend Maricris. I am a huge fan of etsy, and I like to buy handmade as much as possible. As soon as I saw Maricris's beautiful wreaths, I fell in love! Every December, we buy an evergreen swag from the music students at my school, but other than that, our door is bare. Or, I should say, our door was bare. As of Friday, it is now adorned with a beautiful autumn wreath. Thanks to Maricris thoughtfully including a door hanger with the wreath, I was able to hang it up right away.
See how beautiful it looks?
And for fun, here's the uncropped version of the photo that Bippus and Luke snuck into.
In fact, we love our wreath so much that it solved the dilemma of what to get for Luke's sitter, who turns 60 this Saturday. Instead of a generic gift card, she will be getting a beautiful cornucopia wreath, which I hope she will love as much as we love ours. I really encourage you to check out Maricris's etsy store. She also makes beautiful jewelry and centerpieces.
And on the not-so-exciting front, I've managed to develop thrush in my mouth, thanks to the antibiotics for strep. Now I get why this is such a big deal when baby and breastfeeding moms get it, because wow, it HURTS. I am taking probiotics and washing my mouth out with apple cider vinegar (HORRIBLE), but does anyone have any other tips to treat it? I'd like to treat it as naturally as possible, because my poor body is already so out of whack from the strep antibiotics. I've heard mixed reviews on Gentian Violet, but I'd mostly like to avoid it so that I don't spend the next week explaining to 8th graders why my mouth is purple!
At the end of August, I ordered a comforter set. This was a little above my set limit of $50, but Shane and I both agreed that we needed a nice comforter. Our old one was ruined by muddy paws, so we've just been using a blanket. And who could resist the clearance price?
My September purchase has been my favorite thus far. I recently discovered Golden Flower Creation, ran by a good bloggy friend Maricris. I am a huge fan of etsy, and I like to buy handmade as much as possible. As soon as I saw Maricris's beautiful wreaths, I fell in love! Every December, we buy an evergreen swag from the music students at my school, but other than that, our door is bare. Or, I should say, our door was bare. As of Friday, it is now adorned with a beautiful autumn wreath. Thanks to Maricris thoughtfully including a door hanger with the wreath, I was able to hang it up right away.
See how beautiful it looks?
And for fun, here's the uncropped version of the photo that Bippus and Luke snuck into.
In fact, we love our wreath so much that it solved the dilemma of what to get for Luke's sitter, who turns 60 this Saturday. Instead of a generic gift card, she will be getting a beautiful cornucopia wreath, which I hope she will love as much as we love ours. I really encourage you to check out Maricris's etsy store. She also makes beautiful jewelry and centerpieces.
And on the not-so-exciting front, I've managed to develop thrush in my mouth, thanks to the antibiotics for strep. Now I get why this is such a big deal when baby and breastfeeding moms get it, because wow, it HURTS. I am taking probiotics and washing my mouth out with apple cider vinegar (HORRIBLE), but does anyone have any other tips to treat it? I'd like to treat it as naturally as possible, because my poor body is already so out of whack from the strep antibiotics. I've heard mixed reviews on Gentian Violet, but I'd mostly like to avoid it so that I don't spend the next week explaining to 8th graders why my mouth is purple!
Friday, September 5, 2008
Is It Hot In Here?
Oh, wait, that's just me! Today, I sent an email to my teammates that said: "I just got observed, and I am made of so much awesome."
And when the Social Studies teacher on my team questioned the grammatical soundness of that sentence, I explained that while "[you are] made of cells and junk, I am made of awesome. The difference is quite clear." Because seriously, I was on fire today. Every lesson I taught went so well. Not coincidentally, I taught one of my favorite lessons of the year. It's a very simple lesson over the two types of conflict in stories, internal and external. To make it interesting, I first give notes, and then I create a verbal story using the three types of conflict (because there are types of external conflict!) involving the students in the class. It is so much fun!
Today was the first day that I was formally observed by my principal. Last year, I was not observed at all because I worked with the assistant principal on a formative plan. Prior to this, I worked at a different middle school. Same district, different principal. He and I did not see eye to eye, but he always scheduled his observations, and I made sure to teach my best lesson. Well, my principal now does unannounced observations. Also, he and I get along really well, as he tells people that I'm the funniest person alive.
Anyway, he came in 8th hour, and I taught my lesson. As I got into my story, I started acting out parts of the story. My story involved a girl in my class, Christina, who really loves cookies. Christina finds out that cookies are banned by the government because they are bad for you, so she is very distraught. She thinks and thinks about what to do (internal conflict) before deciding to move to the forest, where she builds a log cabin because she is an accomplished carpenter. After living peacefully in the woods for years, another student, Jimmy, buys the woods and is all set to bulldoze Christina's house to build a mall. Christina tries to start a petition, but everyone is really excited about the mall (external--person vs. person), so she loses the battle. She packs up all of her things in a little bag, which she carries on a stick over her shoulder like a hobo. She wanders the country, until building a hut on a beach out of palm leaves and sand, where she lives happily until a hurricane destroys everything she owns (external--person vs. nature). Of course, when I told the story, I added in more details, but that is the gist of it. When I finished, I explained how conflict makes a story interesting, because if I said, "Christina woke up, ate cookies, then went to bed," it wouldn't be interesting, but instead, I left them wondering what would happen next. And when I said this, Christina raised her hand and said, "But Mrs. C... I want to know what happens next!" So we finished our story by saying that Cookie Monster became President and declared free cookies for all, at which point, Christina made herself a cookie swimming pool, so she could swim and eat her way through cookies all day long.
The kids were REALLY into it, and the whole time, my principal was in the back row laughing and shaking his head at me. When he left, he pulled me aside and said, "Erin, you seriously missed your calling. You should be a stand-up comic. That was just amazing. You had ME wondering what would happen next in the story, and you still managed to work your trademark sarcasm into the story!" I laughed and said that it was a gift, and he said, "No, really, it is. I'm glad I came in to see you today."
It was SO nice, you guys! Do you ever have a day where you just feel proud of yourself, where you feel like you're doing it right? That was today for me.
And when the Social Studies teacher on my team questioned the grammatical soundness of that sentence, I explained that while "[you are] made of cells and junk, I am made of awesome. The difference is quite clear." Because seriously, I was on fire today. Every lesson I taught went so well. Not coincidentally, I taught one of my favorite lessons of the year. It's a very simple lesson over the two types of conflict in stories, internal and external. To make it interesting, I first give notes, and then I create a verbal story using the three types of conflict (because there are types of external conflict!) involving the students in the class. It is so much fun!
Today was the first day that I was formally observed by my principal. Last year, I was not observed at all because I worked with the assistant principal on a formative plan. Prior to this, I worked at a different middle school. Same district, different principal. He and I did not see eye to eye, but he always scheduled his observations, and I made sure to teach my best lesson. Well, my principal now does unannounced observations. Also, he and I get along really well, as he tells people that I'm the funniest person alive.
Anyway, he came in 8th hour, and I taught my lesson. As I got into my story, I started acting out parts of the story. My story involved a girl in my class, Christina, who really loves cookies. Christina finds out that cookies are banned by the government because they are bad for you, so she is very distraught. She thinks and thinks about what to do (internal conflict) before deciding to move to the forest, where she builds a log cabin because she is an accomplished carpenter. After living peacefully in the woods for years, another student, Jimmy, buys the woods and is all set to bulldoze Christina's house to build a mall. Christina tries to start a petition, but everyone is really excited about the mall (external--person vs. person), so she loses the battle. She packs up all of her things in a little bag, which she carries on a stick over her shoulder like a hobo. She wanders the country, until building a hut on a beach out of palm leaves and sand, where she lives happily until a hurricane destroys everything she owns (external--person vs. nature). Of course, when I told the story, I added in more details, but that is the gist of it. When I finished, I explained how conflict makes a story interesting, because if I said, "Christina woke up, ate cookies, then went to bed," it wouldn't be interesting, but instead, I left them wondering what would happen next. And when I said this, Christina raised her hand and said, "But Mrs. C... I want to know what happens next!" So we finished our story by saying that Cookie Monster became President and declared free cookies for all, at which point, Christina made herself a cookie swimming pool, so she could swim and eat her way through cookies all day long.
The kids were REALLY into it, and the whole time, my principal was in the back row laughing and shaking his head at me. When he left, he pulled me aside and said, "Erin, you seriously missed your calling. You should be a stand-up comic. That was just amazing. You had ME wondering what would happen next in the story, and you still managed to work your trademark sarcasm into the story!" I laughed and said that it was a gift, and he said, "No, really, it is. I'm glad I came in to see you today."
It was SO nice, you guys! Do you ever have a day where you just feel proud of yourself, where you feel like you're doing it right? That was today for me.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Precious moments IV
I had a Precious Moment today! Finally! I've talked briefly before about how students honestly have a hard time believing that teachers have a life outside of school, and today reiterated that point for me.
We were discussing cats vs. dogs in my Advisory class. This is a smaller class, so we have a chance to chat about things like this. Anyway, this kid mentioned that cats always seem to have mean or evil looks on their faces. I started talking about the Science teacher on our team, and I asked the kids if they'd ever seen pictures of her cat. Most of them said yes, and that her cat always looks so evil. I laughed and said, "I know, but in reality, her cat is so sweet! She just always looks evil."
One boy said, "Have you like... been to her house?" I said, Yes, of course! And several of the kids responded with varying degrees of shock, while another boy said, "Have you gone shopping together?" I said, Yes, you guys, she's one of my closest friends, we do a LOT of things together outside of school! They just blinked and looked at me, like they thought I was making this all up, because how could we ever leave the school? Isn't there some sort of electric fence keeping us in??
I couldn't stop laughing over this, because it was just so sweet. They couldn't believe that we were friends outside of school, that we even had a life outside of school, because we're just always supposed to be locked in our rooms, waiting for them to enter. If they ONLY KNEW how their teachers behaved outside of school, say on a Friday afternoon at a local beverage establishment, their little minds would cease to work.
We were discussing cats vs. dogs in my Advisory class. This is a smaller class, so we have a chance to chat about things like this. Anyway, this kid mentioned that cats always seem to have mean or evil looks on their faces. I started talking about the Science teacher on our team, and I asked the kids if they'd ever seen pictures of her cat. Most of them said yes, and that her cat always looks so evil. I laughed and said, "I know, but in reality, her cat is so sweet! She just always looks evil."
One boy said, "Have you like... been to her house?" I said, Yes, of course! And several of the kids responded with varying degrees of shock, while another boy said, "Have you gone shopping together?" I said, Yes, you guys, she's one of my closest friends, we do a LOT of things together outside of school! They just blinked and looked at me, like they thought I was making this all up, because how could we ever leave the school? Isn't there some sort of electric fence keeping us in??
I couldn't stop laughing over this, because it was just so sweet. They couldn't believe that we were friends outside of school, that we even had a life outside of school, because we're just always supposed to be locked in our rooms, waiting for them to enter. If they ONLY KNEW how their teachers behaved outside of school, say on a Friday afternoon at a local beverage establishment, their little minds would cease to work.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Wordless Wednesday: The Best Seat in the House
I loved sitting on those shoulders as a child, and Luke loves it just as much.
Monday, September 1, 2008
You'd Have My Vote
If you're reading this and you're a presidential candidate (and I'm sure you guys--and gals, apparently--have nothing better to do than peruse my blog), let me tell you how to snag my vote. Sure, you could promise to cut taxes, but to be honest, I don't mind paying taxes that much. If my tax dollars go to good programs, I'm pretty pleased. No, to get my vote, all you have to do is make EVERY weekend a three-day weekend. Not too hard, right? I'm not particular about whether we get a Friday or a Monday off, just as long as one of them is no longer a work day. Hey, you could even alternate!
Here is why I think three-day weekends rule: On a normal two-day weekend (AKA, LAME), I really only get so much done. I spend one day grocery shopping, and I spend another day doing laundry. By Sunday night, I feel as it has all gone too fast. But on a three-day weekend, I get those things done and STILL have a day to play! You see? It's perfect.
Why, what did I do on this three-day weekend? Saturday, I went out for bagels and coffee at a local place, then I went grocery shopping, followed by a walk to the library. Saturday afternoon, I did some laundry, but it was pretty laid back, as I knew that I had TWO MORE DAYS to deal with the laundry.
On Sunday, we went to a winery with friends. This was pretty sweet because instead of being all, Ooh, I have to WORK tomorrow, I was all, Hey guys, let's buy a bottle of chilled champagne and go watch a Jim Gaffigan DVD, because WE DON'T HAVE TO WORK TOMORROW.
Incidentally, Future Presidents, imposing a law that all bottles of wine must cost no more than $4 would be a pretty sweet thing to do.
Today, we went to a parade. Parades are generally cool because they involve things like balloons and free candy, but I'm not insisting that every three-day weekend involve a parade. One every so often would be nice, though. Hey, Barry and Johnny (Barack Obama and John McCain to those of you who aren't supplying the candidates with totally awesome ideas), maybe you could throw a parade in my honor for giving you a winning idea? Just a thought.
Now, I'm certain there would be some logistics to work out, in terms of salary changes or how to fit 40 hours into 4 days, but I'll let you Presidential types debate on those points.
Here is why I think three-day weekends rule: On a normal two-day weekend (AKA, LAME), I really only get so much done. I spend one day grocery shopping, and I spend another day doing laundry. By Sunday night, I feel as it has all gone too fast. But on a three-day weekend, I get those things done and STILL have a day to play! You see? It's perfect.
Why, what did I do on this three-day weekend? Saturday, I went out for bagels and coffee at a local place, then I went grocery shopping, followed by a walk to the library. Saturday afternoon, I did some laundry, but it was pretty laid back, as I knew that I had TWO MORE DAYS to deal with the laundry.
On Sunday, we went to a winery with friends. This was pretty sweet because instead of being all, Ooh, I have to WORK tomorrow, I was all, Hey guys, let's buy a bottle of chilled champagne and go watch a Jim Gaffigan DVD, because WE DON'T HAVE TO WORK TOMORROW.
Incidentally, Future Presidents, imposing a law that all bottles of wine must cost no more than $4 would be a pretty sweet thing to do.
Today, we went to a parade. Parades are generally cool because they involve things like balloons and free candy, but I'm not insisting that every three-day weekend involve a parade. One every so often would be nice, though. Hey, Barry and Johnny (Barack Obama and John McCain to those of you who aren't supplying the candidates with totally awesome ideas), maybe you could throw a parade in my honor for giving you a winning idea? Just a thought.
Now, I'm certain there would be some logistics to work out, in terms of salary changes or how to fit 40 hours into 4 days, but I'll let you Presidential types debate on those points.
Because Moms Deserve Another Holiday...
Let's talk about the other kind of Labor Day with a fun little meme.
How long was your labor?
I was in labor for 20 hours. I pushed for one hour and six minutes. Apparently it takes a hellishly long time for nine pound babies to enter the world!
How did you know you were in labor?
The Niagra Falls style gush of amniotic fluid was a pretty clear indicator! I had extra amniotic fluid, so what was often described to me as a small trickle presented in the form of a pop, followed by a FLOOD for me.
Where did you deliver?
St. Anthony's
Drugs?
Nope, not even an aspirin. I had an amazing support team between my doula and my midwife, so I was able to cope very well naturally.
C-section?
No, thank goodness. I have a family history of women needing c-sections, so I took every step I could to prevent one. Still, I was told later by my midwife and doula that my old OB (otherwise known as the DEVIL) would've been pushing me into a c-section when I didn't progress fully after 12 hours of labor. So glad I switched!
Who delivered?
Well, if you want to get technical, I delivered.:) My midwife caught the baby, though, so I'll give her credit for that!
If you want to play along, go link back at Rocks In My Dryer
How long was your labor?
I was in labor for 20 hours. I pushed for one hour and six minutes. Apparently it takes a hellishly long time for nine pound babies to enter the world!
How did you know you were in labor?
The Niagra Falls style gush of amniotic fluid was a pretty clear indicator! I had extra amniotic fluid, so what was often described to me as a small trickle presented in the form of a pop, followed by a FLOOD for me.
Where did you deliver?
St. Anthony's
Drugs?
Nope, not even an aspirin. I had an amazing support team between my doula and my midwife, so I was able to cope very well naturally.
C-section?
No, thank goodness. I have a family history of women needing c-sections, so I took every step I could to prevent one. Still, I was told later by my midwife and doula that my old OB (otherwise known as the DEVIL) would've been pushing me into a c-section when I didn't progress fully after 12 hours of labor. So glad I switched!
Who delivered?
Well, if you want to get technical, I delivered.:) My midwife caught the baby, though, so I'll give her credit for that!
If you want to play along, go link back at Rocks In My Dryer
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