Oh. HERE We Go...

So ya know my comment the other day about crossing my fingers that no new second graders moved into the boundary?  Guess what? <insert doom & gloom music here>

One did.  I go to get B yesterday & her teacher mouthes that she wants to talk to me. I must have looked horrified because she started motioning with her hands & mouthing "It's ok it's ok". All the other kids left & she comes over & tells me that they got a new boy & that first thing yesterday morning she was told that she was getting him & B was out.  She said an hour later the other second grade teacher came dancing in saying she was taking him & that they were giving her an aide (because if she gets him they are legally over capacity).

Not sure what happened there but the administration building is involved with that kind of decision. I don't know if the head of Elementary Education decided to do the right thing & go to bat for B this time (unlike the last time) or if it's a numbers game. Ya know, paying an aide will be cheaper than my lawsuit if they bounce her. They know after the last round that I'm as serious as a heart attack about legal action & they also know that if they try to move her they are going against a judge's wishes so...

Do I feel the least bit at ease about this aide?  God no. I'll believe it when I see her. Honestly, I FULLY expect a phone call TODAY telling me due to overcrowding tomorrow is her last day.

Ironically on the way to school the kids out of nowhere (because they have NO idea of this situation) were discussing how last fall they tried to move B. She said, "Thank goodness that didn't happen to me. I'm so glad they'll never do that again."

Yeah, lump in throat just praying.

B's Gifts

Last night B was at the dining room table. Not unusual. Most nights she is there with paper, crayons, scissors & TAPE! She is always creating something or other & I usually pay no attention until she is finished & then I'm amazed at a fully functional, 3 dimensional pop-out something. I noticed her big jewelry box on the table & asked what she was up too.  She had decided that she NEEDED to give something "special-er" to her BFF's for Christmas so she was finding a "perfect" bracelet for each one.

She was wrapping them by the time I noticed and really, how could I intervene. They were put in her backpack in a special compartment & went to school with her today.

Important Things

Spending a few hours with 30 of my favorite second graders today. Milk & cookies with Santa & my time couldn't have been better spent.  I feel lucky to get time with these kids. It doesn't take much to break up the monotony & make them happy.

Rockin Around The Christmas Tree...

The kids Christmas show is tomorrow night. That means I have been listening to them warble practice their tonedeafness songs ALL NIGHT.

Little miss candy cane striped tights up there *is* a show girl after all so it is all "I'm a performer".

Seriously.

She's also in the very front again this year. She says its because she knows all the "hand motions" and keeps singing when everyone else forgets.

I know a bunch of hand motions too. I'd like to send them Disney's way.  They didn't respond yet which is pretty funny considering I'm not just going a way. I have an interview with their skaters this week! I did my checking & it's not legal at all to swipe my stuff & publish it without my consent so...

Either pay me or cease & desist.

The DJ & I are still messaging back & forth crazily.

(Pssst!  Just ask for my number already!)

Oh and pray, cross fingers, whatever. Maya has an eye appointment tomorrow.  As of last week it looked like more surgery is imminent. Pray her newest eye drop is a miracle in a .5 ml bottle.

I Love When It's 85 Degrees At 6am...

...or not.

Have I mentioned how much I'm NOT a heat person?  Well. I'm not.  I only like it really hot when I'm at the beach. Then it better be 90 or above.  There's a sprinkler park nearby that we took the kids to the other day. 5 kids, 3 grown women. It's in the shape of an oval with 8 embedded sprinklers that just randomly shoot water. Kids had a blast. Lots of other kids, random games of tag & volleyball going on. We on the other hand, died.  96 degrees, no breeze, bright sun. By the time we got to the car it felt like a day at the beach. You know that feeling where you drag yourself up onto the boardwalk & realize you're both exhausted & starving?  Yeah, except that there was no beach involved which was a wee bit depressing.   It ultimately led to a house full of people looking like this at about 4pm.

I was ambushed the other day. B has been campaigning for a turtle for about a month. Smack in the middle of a busy street downtown is this street vendor. He has t-shirts, belts, socks, knock off purses and TURTLES. Seriously, he has turtles.

(I know right? WTH??)

I have avoided street guy because B knows he has turtles. The other day I brainclouded completely (blame the heat, I do). We're approaching the magic-table-o-turtles & B runs over. Let me tell ya, this guy was smooth. Jumped out from behind his table, puts his arm around me & starts saying, "Aw look how happy she is sweetheart, how many are we taking home 3?" 3 because I had all 3 kids with me. Em was turtle indifferent (now of course she wants one) & Maya wanted to run like hell cause they creep her out. Needless to say, I wasn't getting away without a turtle.

It's name is Franklin. Or shelly. Or Swimmy. Or Pepsi. Or Sleepy.  She can't decide.

It's Oh So... Quiet ;)

Comin' At Ya With The Blah Blah Blah

How am I? Oh well I have been inside with 3 kids for pretty much three days straight that's how. EXCEPT for awhile ago when I had to go out & RE-shovel my parking space. Why you ask? Because a plow truck had to unbury a stuck Oil tanker truck that got stuck on the corner of the alley & my street. Unburying the truck meant adding about 18 inches of snow to my already once cleared spot.

Not happy.

B who I love to pieces is driving me completely & totally batshit crazy(er?). Why? Why? I'll tell you.

Her birthday is in June & she has been promised a trip to NYC to the American Girl Doll Store. You know where everything is HELLA expensive?  They have a "deal" where for $220ish bucks you go, your kid gets a doll, a $120 shopping spree & then lunch in the cafe.

Now multiply that times three because I have 3 girls total.  Okay, that is just bad expensive but still, we will do it or else. So in the meantime B gets American Girl catalogs & this is where the torture totally comes in. She has spent this entire blizzard carrying around every single catalog & RUMINATING over which doll combo to get.

2 days ago it sounded something like this:

B: I've made up my mind. I want to get Rebecca.

Me: Are you sure, you want Rebecca?

B: Yeah it's Kit, er, I mean Rebecca.

Emmy: I thought you wanted Josephina.

Maya: You said you wanted the new Laney 5 minutes ago.

Repeat that 100 million times an hour spliced with, "Do you like this dress or that...this purse or that bag...should I get her a puppy...?"

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I put her on the phone with my sister, "B talk to Kiki, tell her about the American Girl Dolls!!!"

I FORGOT she was on the phone. 20 minutes later she handed me the phone with my warrior princess sister STILL on the other end. Sounding exhausted Kiki says, "OMG whyyyyyyyy would you do that to me???"

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I'm supposed to have 4 days of job retraining this week. Where? Smack in the middle of NOWHERE. Seriously.  Out in the country in a foot & a half of snow & then,  the kicker- I'll be gps -ing the boonies.

Really?????

In snow like this???

Do you really think I'll be doing that???

Yeah, me neither.

Shitbuckets.

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Did I mention that I have spent 24 hours completely & totally OUT of coffee? Can ya believe that? And as I hauled my ass thru snow that was falling sideways to buy more WAIT! First let me tell you that an umberella might have helped which is precisely why one of the little fukcers that came to my door asking to shovel STOLE mine from the hook on my mailbox. So no umberella. No plowed streets. Blinding snow. Little me trudging along in the name of coffee...THERE WAS NO COFFEE! Seriously. Out of coffee & bread. Then I got to trudge home with my caffeine headache fully intact.

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You're jealous of my weekend thusfar, admit it.

A Few Moments of Value

Last week when we baked a zillion cupcakes, that morning Emmy lost a front tooth. (The Tooth Fairy really works overtime here!) Maya was kind enough to call her a hillbilly & that was it- they couldn't stand each other all day long.

See?

Emmy momentarily forgetting that she's a hillbilly & decorating her cupcakes. Those are the ones that actually made it to school unscathed- at least those are some of them!


These were not so lucky.


B with Fluffy Bear


B acting normal.


She got Bella for Valentine's Day and only parts with her to go to school.


A new girl started in B's class, her name is Mackenzie. She gave B her phone number today which I ASSumed was not legit. They are 6 for cripes sake! For 2 hours I heard, "Can I call her?? Can I call her now??" Finally I said yes, dialed the phone & handed it over (telling B exactly what to say) as it began ringing. I figured it would be a wrong number. I hear:

"Hi this is Bridget can I talk to Mackenzie?" Then comes a big grin as she & Bella skipped off to talk on the phone. "Isn't it cool that you can pick up the phone and I'm there??"


So cool that within a one hour period B called her twice & Mackenzie called us 3 times. I suspect the novelty will wear off. I also fear this will be like making popcorn for B. Miss Independent likes to do things herself. She'll ask me for things but if I hesitate she takes over. Like making microwaved popcorn. She has put the plastic covered bag in the microwave & set the timer for 22 minutes. If I hear that little door slam I RUN. She crawled up onto my bed when I was sick a few weeks ago, looked me in the eyes while rubbing my head and said, "Can I make you soup?!"

My response was to hold onto her tighter.

Speaking of...

Em & B sleeping a few nights ago. Both snoring, hand in hand.




(Cell shots suck, no?)

Jammie Day

Ok, maybe for once they aren't lying & this storm is NOT going to miss us or magically shift direction. I say that & feel it's safe to say it now that the snow has been falling for hours. Yes, I believe it now that I see it. They predict 25 hours of straight snow and from what I'm seeing, I think it could happen. School was canceled last night & I wonder if we'll have any tomorrow. We only have school til 11am & I'm supposed to be there as homeroom mom at 10 for the Valentine's Day party. So THAT is my biggest dilemma of today: Do I need to bake 50 cupcakes or not in time for tomorrow?! I'm armed with my Valentine's Day Funfetti cake, heart sprinkles & Valentine's Day M&M's to decorate- but do I NEED to??

I had two teacher confrences yesterday & they went wonderfully. First up was Em. I've mentioned her tough, drill sargeant teacher. Mrs. C is older & piles on the homework. I have talked to her at the door on various occassions & have come to really like her. I get it, she yells to get control of her class. She pushes them because they really do their best then. She loves the kids & Emmy has thrived with her. Emmy was ready to be pushed this year. She wanted it & in return she gets great marks. Straight B+'s because as her teacher claims, in the 2nd quarter, they don't deserve A's yet. They haven't mastered 2nd grade. So she gets mostly 100's & is reading at just under a 4th grade level. I asked what area to help her in & Mrs. C said, "Honestly, she works hard & she needs help with nothing. Just do whatever you are doing because she is amazing & a joy to have.".( We also discussed next year & how I'd like her to have Bri. B is a fab student now, much better than Em was last year so I think B would do great with her as well. She told me she'll check the school's policy about requesting & put a request in for B next year.) Music to my ears.

Then I went on to see Tracey, Bri's teacher. You know, the one whose class I constantly visit?? I love Tracey to pieces. She's a year younger than me & has 4 kids of her own, the oldest being 8. She is in the trenches with me & gets it. And she loves her class. OMG you walk in & just feel it. The kids loves her just as much. So I walk in & up on the projector/smartboard is a huge pic of B from the Pumpkin Patch. She had just slide down one of the slides built into the mountain, popped out the opening & Tracey got the absolute joy on her face. I looked at it & my heart melted. She told me she had to show it to me & will FB it over to me as well. We commiserated on how B is the sweetest thing ever. The first thing she said is, "She is always happy, like, EVERYDAY happy. I love her so much & I'm so glad I have time with her." I'm so glad that people see her as I do because I always say, B is a rainbow. I'm glad she is like that with everyone. Her confrence was a breeze. A string of tests, reviews, Vocab assessments, etc. that were 100's or 95's. No more than one wrong on anything. Her report card is a string of A's. We wrapped up with me coming in next week to do a solar system project. I get to introduce it to them because then it's their next science chapter. Have NO idea what I'll do but I get to spend time with them :)

It's 10am and I think Valentine pancakes are calling.

Spongebob Is A Factor In Everyday Situations

B & I were having a conversation yesterday while walking down the street. We went to cross at an intersection & I reminded her to be careful. She mentioned that we don't want to be "crushed" by a car. I think it's kind of ingenius that while the rest of us avoid being "hit" by cars my 5 year old actually grasps the weight of a car and sees it as something that can crush us. Anyway, the question of the day from my baby that is so not a baby:

"If a car crushes us does that mean we'll be flat?

Me: "Flat??"

Bridget- "You know, will it make us flat like Spongebob??"

Good to know we haven't gone cold turkey on the kid stuff. One cartton character still exists in my house.