So I have a million things I want to blog about each day, and I simply don't have the time. One of these days (perhaps after grad school!) I'll have more time to sit and write. It's a shame because I know I'm missing out on recording precious moments that I'll soon forget. Oh, well...I guess if I've forgotten I won't know the sweetness I'm missing in memories, right?
Today I'm quickly blogging about an opportunity you have to invest in children. I teach middle school English and literature. Fun, right? Not according to about 99% of kids. :-) Seriously. If you think back to your middle school, what subject did you enjoy most? Science? P.E.? Most do not say English. I understand. I don't have fond memories of my English classes in middle school, either.
I want that to change! One way I can do that is by incorporating technology into my teaching and into the activities I create for my students. How better to engage them in the learning process than to meet them where they'd rather be...playing around with all the great new things of today. My boring old classroom with an overhead projector is just not cutting it!
I have set up a project at DonorsChoose.org in hopes to get a few things to beef up the technology in our classroom. I'm specifically looking to get a netbook (with Microsoft Office), digital camera/video recorder, and a color printer. The possibilities with these tools are endless!!
Here's the neat part. Anyone can donate to my project! $1-???? The choice is yours. Every little bit helps.
What's even better is that now through midnight on Monday, December 12 (5 more days!) all donations will be MATCHED!!!! You simply have to use the match code SPARK when checking out.
How exciting!!
Will you consider investing in the education of my students (both now and those in the future) by donating to my project? Will you help lead the way with getting technology into the classroom? Will you be a part of bringing opportunities to students that will engage them in the learning process...that will meet the needs of those students who thrive when they can get hands-on in a variety of ways?
Will you help me provide opportunities for those students who otherwise wouldn't have the chance to learn & use such "basic" technologies until they're much older while, in turn, keeping them from falling more and more behind their peers?
www.donorschoose.org/mrs.johnson.wwms
Don't forget to use the match code "SPARK" when checking out!
Also...if you want your entire donation to go towards the project, make sure you exclude the optional 15% donation to DonorsChoose that, despite being optional, is automatically applied. Each project already has 15% of the total product cost tacked on to the end so DonorsChoose is still making $ off my project. I'm not opposed to this because they are providing a wonderful service for teachers. However, I don't see the need to get 15% from the project as well as from each individual donor. Just my humble opinion. You donate as you feel led.
Thank you in advance for your consideration!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Sometimes
Sometimes I wonder what it's like to have a job where you can go to the bathroom when you need to...and not be given a time-limit when you do.
Sometimes I wonder what it's like to have a job where you can relax and enjoy your lunch - perhaps even getting out of the building to eat - instead of scarfing it down in 15 minutes after waiting in line for the microwave.
Sometimes I wonder what it's like to be able to sit at your desk quietly to get your work done.
Sometimes I wonder what it's like to leave work when your shift is over or your business closes its doors...when your paid time is up.
Sometimes I wonder what it's like to be able to simply do the job your title proclaims instead of having to do a million other things in order to even get to that point.
Sometimes I wonder if the outside world thinks about these aspects of my profession.
But mostly I wonder what it's like to have a job where you can go to the bathroom when you need to.
Sometimes I wonder what it's like to have a job where you can relax and enjoy your lunch - perhaps even getting out of the building to eat - instead of scarfing it down in 15 minutes after waiting in line for the microwave.
Sometimes I wonder what it's like to be able to sit at your desk quietly to get your work done.
Sometimes I wonder what it's like to leave work when your shift is over or your business closes its doors...when your paid time is up.
Sometimes I wonder what it's like to be able to simply do the job your title proclaims instead of having to do a million other things in order to even get to that point.
Sometimes I wonder if the outside world thinks about these aspects of my profession.
But mostly I wonder what it's like to have a job where you can go to the bathroom when you need to.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Are You Serious?!
Barrett is six weeks old,
I'm nursing exclusively,
And I'm having a period!
Not cool!!
I'm nursing exclusively,
And I'm having a period!
Not cool!!
Friday, June 3, 2011
Operation 50-30
Operation 50-30 begins today.
Simply put, it's my plan to lose 50lbs by the time I'm 30.
There are 32 weeks (and 2 days) until my 30th birthday. That's roughly 1.5lbs/week. Completely doable.
I know some weeks I'll lose more and others I'll lose less, but hopefully I can average 1.5 I pounds a week.
I have approximately 30 pounds on me that I didn't have before getting pregnant with Layla. I kept about 10 pounds/pregnancy. Lovely. My thinking, then, is that those 30 pounds will be "easier" to lose than the last 20. I don't believe there will be anything easy about it, but for lack of a better word, I think the first 30 will come off a bit quicker. The fact that I have 10 weeks of summer should help, too. Should. I say this because just as I have more time to get up and move, I have just as much time to sit on my butt and veg. It's definitely going to be as much of a mental journey as it is a physical one.
Therefore, I have created the following goals to keep me on track to complete Operation 50-30:
July 1 - down 8 pounds
July 29 - down 16 pounds
Aug. 26 - down 24 pounds
Sep. 30 - down 31 pounds*
Oct. 28 - down 37 pounds
Nov. 23 - down 41 pounds
Dec. 30 - down 46 pounds**
Jan. 13 - down 50 pounds!!!!***
If I can muster up enough courage, I may post this in terms of actual weight. I'm not sure I'm that brave yet. I do have it figured out and written down for myself, though.
I've been saying for nearly a year now that I'm looking forward to my 30s for the mere fact that my body will once again be my own. By the time I'm 30 (a few months past, actually), I will have spent 5 consecutive years of my life either pregnant or nursing. 5 years!! Don't get me wrong, I have very much enjoyed experiencing and being a part of the miracle of life. I am beyond blessed that God has entrusted me with three children!! I wouldn't change the past 5 years for anything. We have many different stages in life. This has been a wonderful stage. I am just comfortable in admitting I'm also looking forward to the next stage.
So...what better way to celebrate entering a new decade and a new stage in life than being 50 pounds lighter?!?!
And so it begins...Operation 50-30!
* back to pre-pregnancies weight! I've not been here since May 2007
** last seen the summer of 2005 (with the help of Weight Watchers)
*** I don't remember the last time I was here on my own accord. This is actually probably close to my wedding weight (July 2004).
Simply put, it's my plan to lose 50lbs by the time I'm 30.
There are 32 weeks (and 2 days) until my 30th birthday. That's roughly 1.5lbs/week. Completely doable.
I know some weeks I'll lose more and others I'll lose less, but hopefully I can average 1.5 I pounds a week.
I have approximately 30 pounds on me that I didn't have before getting pregnant with Layla. I kept about 10 pounds/pregnancy. Lovely. My thinking, then, is that those 30 pounds will be "easier" to lose than the last 20. I don't believe there will be anything easy about it, but for lack of a better word, I think the first 30 will come off a bit quicker. The fact that I have 10 weeks of summer should help, too. Should. I say this because just as I have more time to get up and move, I have just as much time to sit on my butt and veg. It's definitely going to be as much of a mental journey as it is a physical one.
Therefore, I have created the following goals to keep me on track to complete Operation 50-30:
July 1 - down 8 pounds
July 29 - down 16 pounds
Aug. 26 - down 24 pounds
Sep. 30 - down 31 pounds*
Oct. 28 - down 37 pounds
Nov. 23 - down 41 pounds
Dec. 30 - down 46 pounds**
Jan. 13 - down 50 pounds!!!!***
If I can muster up enough courage, I may post this in terms of actual weight. I'm not sure I'm that brave yet. I do have it figured out and written down for myself, though.
I've been saying for nearly a year now that I'm looking forward to my 30s for the mere fact that my body will once again be my own. By the time I'm 30 (a few months past, actually), I will have spent 5 consecutive years of my life either pregnant or nursing. 5 years!! Don't get me wrong, I have very much enjoyed experiencing and being a part of the miracle of life. I am beyond blessed that God has entrusted me with three children!! I wouldn't change the past 5 years for anything. We have many different stages in life. This has been a wonderful stage. I am just comfortable in admitting I'm also looking forward to the next stage.
So...what better way to celebrate entering a new decade and a new stage in life than being 50 pounds lighter?!?!
And so it begins...Operation 50-30!
* back to pre-pregnancies weight! I've not been here since May 2007
** last seen the summer of 2005 (with the help of Weight Watchers)
*** I don't remember the last time I was here on my own accord. This is actually probably close to my wedding weight (July 2004).
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
School Vouchers
I saw a disheartening commercial the other day.
The topic: Education Reform in Indiana - specifically school vouchers
The sponsor: Governor Mitch Daniels
The Message: Help students "stuck in failing schools"
I will admit, they did a good job tugging at your heart strings. Who wouldn't want to help a child who has no hope for a better education? I've not seen Waiting for Superman but from what I hear it's the same...only a full-length documentary pulling on your heart strings for nearly 2 hours.
I tried finding the commercial online to attach a link here, but I was unsuccessful.
Basically, you hear how we need to help students who are "stuck in failing schools" and they mention a father who's tried for 7 years to get his daughter into a charter through the lottery system with no success.
School vouchers are the theme and said to be a way out of these "failing" schools for these unfortunate students.
Here are my big problems with this commercial and the bill that allows for school vouchers to private schools.
First there is the money issue. The bill is set up for families at the "lowest income levels" and with poorer families receiving a higher percentage towards the voucher. However, these vouchers do not cover 100% of the tuition. Everyone is going to have to pay something. Those "poorer" families will be less likely to participate in the voucher program because even paying 10% of the private school's tuition will be out of the question. Thus, the higher-end of these at the lowest end will only benefit. Sounds like we are continuing to widen the gap of opportunity for those with very little financial means.
Another issue is the fact that private schools will (as far as I know) always have the ability to dismiss students from their schools at their discretion. Usually these dismissals are based on academic performance, attendance and behavior. Actually, before dismissal is even an option, private schools have the opportunity to pick and choose who they allow to attend their schools. Those students with learning disabilities, behavior issues, achievement problems, etc. are typically disregarded fist. From what I can see, there is nothing in this new voucher bill that will eliminate the private schools from still sifting through their candidates to pick the "cream of the crop" for their schools. They're private institutions so I'm not saying it's wrong that they do this because it's their right as private entities.
I don't claim to be anywhere near an expert on any of this so someone, please, correct me if I'm wrong.
Parental involvement can be mandated at private schools. If a parent doesn't participate in "x" amount of activities or volunteer "x" number of hours in the school, the student could lose his/her admittance to the school. Say what you want, but everything I've seen in my few years as an educator leads to the knowledge that parental involvement is the biggest factor in student achievement. A parent who is involved is much more likely to have a child who succeeds compared to students who have little to no parent involvement in their school life. Obviously there are always exceptions to the rule - but these are few and far between.
The vouchers are not limited to students in "failing" schools. Why should a child in a "four-star" school be allowed to use tax-payer money to attend a private school? They aren't "stuck" in a "failing" school.
Private schools are often religious. Are we not graying the line between church and state if we allow public funds to go to religious institutions?
How does all this impact public schools?
With less funding for public schools (because of the $ that will go towards the voucher and follow the student to the private school), class sizes will continue to grow. This poses a problem in educating the youth of today as they truly need and desire more one-on-one attention...especially if they have little parental involvement at home...especially if they have fewer resources to pull from once outside of the school walls...especially if the students in the schools are dealing with emotional/behavioral issues that are beyond the control of the teacher. Sure, put me in front of 40 highly-motivated, well-resourced students and I would survive and they would do fine and continue to achieve. Put me in front of 15 unmotivated, poverty-stricken students with parents who either don't care or are too busy working to have time to help, and who have learning disabilities of all sorts and we will all struggle to get through the year. Bring that class up to 30 and I may not return the next year - especially if I have no assistance in the classroom. I'm simply being honest. Class size matters.
If you don't think class size will be an issue due to the fact that only 7,500 students state-wide will be able to participate in the voucher program this upcoming year, you are correct. The second year 15,000 students will be able to participate. The third year the cap is gone - a limitless number of students will be able to participate in the program.
With the "top" of the "bottom" leaving the public schools, standardized test scores will continue to decline. I'm not saying all of those students who come from poverty fail standardized tests just as I'm not saying that all of those who come from higher-income families pass. However, there is a strong correlation that you can't deny. Pulling potential passing scores from the public schools while also increasing class sizes will continue to lead public schools down the "failing" path. It's a nasty cycle.
So are we really helping the "problem" of our current education system?
And again I ask the question - If I were a teacher at a private school would I automatically be a better teacher? My license doesn't limit me to public teaching. I could just as easily get a job at a private school. So are these schools really much better options than these "failing" public schools solely based on their teachers?? I think not. I think it's because public schools open their arms to every student no matter the ability, income level, behavior, parental involvement, attendance, etc. I think it's because public schools are not allowed to pick and choose their students or their parents. I think it's because private schools have smaller class sizes. I think it's because private schools have the ability to structure their schools differently than public schools when it comes to behavior and discipline.
So what can we use this tax money for? Smaller class sizes. Full-day kindergarten. Technology in the classroom. Remedial math & English teachers for students who lag behind. Preschool. Social workers to visit families of students who are habitually absent or tardy.
*****
As I read over this I realize it sounds like I'm on a "woe is me" soapbox and I truly did not mean for this blog to come across like that. I enjoy teaching at a public school. I enjoy the diversity of students I see each day. Does it stress me out? Yes. Does it frustrate me to see students fail because they simply choose to do nothing? Yes. Am I saddened to see students with such poor home lives that concentrating in school is low on their priority list? Yes. Am I nervous that these items out of my control can soon become a way to prove if I'm "effective"? Yes. Will I choose to leave public teaching for an easier life in the private sector? No.
Do I think that school vouchers are truly reforming education? NO.
Do I think the commercial I saw is misleading the general public? YES.
Do I think Indiana schools are truly "failing"? NO.
Do I think something needs to be fixed with our system? Yes.
What needs to be fixed? The government. The funding of our schools. The backing/support of our teachers.
The topic: Education Reform in Indiana - specifically school vouchers
The sponsor: Governor Mitch Daniels
The Message: Help students "stuck in failing schools"
I will admit, they did a good job tugging at your heart strings. Who wouldn't want to help a child who has no hope for a better education? I've not seen Waiting for Superman but from what I hear it's the same...only a full-length documentary pulling on your heart strings for nearly 2 hours.
I tried finding the commercial online to attach a link here, but I was unsuccessful.
Basically, you hear how we need to help students who are "stuck in failing schools" and they mention a father who's tried for 7 years to get his daughter into a charter through the lottery system with no success.
School vouchers are the theme and said to be a way out of these "failing" schools for these unfortunate students.
Here are my big problems with this commercial and the bill that allows for school vouchers to private schools.
First there is the money issue. The bill is set up for families at the "lowest income levels" and with poorer families receiving a higher percentage towards the voucher. However, these vouchers do not cover 100% of the tuition. Everyone is going to have to pay something. Those "poorer" families will be less likely to participate in the voucher program because even paying 10% of the private school's tuition will be out of the question. Thus, the higher-end of these at the lowest end will only benefit. Sounds like we are continuing to widen the gap of opportunity for those with very little financial means.
Another issue is the fact that private schools will (as far as I know) always have the ability to dismiss students from their schools at their discretion. Usually these dismissals are based on academic performance, attendance and behavior. Actually, before dismissal is even an option, private schools have the opportunity to pick and choose who they allow to attend their schools. Those students with learning disabilities, behavior issues, achievement problems, etc. are typically disregarded fist. From what I can see, there is nothing in this new voucher bill that will eliminate the private schools from still sifting through their candidates to pick the "cream of the crop" for their schools. They're private institutions so I'm not saying it's wrong that they do this because it's their right as private entities.
I don't claim to be anywhere near an expert on any of this so someone, please, correct me if I'm wrong.
Parental involvement can be mandated at private schools. If a parent doesn't participate in "x" amount of activities or volunteer "x" number of hours in the school, the student could lose his/her admittance to the school. Say what you want, but everything I've seen in my few years as an educator leads to the knowledge that parental involvement is the biggest factor in student achievement. A parent who is involved is much more likely to have a child who succeeds compared to students who have little to no parent involvement in their school life. Obviously there are always exceptions to the rule - but these are few and far between.
The vouchers are not limited to students in "failing" schools. Why should a child in a "four-star" school be allowed to use tax-payer money to attend a private school? They aren't "stuck" in a "failing" school.
Private schools are often religious. Are we not graying the line between church and state if we allow public funds to go to religious institutions?
How does all this impact public schools?
With less funding for public schools (because of the $ that will go towards the voucher and follow the student to the private school), class sizes will continue to grow. This poses a problem in educating the youth of today as they truly need and desire more one-on-one attention...especially if they have little parental involvement at home...especially if they have fewer resources to pull from once outside of the school walls...especially if the students in the schools are dealing with emotional/behavioral issues that are beyond the control of the teacher. Sure, put me in front of 40 highly-motivated, well-resourced students and I would survive and they would do fine and continue to achieve. Put me in front of 15 unmotivated, poverty-stricken students with parents who either don't care or are too busy working to have time to help, and who have learning disabilities of all sorts and we will all struggle to get through the year. Bring that class up to 30 and I may not return the next year - especially if I have no assistance in the classroom. I'm simply being honest. Class size matters.
If you don't think class size will be an issue due to the fact that only 7,500 students state-wide will be able to participate in the voucher program this upcoming year, you are correct. The second year 15,000 students will be able to participate. The third year the cap is gone - a limitless number of students will be able to participate in the program.
With the "top" of the "bottom" leaving the public schools, standardized test scores will continue to decline. I'm not saying all of those students who come from poverty fail standardized tests just as I'm not saying that all of those who come from higher-income families pass. However, there is a strong correlation that you can't deny. Pulling potential passing scores from the public schools while also increasing class sizes will continue to lead public schools down the "failing" path. It's a nasty cycle.
So are we really helping the "problem" of our current education system?
And again I ask the question - If I were a teacher at a private school would I automatically be a better teacher? My license doesn't limit me to public teaching. I could just as easily get a job at a private school. So are these schools really much better options than these "failing" public schools solely based on their teachers?? I think not. I think it's because public schools open their arms to every student no matter the ability, income level, behavior, parental involvement, attendance, etc. I think it's because public schools are not allowed to pick and choose their students or their parents. I think it's because private schools have smaller class sizes. I think it's because private schools have the ability to structure their schools differently than public schools when it comes to behavior and discipline.
So what can we use this tax money for? Smaller class sizes. Full-day kindergarten. Technology in the classroom. Remedial math & English teachers for students who lag behind. Preschool. Social workers to visit families of students who are habitually absent or tardy.
*****
As I read over this I realize it sounds like I'm on a "woe is me" soapbox and I truly did not mean for this blog to come across like that. I enjoy teaching at a public school. I enjoy the diversity of students I see each day. Does it stress me out? Yes. Does it frustrate me to see students fail because they simply choose to do nothing? Yes. Am I saddened to see students with such poor home lives that concentrating in school is low on their priority list? Yes. Am I nervous that these items out of my control can soon become a way to prove if I'm "effective"? Yes. Will I choose to leave public teaching for an easier life in the private sector? No.
Do I think that school vouchers are truly reforming education? NO.
Do I think the commercial I saw is misleading the general public? YES.
Do I think Indiana schools are truly "failing"? NO.
Do I think something needs to be fixed with our system? Yes.
What needs to be fixed? The government. The funding of our schools. The backing/support of our teachers.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Valedictorian speech
Going through all the stuff that has accumulated in our basement over the years, I have found some very interesting items. One was the speech I wrote for high school commencement. It's a cheesy, stereotypical graduation speech but I remember working hard on it. Here it is in all it's splendor:
"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."
It's funny how a quote said by Confucius more than 2000 years ago can have such an important message still today. We, the class of 2000, have fallen, and will fall many, many times. These failures, these setbacks, should not cause us to quit. In fact, they should bring us one step closer to success. No matter where our paths lead us, there will be road blocks we have to face and overcome They may slow us down, but they teach us much. The first time you touched a hot stove you learned never to do it again. You fell off your bike the first time trying to ride but you eventually succeeded didn't you. We were all born to succeed, but in order to succeed, we must allow ourselves to fail.
We are at a point in our lives where we have to face many decisions. Our lives are about to change completely. We all want to get the big jobs and make lots of money. If we can just get these, then we will feel we will have succeeded in life. We should set our goals high but reach them one step at a time. Right now it feels like we are moving at an incredible pace and can't slow down until we have reached the top. In order to succeed, not only in our jobs, but in life we have to stop and smell the roses.
"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."
There were 10 valedictorians that year. Yeah, our school didn't weight grades. I'm sure no one was listening to my speech (aside from my parents). I don't remember where I was in the line of 10, but I wasn't first which means everyone was already bored :-) It's a good thing because somehow I missed the memo that all of our speeches were supposed to tie in with Dr. Seuss's "Oh The Places You'll Go." I was quite stunned when I started hearing everyone's speeches! I wasn't the only one who didn't get the memo (I don't remember who else was in my boat), but the majority apparently did. I am 100% confident that this "theme" was not discussed when we all met to decide what we were going to do. Apparently sometime between that one meeting and the actual ceremony someone came up with the idea and it just never spread. Or a group had an evil plot to make the rest of us look silly. Who knows. Regardless, I'm sure no one cared enough to notice aside from those of us actually giving the speeches.
"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."
It's funny how a quote said by Confucius more than 2000 years ago can have such an important message still today. We, the class of 2000, have fallen, and will fall many, many times. These failures, these setbacks, should not cause us to quit. In fact, they should bring us one step closer to success. No matter where our paths lead us, there will be road blocks we have to face and overcome They may slow us down, but they teach us much. The first time you touched a hot stove you learned never to do it again. You fell off your bike the first time trying to ride but you eventually succeeded didn't you. We were all born to succeed, but in order to succeed, we must allow ourselves to fail.
We are at a point in our lives where we have to face many decisions. Our lives are about to change completely. We all want to get the big jobs and make lots of money. If we can just get these, then we will feel we will have succeeded in life. We should set our goals high but reach them one step at a time. Right now it feels like we are moving at an incredible pace and can't slow down until we have reached the top. In order to succeed, not only in our jobs, but in life we have to stop and smell the roses.
"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."
There were 10 valedictorians that year. Yeah, our school didn't weight grades. I'm sure no one was listening to my speech (aside from my parents). I don't remember where I was in the line of 10, but I wasn't first which means everyone was already bored :-) It's a good thing because somehow I missed the memo that all of our speeches were supposed to tie in with Dr. Seuss's "Oh The Places You'll Go." I was quite stunned when I started hearing everyone's speeches! I wasn't the only one who didn't get the memo (I don't remember who else was in my boat), but the majority apparently did. I am 100% confident that this "theme" was not discussed when we all met to decide what we were going to do. Apparently sometime between that one meeting and the actual ceremony someone came up with the idea and it just never spread. Or a group had an evil plot to make the rest of us look silly. Who knows. Regardless, I'm sure no one cared enough to notice aside from those of us actually giving the speeches.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Toddler Sayings
Me: "Layla, use a tissue, not your finger."
L: "Well, I'm just getting a booger."
~February 3, 2011
"When Piper was sick she had ammonia in her heart."
~February 7, 2011
"Mom, there's a crack in my butt!" ("crack" referring to her wedgie)
~March 5, 2011
"The baby in your belly said you don't want to take a shower."
~March 5, 2011
"That's annoying, Piper!"
~March 5, 2011
"Look! I'm hiding in a trash bag." (yeah...it was one of my ankle-length skirts :-/ )
~March 5, 2011
L: "I left the door open. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."
Me: "It's okay."
L: "I know it's okay."
~March 8, 2011
Me: "Eat your food, Layla."
L: "Hey, you can't tell me to eat my food!"
Me: "Oh, yes I can tell you to eat your food and I will! I'm your mother. I gave birth to you."
...
L: "What?..(thinking)...You gave birth to me?...(thinking)...Why'd you do that?"
~March 9, 2011
"My hair is tangled." (excuse for getting out of bed)
~March 13, 2011
"Mommy, your baby is hungry."
~March 31, 2011
L: "Well, I'm just getting a booger."
~February 3, 2011
"When Piper was sick she had ammonia in her heart."
~February 7, 2011
"Mom, there's a crack in my butt!" ("crack" referring to her wedgie)
~March 5, 2011
"The baby in your belly said you don't want to take a shower."
~March 5, 2011
"That's annoying, Piper!"
~March 5, 2011
"Look! I'm hiding in a trash bag." (yeah...it was one of my ankle-length skirts :-/ )
~March 5, 2011
L: "I left the door open. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."
Me: "It's okay."
L: "I know it's okay."
~March 8, 2011
Me: "Eat your food, Layla."
L: "Hey, you can't tell me to eat my food!"
Me: "Oh, yes I can tell you to eat your food and I will! I'm your mother. I gave birth to you."
...
L: "What?..(thinking)...You gave birth to me?...(thinking)...Why'd you do that?"
~March 9, 2011
"My hair is tangled." (excuse for getting out of bed)
~March 13, 2011
"Mommy, your baby is hungry."
~March 31, 2011
This is when it gets interesting (aka - difficult)
Layla has recently started displaying behavior that I'm not a fan of. Not that she's been a perfect angel up until now (because that is clearly not the case!), but new, "ugly" behavior is popping up.
I have heard "I don't like you" erupt from her mouth quite a bit the last few days. She sometimes says it towards me, sometimes towards my husband but mostly towards Piper. Ugh!
I tell her that it is a "bad choice" to say that. That it is not nice. Her response: "But I don't like her." It happens at times when she's getting frustrated, annoyed, irritated with Piper so, at least at this point in time, I think the phrase is an inaccurate wording of her feelings. However, it doesn't change the fact that she's setting a pattern to use that phrase more and more over the years.
She has also become more aggressive towards Piper. I use that word fairly lightly because she's not all-out beating on her and I know full well (from personal experience) that the aggression will only worsen as she (and Piper) gets bigger. She has simply become rough with Piper over the past week or so.
Pushing.
Hitting.
Kicking.
Knocking down.
You get the picture.
Mostly it's the pushing/knocking down.
Piper is usually just wanting to play with her big sister and Layla simply needs some personal space time. Neither one knows how to express her feelings when these situations arise. Layla resorts to one of the aforementioned behaviors and Piper usually follows suit.
There are so many things Piper does at this age that Layla did not and it's solely because she has a big sister's lead to follow. Some of these are positive such as pretend play. Most are negative - screaming, spitting, hitting, pushing, etc.
I knew that the younger child would quickly learn to stand up for herself, I just did not realize the scope of what that meant.
I know it's foolish of me to say that I hope their behavior towards each other ends soon. However, I will continue to hope that their behavior towards each other is not displayed towards their peers at school/daycare during the day.
Of the two, I think Piper will be the one to be rough with her friends at daycare. She's always been quick to show her frustrations physically. Again, I'm sure this is because she's always had a bigger sister getting in her space and annoying the snot out of her.
Which reminds me...I should probably start working with Piper on "being nice" and how that looks considering we're going to have a newborn in the house in a few weeks. Layla always rubbed my belly when we said she had to "be nice to the baby" and then when Piper came home she would rub Piper's belly. Too cute! Piper has no clue that a baby is even coming. There's a big difference in 3 months at this age - Layla was 20 months and Piper will be 17.
But I'm off topic...
The girls are making it quite interesting (aka - difficult) to know how to parent such situations. Do I let them work out their frustrations or step in? I'm currently doing it half & half according to my energy level at the moment the fighting erupts. :-)
Parenting never gets easier. Once you think you've got it down pat a new stage pops up and throws you right back down.
But it's a ride I would never trade!
I have heard "I don't like you" erupt from her mouth quite a bit the last few days. She sometimes says it towards me, sometimes towards my husband but mostly towards Piper. Ugh!
I tell her that it is a "bad choice" to say that. That it is not nice. Her response: "But I don't like her." It happens at times when she's getting frustrated, annoyed, irritated with Piper so, at least at this point in time, I think the phrase is an inaccurate wording of her feelings. However, it doesn't change the fact that she's setting a pattern to use that phrase more and more over the years.
She has also become more aggressive towards Piper. I use that word fairly lightly because she's not all-out beating on her and I know full well (from personal experience) that the aggression will only worsen as she (and Piper) gets bigger. She has simply become rough with Piper over the past week or so.
Pushing.
Hitting.
Kicking.
Knocking down.
You get the picture.
Mostly it's the pushing/knocking down.
Piper is usually just wanting to play with her big sister and Layla simply needs some personal space time. Neither one knows how to express her feelings when these situations arise. Layla resorts to one of the aforementioned behaviors and Piper usually follows suit.
There are so many things Piper does at this age that Layla did not and it's solely because she has a big sister's lead to follow. Some of these are positive such as pretend play. Most are negative - screaming, spitting, hitting, pushing, etc.
I knew that the younger child would quickly learn to stand up for herself, I just did not realize the scope of what that meant.
I know it's foolish of me to say that I hope their behavior towards each other ends soon. However, I will continue to hope that their behavior towards each other is not displayed towards their peers at school/daycare during the day.
Of the two, I think Piper will be the one to be rough with her friends at daycare. She's always been quick to show her frustrations physically. Again, I'm sure this is because she's always had a bigger sister getting in her space and annoying the snot out of her.
Which reminds me...I should probably start working with Piper on "being nice" and how that looks considering we're going to have a newborn in the house in a few weeks. Layla always rubbed my belly when we said she had to "be nice to the baby" and then when Piper came home she would rub Piper's belly. Too cute! Piper has no clue that a baby is even coming. There's a big difference in 3 months at this age - Layla was 20 months and Piper will be 17.
But I'm off topic...
The girls are making it quite interesting (aka - difficult) to know how to parent such situations. Do I let them work out their frustrations or step in? I'm currently doing it half & half according to my energy level at the moment the fighting erupts. :-)
Parenting never gets easier. Once you think you've got it down pat a new stage pops up and throws you right back down.
But it's a ride I would never trade!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
There are no words...
The girls are eating and, although I have many more blogs I've been wanting to write, I'm going to take this time to quickly share with you my most recent conversation with Layla.
I was in the kitchen preparing Layla's pb&j sandwich while she and Piper munched on goldfish. I looked into the dining room and saw Layla with her finger in her nose...
"Layla, go get a tissue from the bathroom. Don't use your finger."
"I'm not using my finger. I'm using my goldfish."
"Layla, that is gross. Do not do that."
"My snot is in my belly. I ate my goldfish."
"Eww, Layla! Don't do that. That's disgusting!"
"I know it's disgusting."
Seriously! Where do I go from there??
Oh, how entertaining life is with a 3-year-old!
I was in the kitchen preparing Layla's pb&j sandwich while she and Piper munched on goldfish. I looked into the dining room and saw Layla with her finger in her nose...
"Layla, go get a tissue from the bathroom. Don't use your finger."
"I'm not using my finger. I'm using my goldfish."
"Layla, that is gross. Do not do that."
"My snot is in my belly. I ate my goldfish."
"Eww, Layla! Don't do that. That's disgusting!"
"I know it's disgusting."
Seriously! Where do I go from there??
Oh, how entertaining life is with a 3-year-old!
Monday, January 24, 2011
Oh-oh Dream Weaver...
Jeremy is Skyping for the first time so I've decided to use this time to blog. There are so many topics running around my head that it's hard to pick. Let's not even talk about the many topics I've thought about and since forgotten. I often think how nice it would be to have a keyboard connected to my brain so I could blog at a moment's notice - but that's for another blog :-)
Inception has been a point of conversation in Jeremy's Skype so how about I talk about dreams.
I never had crazy pregnancy dreams with the girls. Not the case with this pregnancy. I don't know if it has anything to do with the difference in gender or some other cause...perhaps lack of sleep in the midst of a crazy life?? Regardless, my dreams have been WEIRD!
Just a couple of nights ago I had a dream that I can still vividly recall. I tried putting it into words for Jeremy and it just was not making sense. Which makes sense when thinking about the dream. Does that make sense??
I'll try to condense it to key points/phrases:
-We (myself and people I knew but can't tell you who they are) were in a stream/river...but in a confined/controlled space. It was clear/clean like a pool, but it wasn't.
-It was a "tram" station of sorts for water - although we were just playing around in the water, not waiting for the tram
-I went under and there was a lot of grossness on the bottom that I did not want my feet to touch. Also floating around were weeds of some sort.
-When I came back up I, along with two other friends, had floated down stream to a separate tram station.
-We saw a sign that stated "No beer or hamburger." We looked over at a side wall and saw a poster commemorating a lady who I believe was Typhoid Mary.
-Obviously this meant that drinking beer and eating hamburger in the water meant you were going to get Typhoid fever. What else would it mean?! Haha.
-I frantically asked the tram manager why the one upstream would allow people to swim in the water while eating beef and drinking beer (which apparently we had been doing - side note, I hate beer). He stated it was good business for his section and therefore wouldn't/couldn't say anything about it.
-I was now in a mad dash to get back upstream to warn my friends.
-I was having a very difficult time talking...my mouth was cotton. Obviously I was coming down with Typhoid fever!
-By the time I got to the station no one was in the water. I was too late!
-Suddenly I saw Jeremy (first time I knew he was there) and others waiting in line to board the tram...clean & dry I might add.
-Apparently I wasn't worried about them anymore as my attention shifted, still unable to speak clearly.
-I saw three ladies from back home (2 daughters and their mother). One was sitting on the ground singing/talking about her large multi-colored bag. The sister was standing in line (getting refreshments of some sort??) with the bottom half of her hair dyed purple. The mom was out of my peripheral vision, but I know she was there.
---Then I wake up...with a cotton mouth and unable to swallow---
Swimming, beer & beef, trams, Typhoid fever, three ladies connected themselves but not at all connected to me in my current life (other than being Facebook friends). What in the world does it all mean?!?!
Nothing, I'm sure. Except the fact that I'm pregnant.
Oh. And during this same night, though I'm not sure it was a part of this dream or another I can't remember, I dreamed of a name for the baby. Never have I had a dream that involved a name for our kids. I hadn't even been thinking about names that day. But it was quite clear and in that state of almost awake yet still asleep, I was repeating it with the middle name we already have picked and it sounded perfect. Even when I woke up I was saying it to myself over and over. Not a bad name. One I never would have thought about in a conscience state for sure, but not bad!
I ran it by Jeremy...he laughed :-/ Only because one obscure actor has the same name. How many people are going to know that?!?! Going to associate it with this one person?!?! No one, I say.
I say respect the dream.
I added it to "the list."
We'll see if it grows on the hubby or if it falls from its good graces in my mind.
We don't share the name of the baby until the birth announcement so you'll just have to wait in suspense :-) Should we not pick the name from the dream, I'll do my best to remember to blog about our other name choices and note which is the dream name.
Until then, happy dreaming!
Oh...and don't forget your "totem"
Inception has been a point of conversation in Jeremy's Skype so how about I talk about dreams.
I never had crazy pregnancy dreams with the girls. Not the case with this pregnancy. I don't know if it has anything to do with the difference in gender or some other cause...perhaps lack of sleep in the midst of a crazy life?? Regardless, my dreams have been WEIRD!
Just a couple of nights ago I had a dream that I can still vividly recall. I tried putting it into words for Jeremy and it just was not making sense. Which makes sense when thinking about the dream. Does that make sense??
I'll try to condense it to key points/phrases:
-We (myself and people I knew but can't tell you who they are) were in a stream/river...but in a confined/controlled space. It was clear/clean like a pool, but it wasn't.
-It was a "tram" station of sorts for water - although we were just playing around in the water, not waiting for the tram
-I went under and there was a lot of grossness on the bottom that I did not want my feet to touch. Also floating around were weeds of some sort.
-When I came back up I, along with two other friends, had floated down stream to a separate tram station.
-We saw a sign that stated "No beer or hamburger." We looked over at a side wall and saw a poster commemorating a lady who I believe was Typhoid Mary.
-Obviously this meant that drinking beer and eating hamburger in the water meant you were going to get Typhoid fever. What else would it mean?! Haha.
-I frantically asked the tram manager why the one upstream would allow people to swim in the water while eating beef and drinking beer (which apparently we had been doing - side note, I hate beer). He stated it was good business for his section and therefore wouldn't/couldn't say anything about it.
-I was now in a mad dash to get back upstream to warn my friends.
-I was having a very difficult time talking...my mouth was cotton. Obviously I was coming down with Typhoid fever!
-By the time I got to the station no one was in the water. I was too late!
-Suddenly I saw Jeremy (first time I knew he was there) and others waiting in line to board the tram...clean & dry I might add.
-Apparently I wasn't worried about them anymore as my attention shifted, still unable to speak clearly.
-I saw three ladies from back home (2 daughters and their mother). One was sitting on the ground singing/talking about her large multi-colored bag. The sister was standing in line (getting refreshments of some sort??) with the bottom half of her hair dyed purple. The mom was out of my peripheral vision, but I know she was there.
---Then I wake up...with a cotton mouth and unable to swallow---
Swimming, beer & beef, trams, Typhoid fever, three ladies connected themselves but not at all connected to me in my current life (other than being Facebook friends). What in the world does it all mean?!?!
Nothing, I'm sure. Except the fact that I'm pregnant.
Oh. And during this same night, though I'm not sure it was a part of this dream or another I can't remember, I dreamed of a name for the baby. Never have I had a dream that involved a name for our kids. I hadn't even been thinking about names that day. But it was quite clear and in that state of almost awake yet still asleep, I was repeating it with the middle name we already have picked and it sounded perfect. Even when I woke up I was saying it to myself over and over. Not a bad name. One I never would have thought about in a conscience state for sure, but not bad!
I ran it by Jeremy...he laughed :-/ Only because one obscure actor has the same name. How many people are going to know that?!?! Going to associate it with this one person?!?! No one, I say.
I say respect the dream.
I added it to "the list."
We'll see if it grows on the hubby or if it falls from its good graces in my mind.
We don't share the name of the baby until the birth announcement so you'll just have to wait in suspense :-) Should we not pick the name from the dream, I'll do my best to remember to blog about our other name choices and note which is the dream name.
Until then, happy dreaming!
Oh...and don't forget your "totem"
Sunday, January 9, 2011
"No"
Piper has recently discovered the talent of shaking her head "no." She's still in the stage where the word (or actions associated with the word) are cute. You see, any question she's asked is always responded with the shaking of her head.
Piper, are you hunger?
*shakes her head "no" despite the fact that she's a bottomless pit and will eat anytime she's offered food.
Are you silly?
*shakes her head "no" after she's just made a silly faces & or goofy sound
Is your name Piper?
*shakes her head "no"
We have had a lot of fun with this lately. :-)
Sometimes I forget that she's now doing this and will ask her a question as I've always done and am suddenly finding myself laughing as she's seriously shaken her head "no" when I know, in fact, she would truly respond "yes" if she knew how.
I have tried teaching her when it's appropriate to "say yes" and nodding her head up and down but it hasn't caught on yet. She did do it once, but it has never been repeated accurately.
I have forgotten how fun this stage is. I'm blessed to know I'll get to enjoy it one more time before my baby days are over.
Piper, are you hunger?
*shakes her head "no" despite the fact that she's a bottomless pit and will eat anytime she's offered food.
Are you silly?
*shakes her head "no" after she's just made a silly faces & or goofy sound
Is your name Piper?
*shakes her head "no"
We have had a lot of fun with this lately. :-)
Sometimes I forget that she's now doing this and will ask her a question as I've always done and am suddenly finding myself laughing as she's seriously shaken her head "no" when I know, in fact, she would truly respond "yes" if she knew how.
I have tried teaching her when it's appropriate to "say yes" and nodding her head up and down but it hasn't caught on yet. She did do it once, but it has never been repeated accurately.
I have forgotten how fun this stage is. I'm blessed to know I'll get to enjoy it one more time before my baby days are over.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Ch-ch-ch-changes
A lot of changes haven taken place in our house over the last couple of weeks.
Layla
We have now entered the "why" stage. It started right around Christmas. She will continue to ask "why?" until we're nearly out of reasons and suddenly she will finally hear something that will allow her to say, "oooooh." As if she truly understands the full chain of reasons behind the source. :-) I don't remember the specific initial question, but one time Jeremy finally got to a point where he spewed out an extremely scientific response and Layla responded with her usual "ooooh" as if her little mind was just waiting to hear the specific explanation instead of our tamed-down responses. Or she finally heard something that sounded like mumbo-jumbo and didn't know how to ask "why" from that point. :-) It's still a little cute, but I can see it getting rather annoying pretty quickly.
Piper
Piper officially became a walker over Christmas break. She took her first steps on December 2. On Friday, December 17 she was still only taking a few steps at a time and only if someone was in front of her (or the couch). However, Saturday morning, the first day of break, she decided she was no longer going to crawl. She walked everywhere! No matter how long it took her or how many times she fell, she always stood back up and began walking again. She literally went to bed a crawler and woke up a walker.
Piper has also started giving real kisses (not just blowing them). It's so stinkin' cute! She will stick out her bottom lip and lean in until she touches your mouth. Many times they're very wet, but I can't seem to get enough of them!
Baby
Baby #3 has caused quite a few changes in our house. First of all...it's a boy!!! We found out the Friday break started and it's been quite exciting. Jeremy stood up, clapped and cheered as soon as the u/s tech said it was a boy. Quite funny. :-) I was happy myself. Secretly I was hoping for a boy but I wasn't verbalizing it and not really letting myself dwell on it mentally too much. I truly thought it was going to be a girl, though. That's what we've done in the past so why not this time?
The pronoun change is quite strange. I'm still not used to saying or hearing "he" or "him." I find myself still simply saying "baby" as it's easier. It will be strange to no longer reference "the girls."
Baby J has also become much stronger. I was reclining on the couch reading a book when suddenly it jumped. Yay! Now the movements I've been feeling for several weeks can be shared with Jeremy and others.
House
We are officially off the market. We have been since sometime in November, but the sign didn't leave our yard until Christmas break. We spent the entire day after Christmas clearing out our storage unit and, consequently, filling up our house. We've been pretty good about really filtering through everything and deciding what we can do without by either trashing it or putting it in a box for a yard sale in the spring. We've hit a rut and the boxes/totes that remain in our dining room and on our porch have sat untouched for over a week now. :-/ We'll get to them. Eventually...
Layla
We have now entered the "why" stage. It started right around Christmas. She will continue to ask "why?" until we're nearly out of reasons and suddenly she will finally hear something that will allow her to say, "oooooh." As if she truly understands the full chain of reasons behind the source. :-) I don't remember the specific initial question, but one time Jeremy finally got to a point where he spewed out an extremely scientific response and Layla responded with her usual "ooooh" as if her little mind was just waiting to hear the specific explanation instead of our tamed-down responses. Or she finally heard something that sounded like mumbo-jumbo and didn't know how to ask "why" from that point. :-) It's still a little cute, but I can see it getting rather annoying pretty quickly.
Piper
Piper officially became a walker over Christmas break. She took her first steps on December 2. On Friday, December 17 she was still only taking a few steps at a time and only if someone was in front of her (or the couch). However, Saturday morning, the first day of break, she decided she was no longer going to crawl. She walked everywhere! No matter how long it took her or how many times she fell, she always stood back up and began walking again. She literally went to bed a crawler and woke up a walker.
Piper has also started giving real kisses (not just blowing them). It's so stinkin' cute! She will stick out her bottom lip and lean in until she touches your mouth. Many times they're very wet, but I can't seem to get enough of them!
Baby
Baby #3 has caused quite a few changes in our house. First of all...it's a boy!!! We found out the Friday break started and it's been quite exciting. Jeremy stood up, clapped and cheered as soon as the u/s tech said it was a boy. Quite funny. :-) I was happy myself. Secretly I was hoping for a boy but I wasn't verbalizing it and not really letting myself dwell on it mentally too much. I truly thought it was going to be a girl, though. That's what we've done in the past so why not this time?
The pronoun change is quite strange. I'm still not used to saying or hearing "he" or "him." I find myself still simply saying "baby" as it's easier. It will be strange to no longer reference "the girls."
Baby J has also become much stronger. I was reclining on the couch reading a book when suddenly it jumped. Yay! Now the movements I've been feeling for several weeks can be shared with Jeremy and others.
House
We are officially off the market. We have been since sometime in November, but the sign didn't leave our yard until Christmas break. We spent the entire day after Christmas clearing out our storage unit and, consequently, filling up our house. We've been pretty good about really filtering through everything and deciding what we can do without by either trashing it or putting it in a box for a yard sale in the spring. We've hit a rut and the boxes/totes that remain in our dining room and on our porch have sat untouched for over a week now. :-/ We'll get to them. Eventually...
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