Parent Conferences

I will cherish the years of preschool parent teacher conferences. The early years when the worst of your problems are cutting to the front of the line (Cazin) or not wanting to dance around in music class (Julia). These are the days when you can feel somewhat good about your parenting skills.

Where they are:

"Julia enjoys playing with her friends and spending time creating art projects. Julia continues to need encouragement to participate in music as well as during song/movement time in the classroom. There have also been a few times when Julia has been asked a question or asked to repeat something and has refused to do so. Julia is capable of doing these tasks, she just chooses not to. Julia is excited about learning to read and is recognizing familiar works in text. With reading, she is ready to take off. Julia is working on counting to 20 correctly as well as counting a group of objects."

We have been working on the participating in class thing...apparently it is getting better. I often tell her doing things we don't want to do is a part of growing up. If we are lucky, sometimes we surprise ourselves and actually find that we like the task, subject, whatever. But most of the time I tell her it is like me taking out the garbage. I hate to do it, but I have to so our house doesn't smell like last night's take-out. Now I did find myself telling her teachers a similar thing my mother told the nuns when I was Julia age. Instead of saying spank (which is what my mom said), I told them not to hesitate to be firm or stern with her when she is being indignant or stubborn. Oh, Sister Mary Catherine where are you now?

Miss Priss. She sits like this all the time now.

With Cazin "academics are NOT a problem." He knows his shapes, colors, numbers, letters, etc. Because of his love of shapes (and relentlessly pulling them off the wall when he wasn't supposed to and trying to match them on a different poster) Ms. Betty created a big shape matching poster. "He is the first to give an answer. In fact, he doesn't like to give his classmates a chance to answer." What "we are working on with Cazin" is not cutting to the front of the line when we stop walking, doing art projects, responding when his name is called and washing hands, but "Cazin is so easy going. Nothing seems to bother him. If someone takes his toy, he just moves on to the next thing. And he just LOVES books. He could read all morning." Her next statement made me smile. "I noticed that he easily gets so excited. It just bubbles out of him." She is talking about the jumping and flapping his hands thing. When Cazin was an infant, I called it revving up the motorcycle.

Who says dressing boys isn't fun?

As promised, a photo of Ella's new look. Mike finally broke me down to have her bangs trimmed. Below, a poor blackberry photo of the event.

Michie Tavern

While I hate small talk with other parents on field trips, I do love having 1 on 1 time with Jujube. Today the TKA classes went to Michie Tavern for a field trip. This is what we learned.

1. Earlysville was the original location of the Michie Tavern in 1784. Some woman bought it in the 1920s and thought the present location near Monticello would be a better spot for tourism. So the house was taken apart brick by brick, individually numbered and rebuilt. Brilliant move.
2. The first Mr. Michie hailed from Scotland. He was ousted because he took part in the Jacobite Rebellion and was arrested. He was exiled to America to work because he drew 1 of 2 white beans out of a bag. If you picked a black bean out of the sack you were killed on the spot. (In the activity, I got black bean...once again a persecuted Catholic.)
3. Only daddies got to travel and enjoy the front room with the games and bar full of drinks. Mommies stayed at home because it was hard to travel with all the kids. (Really, what has changed?)
4. The phrase "sleep tight" came from tying the mattress back up tightly with this wooden wrench device. Or something like that.
5. When looking at a hand crafted checkers game set sitting on a table over 200 years old, the kids are not interested in the beauty of the pieces, but the stink bug that is perched on the checker.
6. Colonial Reel dance. Julia had her first dance with a boy! (As I am typing this Julia is looking over my shoulder, read the previous sentence and said "Timmy," the boy she danced with. WHAT?!!!)
7. People slept in beds made of "straw and feathers." They also had a "cup for their potty inside." and that was "EEEWWW!!! Gross!!!"
8. Mommy does have some degree of will power. While we left, the delicious aromas of the tavern were wafting through the air. We did not stay for lunch (which would a direct violation of the NutriSystem diet) but I did buy the cookbook with ALL of the scrumptious recipes. I think we may have a Michie Tavern Thanksgiving.
   

Before we headed home in time to get ready for work, we enjoyed a very nice lunch together. When we checked the mail at the post office, she and the postmaster even almost convinced me to buy stamps ( a new interest from the Chik fil A kid's meal) for her to play with. I told him that they were mighty pricey stickers. Thankfully Friday the 13th was fun and did not live up to its reputation. The School family is looking forward to a weekend off and some brighter skies.

You got me

This morning during our usual rush to get out the door, I sent Jujube and Cazin downstairs after they were dressed to get breakfast started. Jujube is a master at the toaster and I told her to get 4 pieces of bread and place them in the toaster while I finished getting Ella ready. She quickly ran back upstairs and said that she wanted another option. Cookies. A big bag of them that were left on the counter. I told her that they were Kristin's and we should not eat them without asking first and yes, it would be rude to wake her up early and ask her permission. She quickly asked, "Mom, are you working today? And if you are, is Kristin going to watch us?" I knew exactly where she was going.

I replied, "No, you know I have the day off. And the only reason why you are asking about Kristin is because you want cookies."

With a sly smile she said, "Oh mom...you got me."

It never ends. From breakfast to bedtime Jujube is trying her best to weasel sweets out of me. Today after dinner she said she was still hungry. I told her that dessert would not fill her up and that she should have finished her supper. "I just need a little half of something. Like a popsicle. Something just like that would do."

Today was wonderful day off. With Jujube and Cazin off to school, Ella and I went to Jazzercise and drove up and down 29 running errands before pick-up time. This afternoon I even hung a frame and painted the white spots in the powder room from the drywall fix that was 2 years ago. If the paint had dried any faster, the curtains would be up as well. I tend to be very slow about the decorating.

School photo proofs were sent home today. If you remember from a previous post, Cazin refused. Don't worry, my order form is complete and the check all written out to the company, but I thought it would be fun to show you the past 3 years. Changed: Julia's size. And backdrop. School photos have gone fancy. What ever happened to blue clouds? Or remember the neon lines? Unchanged: Her smile and my lack of creative hairstyling skills. I did not choose the photo below to purchase, but it was Julia's favorite pose.

2009, Fish Class

2008, Dragonfly Class

2007, Froggy Class

9 Months Old

Where has the time gone? Baby Ella is 9 months old and right on track according to Dr. Michel. She earned a perfect score on the development questionnaire and he said that "she'll be ready for W & M next year." Though I know he most likely was making a subtle jab at my alma mater (Go Hokies!), I let it go because if it was good enough for Mr. Jefferson, then it is good enough for me. (Notice the pi sign on her shirt.)

Ella by the numbers:
Weight: 20 lbs 4 oz
Length: 28.5 inches
Hair: very long

I now savor a day off. Painting little nails, blogging, kissing chubby cheeks, taking photos, catching up on TV...the possibilities are endless. While I love work, it has placed a damper on my computer activities. The saying, "It takes a village" is correct as we have had to rely on friends and family to watch the kids while I'm at the hospital. I think Julia views it as many fun play dates, especially after spending time with Neil, her new best friend. Usually she doesn't like me going to work, but today she asked if I could go to work and if Neil could watch them. After nonstop interaction, he has set a high bar for other sitters who walk through our door.
I have a non P.C. Julia story to share. We have a wonderful lady who comes to clean our house every couple of weeks. Her name is Tonia and she is Hispanic. The kids just love her and follow her around the house trying to "help" her. Once I found Julia squeezing Soft Scrub on the window sills and her play vanity. Of course it was all over the carpet and bedspread as well, but the room smelled lemon-fresh! After school yesterday we were on our regular route home. When passing Music Today, I stopped at the crosswalk for this couple. As they were walking in front of us Julia shouted, "Look mommy, it's Tonia!" It was so not Tonia. Even though no one could hear us, I wanted to crouch underneath the steering wheel.

All Souls and All Saints

We have enjoyed a wonderful weekend. Friday Lola and Lolo came to town to watch the munchkins while Mike and I (along with +50 other Catholics from C'ville) headed to Lynchburg for the Matt Maher & Michael W. Smith concert. It was a late night, but fun nonetheless.
On Saturday besides napping, trick or treating and pigging out on candy and takeout we did nothing. And loved it. Only Julia went out this year. Cazin was just beside himself after his nap and didn't want to go out for treats no matter how many times we said the words candy and lollipop. I couldn't even get his costume on. He doesn't really get into these special events. Ate Julia was more than happy to share her loot and daddy neighborhood gossip when they returned.

We are proud of our carving, but I did not have the energy to attempt the princess castle as Jujube had requested. Last year's portrait of Cinderella took long enough. I had to place Cazin's mini pumpkin he decorated front and center. Cazin is not a fan of art class so we don't get much artwork sent home.

Being together the past few days has been a huge blessing. I love hearing my children tell me their stories and funny quips. Cazin is in a "very" stage in his vocab. Verwee hungwee, verwee sweepy, shhhh...verwee quiet, etc. Julia told us today that she didn't want to play the violin, but couldn't decide between a harp or tamborine. Then she logically said the tamborine was easier to hold AND she already had one, so that was that. We ended the weekend with Mass and a Red Robin dinner with friends. Enjoy your week!

Oink

We stood in the rain Saturday morning. Mist, drizzle, and pouring rain. And my big, trusty golf umbrella that is usually in the van cargo area was missing. A long line stretched on the sidewalk out to the road at the Health Department for their free H1N1 Flu Clinic. The process left me wet and grumpy (at one point I wanted to grab the syringe out the nurse's hand and administer the shot myself) but I am very thankful to them for offering this service. In the end my children rode home in their skivvies (me, though tempted, did not want to risk indecent exposure) and are immunized with the H1N1 vaccine...well at least they have half the immunity. Let's hope they have enough supply to administer a 2nd dose. We plan to stay healthy this season!

Bibbity-bobbity-boo

It all started with this magical homemade pumpkin pie that my co-worker made and shared with us last night before our evening shift commenced. I mean the real deal. Real pumpkin that she mashed by hand, all natural ingredients, etc, etc. It was de-lish. I have never tempted such a feat. Until we rolled up at Chiles Peach Orchard and saw pie pumpkins ripe for the taking. I probably will have some buyers remorse once I actually start cutting into them, but for now, Kabel's yummy treat is still in my memory bank. Cazin and Julia each picked a pumpkin for themselves; a mini pumpkin and a 30 pounder, respectively. We can't wait till carving time.

Another beautiful, warm fall day in Crozet

Today Cazin was scheduled to have school portraits taken. Smiling to myself as I dressed him this morning, I was predicting a myriad of results. 1. No picture. 2. Crying, blank stare, or "please b****" picture. 3. "I'm ignoring the camera" picture. As I picked him up, Miss Betty confirmed how well I know my child. He wouldn't even enter the room. Downright refused. They tried every trick in the book with all of their fancy toys and even thought about fetching Julia from her class to coax him, but nothing worked. I'm still laughing. At least I got a shot of him in his outfit. My tactic: a "pah-sicle."