First Day Back Reflection

Now it isn't really safe to talk about school related stuff on the world wide web so anything on here about a school it is completely made up.......

1. I'm sick..... I don't feel horrible, but not my best. Based on limited internet research for a hypochondriac I am thinking walking pneumonia. My lungs feel tight when I take deep breaths, chest congestion and cough. Body is achy and ribs are hurting by the end of day from coughing. I have only had a slight fever of 99. If I feel worse by Thursday I'll call the DR.

2. I have two goals this year:

A. Make this the best year of school these kids have ever had.

B. Don't eat every freaking sweet in the teachers’ lounge.

~ Might have already broken this one.... A parent brought me a Frappuccino after school.... scratchy throat after yelling bus numbers in crazy chaos.. I couldn't say no. Also, I might have to dig into the chocolate caramel apple another kiddo brought me. I love our parents and kids.

3. I love how I have set my room up. I should take pictures.

4. I love all the new technology I have this year.. However I don't know how to use it... I should figure this out.

5. We were creating superhero profiles and a kiddo turns to me and asked why they can't be villains.... note to self: Keep an eye on this one!

6. I am shocked how easy it is to slid into the teacher personality after 8 weeks of summer. After six years it feels so natural.

I hope all you teachers had a wonderful day. Love those kids they are so precious. I might not be able to lead this country or create the next big technology boom but one of these kids just might. I just hope I can help them realize their potential and lead them in the right direction.

Currently

Watching: Well nothing right now but when Ryan is done putting Andrew to bed we will watch tonights episode of Big Brother and maybe a rerun of The League.

Listening to: Silence. Silence is golden. Well mostly silence. Andrew is somewhat fighting bed time.

Feeling: Depressed summer vaca is over but also releived to have some structure and normalcy and excited/stress for the beginning of another school year.

Wanting: Energy and a free shopping spree for back to school clothes :-)

Needing to: Go grocery shopping. Pay the $3 late fee at the public library because I forgot Curious George was still hanging out in my mommy purse.

Drinking: Just downed a cup of coffee and chasing it with a mikes hard cranberry lemonade.

Eating: For dinner I made a creamy mushroom chicken with diced tomatos over bowtie pasta.   I was ust about to make some chocolate pudding but we are nearly out of milk.

Reading:

   I started it yesterday and about 3/4 the way through. There are four books in the series. I am enjoying it immensly! I think I really need to stick to series that have been completed. I hate wating for books to be published... Crossed.... The Divergent....

Annoyed: That I can't get into my classroom yet to set up..... It's gonna be stressful.

Thinking: Should I take a shower tonight or in the morning????

Craving: Chocolate pudding! Yum.

Enjoying: Some relax time after a long first day back to work.

Received: A wonderful card today from a friend that made me feel very special. She is a keeper.

Planning: My classroom and curriculum!

Stream of thoughts

In effort to TRY and blog regularly I felt the need to post tonight. However, I have no clever ideas and will just say what's on my mind!

1. This summer Andrew was potty trained and sleeping in toddler bed. Both of which was way easier transition than I thought it would be. I guess I just under estimate how easy Andrew can be about some things!

2. I go back to work tomorrow.... I love teaching but I don't want to talk about it right now.

3. Ryan took me on a great date weekend up to Dallas and we saw Jason Mraz. I love the lyrics to his songs and they just make my heart happy. Ryan and I definately need to make sure we do our date nights. They are so refreshing!

4. Ethan is a beast. I can't help but compare the two boys. Developmentally I feel Ethan is farther than where Andrew was at 18 months but in physical abilities I feel he is behind where Andrew was. I am not concerned about that, I actually feel blessed since the boys are so close together. God knows what we can and cannot handle! Ethan is talking up a storm and repeats almost all words! He is so darn cute.

5. I want to read a book casually. Is that possible? I feel like I have to try and finish a book in one or two sittings... which leads to being awake until 4 am..... Then I am not a happy person.

Here are some pics from this summer:

Update Summer 2012

Well, my only reader, my mom, has informed me that it is summer and time to update the old bloggy blog. I have a few ideas for some blog posts. But first, I will stick to an update of all things some what recent.

Andrew will be three in August.  I cannot believe he will already be three......... no more terrible twos.  Probably a little of terrible threes. He is still struggling to communicate with others outside of our house but doing great with us. I think we just have a case of extreme shyness. I was concerned that there were some speech delays but after filling out a comprehensive survey I am not that concerned anymore.  He is counting and loving alphabet letters. He loves fire hydrants, stop signs, cars, trains, his bubble lawn mower (though he keeps calling it his motorcycle). He loves swimming. We are learning to share. My goals for him this summer is to get him to ride his tricycle. He loves pushing it around but I can hardly ever get him on it and pedal himself.

His shirt says " My Way of the Highway".... And it seems like it sometimes!


Ethan is 16 months old now. He is a big boy for his age and has been taking his time reaching his milestones. He has been walking for almost a month now. I am thankful that he took his time because boy he is on his own agenda and gets into EVERYTHING. Raising a second child has been much different than with Andrew. I was reflecting and for Andrew at this time we had a gate wrapped around the living room and ultra protective. Now the boys have the run of the house. Ethan loves going into rooms and shutting the door behind him and sitting in front so you can't get in the room. He's sneaky like that. He is talking away. Things like Mommy, Daddy, eat, up, bye bye, bubba, and trying to say much much more. He has had a touch summer so far. He had a nasty cold which led to a double ear infection, a rash on his neck, and chest from two molars coming in, four bite marks from when he fell and bit down on his bottom lip, A HUGE golf ball bump on his forehead from the bathtub! I promise I supervise him...
Still as happy as ever!



The boys get along great and love each other. They are almost the same size! I love that they are so close and have life long buddies to play with. It was really hard for a while but getting easier by the day... or at least till Ethan hits the twos!

Well will have more to update soon. Hope everyone is enjoying their summer. I am!

Energy

Or the lack there of.

Today was our first official day back. The students don't start until Monday. Even though I don't have to be at school until eight, I am running our morning routine so that I can be there by 7:15/ 7:30 am like a normal school day. I was off by 15 minutes, not bad first go around.

My alarm is set for 5:39 am. Odd number, but that's just where it's at. If I took my shower in the evening, my hair will be damp enough to style, or I would shower in the am. I will need to nurse Ethan, get him dressed, and then finish with myself. I have as much as possible packed and ready for the day. Right now, Ryan is in charge of getting Drew ready for the day. This arrangement worked out well last school year, and we will probably continue it as long as I am still nursing. Divide and Conquer.

I am exhausted. And the kids aren't even back yet. It is 9:30 pm and I am laying in the dark in my room. Can I make it another school year? I think I can. I think I can. I want to think I can.

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Not sure where I left off at in the previous post. Ethan got HFM and then Andrew got it horribly all around his mouth. Poor little guy has been out since Wednesday. Tomorrow will be his first day back at daycare. Still has some scabbing but those wet areas in the creases of lips take forever to heal.

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Teaching is what makes me fat. Seriously, last week we had inservice for two days and then this full week. At 11 I think I will die of starvation. I can't take it. It would explain the 50 pound increase from first year of teach to fifth year of teaching.... besides babies. That is a whole other story. I have been trying to manage the scale by a healthy sensible diet and portion control. I can't work out yet. I have my post-op appt this Friday. Hopefully I will get the thumbs up. Though, ENERGY, will be needed for that activity. Anyways my portion controls get way out of portion when I am starving at lunch. And the sweets that are thrown at you are delicious. They are treats that celebrate good things my co-workers have done, how can I deny them?

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I want to become a better blog. So I better blog more often.

Back to School

As this wonderful summer ends in the most crappy of ways I am reminded of how much I love my job. I am SO ready to get into the school year, know my little students, figure out what are my goals and challenges and to simply be in a more structured routine. This past week we had two campus work days and it is always so much fun seeing all the familiar faces and reconnecting. I have a great campus.
I am looking forward to this school year because....
*for the first time in three school years to not being pregnant!
* First time in two school years to not take maternity leave.
* First time in my entire teaching career of five short years to have a principal for more than one year. *Looking forward to applying for a FSFA forgiveness grant for working in a Title 1 school for five years. *As much as I have loved my previous partners in crime, I am looking forward to working with my new partner.
*To only having two classes vs. the three.
* To teach Social Studies again, I didn't get to last year. My favorite subject! Though reading has warmed my heart.
*Knowing our new reading curriculum and feeling confident in it.
*Finding more opportunities to be a leader.
*Having repeat families. I love having siblings and already knowing parents.
I am not looking forward to
*all the paper work. Not my fav.
*Drama. As of right now there is only one male staff custodian. That is a lot of stressed hormones raging up and down the hallways.
*Last year in this building. Moving into a new buidling next year.
*My classroom moved from a portable to inside the building.... which means cochroaches and mice. YUCK!
* The unknown STAAR. What will this do the students????? and teachers???? and parents?????
*Not spending my days with the hubs and dropping the boys off at daycare : (
Im in the middle of setting up my classroom. I have the desks the way I want them. When you walk in the door there are two bulliten boards to your right. The right will be social students and the second for student work. I have titled it "Spot On!" I have cut out backings from polka dot wrapping paper. In the back right corner of my room is the class library. I still need to label the baskets by book genres. In the middle of the back wall in my small group/guided reading station. I have my word wall set up there as well. The back left corner of the room is my computer. Front left corner is the student center with copies, paper, passes, turn-in trays, mailboxes, and supplies. I have a writing bulliten board set up there. On the front wall is a long dry erase board that I have divided into four sections by its natural lines. Going left to right, I have my Class News BB, Daily Objectives, then section for teacher led instruction, a spot that will always stay clean for projector, and the last section will have any sentence stems or multiple day instructions if needed.
I am debating on hanging my character posters on a string that goes across the windows. I think I may test it out and see if it looks tooo cluttered. Look forward for proof of a finished product!

Hand foot mouth

I wish this title was related to the things Drew is saying and pointing out but no it's the newest virus to hit the Bilski Household. My poor little Ethan is not a happy camper. This is only the second time in his 6 months of life to have a fever and need meds. Little Bubba does not handle it well, just like his mama. He has ulcears around and in his mouth which I am guessing is very painful because he screams and hardly eats. Last night he would only sleep when cuddled up to me. Which made me a little nervous because I had already taken my pain meds (stilllllll recoverying from my surgery last week). I didn't want to roll on top of him, but figured this was just how it was going to be.
Right now he is playing in his gym, a little happier than earlier. Thought we would take advantage of these short lived moments between the crying. Times like these your heart breaks because there is just not much you can do to take away the pain but just hold him and try to sooth him.
I hope this is not the trend of how this school year will go at daycare. Mother's guilt is starting to hit me. I wish I could keep them at home. I wish I could supply him with just breastmilk and not so much formula. I started thinking if I didn't start giving him so much formula he would of had a stronger immune system. Whats done is done, all I can do is pray that he will heal fast and be healthy.
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Ethan did weight 21 lbs and 1 oz at the Dr.'s office. (90-95%) We didn't get his length though. I have tried at home and I got 29-30 inches which is off the charts so not sure if I did it right. We have 15 ounces till the car seat is no longer safe. Probably should make that change here pretty quick.
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I am starting to think all my readers have lost hope in me with the lack of comments. That is ok, I haven't been the most reliable blogger. But I have found a bunch of mommy and teacher blogs that I have been enjoying this summer.