Wii have been invaded

Colin is getting really good at this stuff. More on my whole view of Wii later. Just this little nugget for fun....

He's boxing. He won the first player. The second player happens to be a girl. He expresses his displeasure about this subtly. He knocks her down but she gets up on 7. He knocks her down again, she gets up on 9. At this point he vocalizes his frustration. "Mom, this girl I'm playing is tough!" Finally he knocks her out. He does quite the "victory dance" over that one. 

I'm thinking.... this is good training for your future. You gotta learn not to get the shit knocked out of you by some girl. 

When Will I Be Done?

Colin's been asthma related sick this past week. Translation: he doesn't have a bad cold but he's got all the symptoms of a cold and a deep cough. How do I know the difference? Four years of training. Anyway, he's got a round of medicines he takes regularly to prevent a serious case of full blown asthma outbreak but sometimes, even that doesn't quite get it done. 

On Monday, MLK Jr day, we went to Santa Barbara for the day. Walked on the beach, ate pizza outside and watched the ocean, played at a great park and in general had a fantastic day. However, all the "good fresh air" undid my child. So, he comes down with a nasty cough and snot-nose. I decide to be proactive and take him to the doctor on Wednesday before it gets worse. Sometimes we have to add a round of Prednisolone steroid to really kick the episode. As it turns out, I'm becoming a pretty good doctor for my child. I was right that he needed the steroids but while there, the doctor decides he should be on an allergy nasal spray routine as well as everything else we do. I say okay. What's one more at this point. It's amazing what one can get used to. 

As soon as we get home from the doctor and pharmacy, I give him the first of five doses of steroids. And at bath time, I'm explaining to Colin the new routine. His response is a lot like mine, in what's one more? So we do the nasal spray to clean the sinuses. Then 10 minutes later we do the allergy spray, Fluticasone. Then we take our antihistamine and our daily vitamin, then we follow up with a dose of Albuteral through the nebulizer and right before bed we do the inhaler 2x of Flovent.  Not to mention the Epi Pen we NEVER leave home without. I know right!? What the crap. 

The next night we begin the same thing. As we are doing the allergy nasal medicine he asks, "Mom, this is the second time for this medicine. How long do I have to take this one?" I say, "For the rest of your life." He asks with hope, "Then I'll be done?" I smile at the irony in his sentence and respond, "Yep, then you'll be done." He liked that answer. 

By the way, Colin will remind me, "Mom, we need to take my meds." I guess he knows they make a difference for him. 

Well.... What Would You've Said?

On vacation we went to Texas to see Granny and Pop. There was too much food as usual when people gather together for a holiday. I had helped make scalloped potatoes. They didn't get done when we were supposed to eat them so they were going to go back in the oven another day and finish getting done. This was a BIG corning dish of potatoes with butter, milk, salt pepper etc. 

So in the fridge is the potatoes balanced on the ham with no lid. JD and I had gone to the movies as a date night (Dec 22 was our anniversary of 8 years and we went on a date while Granny and Pop babysat.) When we got back we heard about the incident that took place. 

Granny and Colin were in the living room playing a game. Pop was going to get some dinner ready. Pop opened the fridge and the potatoes that were precariously balanced upon the ham crashed to the floor right side down. Shattered corning ware, potatoes etc all over the floor. Granny says, "What was that?!" Colin replies, "Sounded like glass." They get up to inspect the damage. Granny and Colin round the corner and get an eye full. Colin surveys the situation and says, "Holy Shit!" 

Granny and Pop do their best to not laugh out loud. Granny asks Colin where he heard that. Colin says, "My Mom, at home." Excellent. Then Colin realizes that maybe he shouldn't have said what he did so he offers up this gem, "Holy Gosh?" Perfect! You know I'm in so much trouble now. 

So after the story, after a good laugh, after I get all kinds of looks from my husband, my mother-in-law, and my father-in-law (not so harsh but more atta girl like) I say, "Well, at least he picked the right time to say exactly what everyone was thinking." And personally, if I had made the mess and my son rounded the corner and said, "Holy Shit." I would've responded, "You got that right buddy. Couldn't have said it better myself." 

It's hopeless. I'm in love with my son! 

A Clean Slate

I love when the new year begins. It's a clean slate. Everything is new. You haven't screwed up yet. You haven't eaten too much yet. You haven't told any major lies. You haven't done serious damage....yet. You have a once a year opportunity to start a new again and everyone is on your side if not in the same boat even. 

So, here I am, going to resolve to blog once a week no matter how tired I am after being extremely busy teaching a bunch of little kids how to read and write and count beyond twenty. I will figure out what day is best for blogging but I miss it and it seems my mind does too. 

So, today, while on a bunch of errands with Colin, we get back in the car. I get a wet wipe and clean my hands. I ask Colin if he would like to clean his hands. Here's the conversation...

Me: Hey, Colin, you want to wipe off your hands?

Colin: No, I'm fine. 

Me: But your hands are dirty now because you've been in three different stores and touched everything in your path. 

Colin: No. I'm good. 

Me: Well, not me. My hands were dirty and I wanted them clean so I don't get sick. 

Colin: Sick?

Me: Yeah. Your hands are full of germs and if you don't clean them, the germs will make you sick. 

Colin: ....processing.... Okay. I'll wash them. 

I hand him the wet wipe I used. Still wet and full of soap. 

Colin: Did you use this already? slightly disgusted

Me: Yeah. But it's still good.

Colin: But if you already used it, then it has your germs on it and I'm gonna get your germs.

Me: scrambling.... Yeah, but that wipe has a disinfectant in it and my germs are already dead. 

Colin: Here mom. Hands me the wipe with two fingers and a little look of "whatever" on his face. 

Okay, we'll it's already Jan 3....so my clean slate is a little mussed. Really. What did you expect? 

Victoria's Secret

Usher performed at the annual Victoria's Secret runway show in Miami Beach. I only know this because a commercial for it came on while I was watching some show on TiVo yesterday while I was ironing. (Obviously, I'm way behind on some of my programs). Anyway, Colin came through the room when the commercial was on. He watched with great intent as beautiful women walked up and down wearing not much while Usher's music is playing in the background. Cut to a shot of Usher doing a little of one of his numbers we can expect to hear at the show. Commercial ends. Colin says, "Mom, I want to watch that." I thought about this for a minute. Instead of saying, "No! You can't watch that. Your Daddy can't even watch that...." I asked a question. "Why do you want to watch that Colin?" He said, matter of factly, "For the music!" .... of course. 

1635 Miles

We just pulled into the driveway from a very long road trip. The time in the middle with my family was a great time. We're glad to be home. Driving 1635 miles is not an easy drive for the driver or the rider and I think Colin summed it up beautifully in-between Kingman and Barstow (the absolutely most brutal portion of the trip - ain't NOTHIN' out the window.) You have to say this with a little whine in your voice. 

"Mom, I'm done to death." 

Amen, amen. I didn't have the heart to tell him we still had 250 miles to go. I just agreed completely! Done to death. Can you get anymore done that that? 

Time Slippin'

I can't believe it was election day that I posted last. It was election day that I read anyone's blog last too. Time slipped away friends. But I've been a little busy. 

I got my first "teacher's cold" that turned into a serious cough, that turned into a sinus infection that just today, I can finally feel my lungs normal again. Then I gave it to Colin who went through his typical Nebulizer treatments, Inhalers, Antibiotics, and trips to the Dr. Since that little cold, I've been wiping my room, the chairs, the door handles, the table tops with Clorox Bleach cleaner every day. I'll be damned if I get this crap again from one of those little cuties with cooties. 

Also, a new job, I don't care what it is, is hard work. The previous teacher left me nothing! So I've been writing curriculum, making copies, shopping for manipulatives, building bulletin boards, creating a creative, educational, helpful room, and pulling stuff out of my ass for these guys every day, while looking like I know exactly what I'm doing and making it look easy. Luckily, I have a fantastic boss and good teacher friends and Andi around me who will not let me fail but instead are a constant source of help and encouragement. It also helps to have a 4 1/2 year old at home so I know exactly what these little guys are into, what they can do, what they should be doing, what they shouldn't be doing. Colin has been a remedial Masters Course in teaching Pre-Kindergarten for me lately. You gotta love God's providence in this one. 

So, forgive the absence. I'll be back. We're leaving for New Mexico to go spend Thanksgiving with my family. We're driving. We'll be back next weekend. Looking forward to the break. So, I'll be posting again in December. I'm also gonna go back and read all your posts for November.... I've missed you guys!

The Vote

In honor of the election today I decided to hold an election in my class. After discussion of what today was all about and who the candidates were (names only) and that all their parents were going to vote for a new president, I thought they should experience the process. 

We have a new alligator in the class who will help every morning with circle time. He needed a name. I let each child come up with a name they liked. I had everything from Mr. Alligator to George, to Lisa to Princess. I told them that there was no wrong names and that Ms Stephanie and I would narrow their choices to two and then they would cast their vote on secret ballot. 

The top two contenders were Noodles and Pepper. Each child voted by either writing 1 or 2 on the ballot. After the votes were counted, the elected name for our alligator is Noodles. Won the vote 10 to 4. 

On the way out, each child got a "button" to wear home. It was a good day in America. 

Back to School

So, I went back to school on Monday. I've just spent my first week as a Pre-K preschool teacher. I had no illusions of how difficult this job was going to be; but I grossly underestimated out of pure ignorance. 'Ignorance is bliss' is not just a catch phrase. So here's a little list of what I learned....not exclusive by any stretch of the imagination, I just can't remember it all. It was a long first week. Ms Celeste tired.

1. A preschool is no place to break in a new pair of shoes. 

2. You can make a pumpkin patch out of brown and green paper in about 10 minutes. 

3. You can learn the names of 23 children in a day.

4. You can pee on command.

5. You walk a lot at a preschool and you never sit down.

6. Empty walls need something creative.

7. Glue is messy but cleans up easy with water.

8. Kids like things done a certain way and will tell you.

9. You can never show your fear.

10. "Wash your hands" is a relative statement.

11. Boys LOVE little cars and blocks.

12. I have inherited a classroom bird named Rocket. (I know nothing about caring for birds)

13. I hand-made an apron for my "Mary Poppins" costume. 

14. Four years olds, don't really know who Mary Poppins is. 

15. Five minutes without purposed activity will lead to all out uncontrolled chaos.

16. Kids eat buggers. 

17. Teachers have to stick together.

18. Sleep is the best reward to a long day.

19. Parents trust you and hope the best for you.

20. I'm completely ill-equipped and completely excited.

Loopty "Loo"

So, I've not pooped in two full days and I was due. I get situated for a little stay with my magazine and content for Colin to self-manage and come and go if he can stand the stench. 

He interrupts: 

Colin:  Mom, I have to poop. 

Me:  Well, I'm already pooping. 

Colin:  Can you get off?

Me:  Can you go to the other bathroom? 

Colin:  I need your help to wipe.

Me:  By the time you're finished I'll be finished. 

Colin:  Mom (dancing) I have to poop right now. 

Me:  Okay, I'm moving. Give me a second....

I do necessary cleaning to "move" to the other potty. Colin settles, I settle again on the other potty and we're content. Then I hear...

Colin:  I'm dooooonnnnneee!

Me:  I'm noooooootttttt!

Colin:  Are you coming Mom?

Me:  Be right there. 

I do the necessary cleaning to "move" again and to wipe the other bottom. I do, I sit again on a very warm seat and finish my job. I tell you, a good poop is hard to beat even if you're interrupted three times. 

Here we go loopty "loo", here we go loopty ly, Here we go loopty "loo", all on a Tuesday night

Sheesh!