We had our family interview yesterday at the school Twinkle will attend next year. We found out how she did on her test that she took a couple of weeks ago. She did really well. We're so proud of her for focusing and doing her best during the 2 hours that she was there.
Now that she's been accepted, I have to get my brain around home-schooling her for 2 days a week starting next Fall. I'm anxious about it, but I really think we can do whatever we put our minds to. It's less intimidating than full home schooling because the school sets the curriculum and structures the lessons so that we have certain things to do on the days that she is home. She'll have to actually listen to me on those days, which could be the thing we struggle with the most. Actually, she's getting better in that area. And she does have 7 more months of maturing, etc. before we begin this.
Tuesday, I had a teacher conference with Twinkle's current teacher. It went well with her using words like "enthusiastic", "animated", "passion", "eager to express herself" (doesn't that sound better than "talks non-stop"?) Her teacher did say that sometimes when they are doing work in class, Twinkle has to be separated away from the other children. Apparently, even if Twinkle sits next to a child that isn't a "talker", that child becomes a talker. Hey, she breaks down barriers of shyness, what can I say?
In "other child" news, I've mentioned very little on this blog about our adopting from China. Mostly because I have a blog about that for friends and family to keep up with our progress and I want to kind of keep the two separate. Having said that, once our new little one is home, she will be added to the daily subject matter on this blog. Also, when there is exciting news on that front, it's hard to keep it from bleeding over into everything.
The exciting news is this: We've been in the process of adopting since February 2005. We are now, finally, about a month away from getting our referral. A referral is the packet of information that the Chinese government sends us assigning us a child (including cute little pictures). About 2 months after that, we travel to China for 2 weeks to bring her home. I'm so excited to finally be to this part of the process, but at the same time, I'm scared to death. I'm finally getting a handle on ONE child. And let's face it, I don't really have a firm grasp on that handle most of the time.
Life is about to get interesting.
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
What WILL We Do?!
I awoke this morning to another lovely day of Twinkle not having school because of teacher conferences. She got to "sleep in", so she didn't get up until 7:30. Whee. I was actually already up and downstairs. This caused Twinkle to play one of her favorite games where stuffed animals coming flying into the room with no apparent explanation for how they got there. You know, 5 year olds - not that stealthy. But, it's fun to pretend.
When she finally came downstairs, she informed me that on the news (on the TV in my room) they were talking about Easy Bake Ovens. The Easy Bake Oven that Santa brought Twinkle not 2 months ago. I had just seen it on CNN.com . CNN, where the headline is "Nearly 1 million toy ovens recalled" and the sub-headline is actually, are you ready? - "DANGER ZONES - KEEPING YOUR FAMILY SAFE", yes in all CAPS. Twinkle proceeds to tell me that 5 children burned their fingers on their Easy Bake Ovens. I asked her how they did that. She said "They stuck their fingers in it!" Me: "And what did you learn from that?" T: "Don't stick your fingers in it. But, I already knew that!". Then we exchanged a "people are SO stupid" look. I don't know where she gets it. So, "nearly 1 million" (minus one) Easy Bake Ovens are being retro-fitted with some kind of kit to keep idiots from sticking their fingers in it. Hey, don't stick your head in a real oven either. My oven needs a retro-fit kit.
We wonder why kids can't take responsibility for their actions today; why they don't get that when they do x (OK, not literally "do X" - but maybe), then y may happen. Now we have a toy for ages 8 and up that cooks food being recalled because kids could get their fingers stuck and burned if they stick them inside the oven?
It's a crazy world. Somebody ought to sell tickets.
When she finally came downstairs, she informed me that on the news (on the TV in my room) they were talking about Easy Bake Ovens. The Easy Bake Oven that Santa brought Twinkle not 2 months ago. I had just seen it on CNN.com . CNN, where the headline is "Nearly 1 million toy ovens recalled" and the sub-headline is actually, are you ready? - "DANGER ZONES - KEEPING YOUR FAMILY SAFE", yes in all CAPS. Twinkle proceeds to tell me that 5 children burned their fingers on their Easy Bake Ovens. I asked her how they did that. She said "They stuck their fingers in it!" Me: "And what did you learn from that?" T: "Don't stick your fingers in it. But, I already knew that!". Then we exchanged a "people are SO stupid" look. I don't know where she gets it. So, "nearly 1 million" (minus one) Easy Bake Ovens are being retro-fitted with some kind of kit to keep idiots from sticking their fingers in it. Hey, don't stick your head in a real oven either. My oven needs a retro-fit kit.
We wonder why kids can't take responsibility for their actions today; why they don't get that when they do x (OK, not literally "do X" - but maybe), then y may happen. Now we have a toy for ages 8 and up that cooks food being recalled because kids could get their fingers stuck and burned if they stick them inside the oven?
It's a crazy world. Somebody ought to sell tickets.
Monday, February 5, 2007
Judging Mothers
I find it interesting that there are so many stories lately of mothers judging other mothers. Ol' What's-her-name on that show did some "profound" reporting about mothers who sip wine while the kiddies play together. Is this OK?! [insert ominous music].
I've seen several posts on the subject and I don't want to sound like a broken record. Pretty much everyone has said "can't we all just get along?" Why do mothers feel the need to find something about other mothers to complain about? Is it all about making oneself feel better as a mother? Are we all so unsure of ourselves that we at least need one thing that we can say "well, at least I don't do THAT." I may lock my child in a closet, but at least I don't sip wine in front of him. I may yell at my kids when they get on my nerves, but at least I don't give them bags of glass to play with.
Just yesterday, I was leaving Old Navy. I looked out the window to the car next to me and watched a woman light up a cigarette. OK, not something I do, but smoke 'em if you got 'em. Then she turned sideways - showing her pregnant belly. Now, my first reaction was to beat her senseless. OK, just kidding. But, I did think "OMG, what the hell?" Yes, I think we can all point to research saying that she really shouldn't do that. But, how many of us know someone 20 -30 years older than ourselves who smoked and drank through their whole pregnancies and their 30 year old children are fine. I'm certainly not encouraging fetal alcohol syndrome, but I do know several women who've said such things to me.
Is it ever ok to judge and react? Probably. Child abuse going on in the line in front of you at the Qwik-E-Mart jumps to mind. Do you get out of the car and give the pregnant smoker a piece of your mind knowing what she'll tell you to do with it? What about the mom feeding the 1 year old a Snickers? What about a big greasy McD hamburger? What about.....
Everyone has something that gets under their skin and annoys the snot out of them. I think we all feel like the world is going to hell and we feel powerless to do anything about it. If only mothers didn't sip wine in front of their children, the world would be a better place? Not likely. If only that person would listen to MY point of view...
I think as mothers we ARE insecure. No one is sure what exactly they are doing. We are just trying to get through one day at a time without too much stress and trauma. I know I survived my childhood - and my mother was a thrower. That's why I move like a cat now :) Mothers should be helping each other out in the day to day survival of raising children. Not looking for ways to prove superiority. Imagine having that kind of support system, wine or not, that you didn't feel like your every move was being judged by the other females around you.
I've seen several posts on the subject and I don't want to sound like a broken record. Pretty much everyone has said "can't we all just get along?" Why do mothers feel the need to find something about other mothers to complain about? Is it all about making oneself feel better as a mother? Are we all so unsure of ourselves that we at least need one thing that we can say "well, at least I don't do THAT." I may lock my child in a closet, but at least I don't sip wine in front of him. I may yell at my kids when they get on my nerves, but at least I don't give them bags of glass to play with.
Just yesterday, I was leaving Old Navy. I looked out the window to the car next to me and watched a woman light up a cigarette. OK, not something I do, but smoke 'em if you got 'em. Then she turned sideways - showing her pregnant belly. Now, my first reaction was to beat her senseless. OK, just kidding. But, I did think "OMG, what the hell?" Yes, I think we can all point to research saying that she really shouldn't do that. But, how many of us know someone 20 -30 years older than ourselves who smoked and drank through their whole pregnancies and their 30 year old children are fine. I'm certainly not encouraging fetal alcohol syndrome, but I do know several women who've said such things to me.
Is it ever ok to judge and react? Probably. Child abuse going on in the line in front of you at the Qwik-E-Mart jumps to mind. Do you get out of the car and give the pregnant smoker a piece of your mind knowing what she'll tell you to do with it? What about the mom feeding the 1 year old a Snickers? What about a big greasy McD hamburger? What about.....
Everyone has something that gets under their skin and annoys the snot out of them. I think we all feel like the world is going to hell and we feel powerless to do anything about it. If only mothers didn't sip wine in front of their children, the world would be a better place? Not likely. If only that person would listen to MY point of view...
I think as mothers we ARE insecure. No one is sure what exactly they are doing. We are just trying to get through one day at a time without too much stress and trauma. I know I survived my childhood - and my mother was a thrower. That's why I move like a cat now :) Mothers should be helping each other out in the day to day survival of raising children. Not looking for ways to prove superiority. Imagine having that kind of support system, wine or not, that you didn't feel like your every move was being judged by the other females around you.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Just Play Along With Me
I've been going to the gym for a couple of months now. I've even been working with a trainer since early December.
The reason I started all of this was simple. Last Summer, my dad had heart bypass surgery. He did not have a heart attack, thank heavens. His heart is in great shape and strong as ever. I think the cardiologist said something along the lines of "the heart of an 18 year old". It's a miracle Dad didn't have a heart attack. He'd been having some tightness in his chest (oh, for about a year without mentioning it!!) so he went in for a heart cath to check it out. The doctor was thinking that they may have to put in a stent. So, when the doctor came out of the cath lab and said Dad was going to have bypass surgery ASAP and that he had a 98% blockage in the main artery to the left side of his heart, we were all a bit stunned to say the least.
Now, when you add the fact that my mom is a diabetic to this, I decided I either had to chuck in the towel now, or actually get off of my ass and do something about it. So, as I said before, I've been going to the gym regularly since the end of November.
My main goals were to feel better on a day to day basis, to build up a little cardio-vascular stamina for when I carry Twinkle upstairs when she's dead asleep, and to hopefully avoid the genetic destiny I seem to have.
I do feel better almost daily. I can actually carry the 42 lb. sack of potatoes up the stairs without feeling like I'm going to puke at the top. I have hopefully had some effect, though I realize I haven't been at it long, on my genetic destiny. I'm even one of those people I used to want to smack when they'd say, "I just don't feel great on the days I don't exercise." OK, I still don't actually say that out loud to others, but it is technically true.
Despite already reaching the above goals, I'm a bit annoyed. Today, my trainer did a "re-evaluation" that involved weighing myself (which I've decided doesn't matter) and, AND, re-measuring my body fat percentage. UGH. My weight had not changed, AND my body fat percentage had not changed. It doesn't help that my husband, who has put on a little weight himself lately, went to the gym for his "free trainer" session and his body fat percentage is a full TEN points below mine (He was nice enough to point out that he doesn't have boobs). My trainer reassured me that she's not wild about the little machine they use to do this measurement, and that the reading can be effected by water you've had to drink and time of day, etc., etc., but I was still a smidge bummed.
I feel tighter. I feel like I have more muscle. I feel healthier. I am happier and easier to get along with on a daily basis. So why am I letting that silly little machine bother me so much?
The reason I started all of this was simple. Last Summer, my dad had heart bypass surgery. He did not have a heart attack, thank heavens. His heart is in great shape and strong as ever. I think the cardiologist said something along the lines of "the heart of an 18 year old". It's a miracle Dad didn't have a heart attack. He'd been having some tightness in his chest (oh, for about a year without mentioning it!!) so he went in for a heart cath to check it out. The doctor was thinking that they may have to put in a stent. So, when the doctor came out of the cath lab and said Dad was going to have bypass surgery ASAP and that he had a 98% blockage in the main artery to the left side of his heart, we were all a bit stunned to say the least.
Now, when you add the fact that my mom is a diabetic to this, I decided I either had to chuck in the towel now, or actually get off of my ass and do something about it. So, as I said before, I've been going to the gym regularly since the end of November.
My main goals were to feel better on a day to day basis, to build up a little cardio-vascular stamina for when I carry Twinkle upstairs when she's dead asleep, and to hopefully avoid the genetic destiny I seem to have.
I do feel better almost daily. I can actually carry the 42 lb. sack of potatoes up the stairs without feeling like I'm going to puke at the top. I have hopefully had some effect, though I realize I haven't been at it long, on my genetic destiny. I'm even one of those people I used to want to smack when they'd say, "I just don't feel great on the days I don't exercise." OK, I still don't actually say that out loud to others, but it is technically true.
Despite already reaching the above goals, I'm a bit annoyed. Today, my trainer did a "re-evaluation" that involved weighing myself (which I've decided doesn't matter) and, AND, re-measuring my body fat percentage. UGH. My weight had not changed, AND my body fat percentage had not changed. It doesn't help that my husband, who has put on a little weight himself lately, went to the gym for his "free trainer" session and his body fat percentage is a full TEN points below mine (He was nice enough to point out that he doesn't have boobs). My trainer reassured me that she's not wild about the little machine they use to do this measurement, and that the reading can be effected by water you've had to drink and time of day, etc., etc., but I was still a smidge bummed.
I feel tighter. I feel like I have more muscle. I feel healthier. I am happier and easier to get along with on a daily basis. So why am I letting that silly little machine bother me so much?
Monday, January 29, 2007
Carpooling
Yes, it is the end of January. Yes, there are only 4 months left of the school year.
Better late than never, I guess. There's a girl in Twinkle's class who lives less than a minute from us. There are probably even more than just the one girl. Her mother and I usually end up following one another on the way to school or on the way home. It's crazy. We've been doing this for about 6 months now. I noticed this back in October. The school had a Blessing of the Animals and I saw her there with her 2 dogs and noticed that I followed them almost home afterward. I mentioned this to her and kind of mentioned carpooling, but I was very non-committal.
There's just something about carpooling that seems like too much commitment for me. I feel like we rush around enough in the morning that I don't want to worry about whether Twinkle is ready when someone arrive to take her to school, much less trying to go pick someone up on our way to school. Is it bad if it's my fault another kid is late to school? What if they aren't ready and it makes us late? These are the questions that kept me from doing it. Let's face it, it probably comes down to a control freak issue.
I told the mom last week that I'd be happy to take turns giving rides home from school, but I wasn't sure I was reliable enough for morning carpooling. Long story short, now that we've figured out what we'll do, we're doing morning and afternoon carpooling. Rip me out of my comfort zone and toss me in the deep end!
I know this is actually going to be great. That I'm going to love the whole thing. I know the questions listed above really aren't that major. They're barely even minor. But, it took someone else just not even taking me seriously about my reservations and going full steam ahead to wake me up to the joys. Of carpooling.
So, this morning, I got up when my alarm went off instead of lying in bed as usual. I didn't have to do as much to get ready. I got Twinkle up a little earlier than usual. We had a non-stressful, non-rushing around morning. And had 15 minutes to spare before Twinkle's ride arrived.
Tomorrow, it's our turn to drive. Hopefully things will be just as peaceful around here.
Better late than never, I guess. There's a girl in Twinkle's class who lives less than a minute from us. There are probably even more than just the one girl. Her mother and I usually end up following one another on the way to school or on the way home. It's crazy. We've been doing this for about 6 months now. I noticed this back in October. The school had a Blessing of the Animals and I saw her there with her 2 dogs and noticed that I followed them almost home afterward. I mentioned this to her and kind of mentioned carpooling, but I was very non-committal.
There's just something about carpooling that seems like too much commitment for me. I feel like we rush around enough in the morning that I don't want to worry about whether Twinkle is ready when someone arrive to take her to school, much less trying to go pick someone up on our way to school. Is it bad if it's my fault another kid is late to school? What if they aren't ready and it makes us late? These are the questions that kept me from doing it. Let's face it, it probably comes down to a control freak issue.
I told the mom last week that I'd be happy to take turns giving rides home from school, but I wasn't sure I was reliable enough for morning carpooling. Long story short, now that we've figured out what we'll do, we're doing morning and afternoon carpooling. Rip me out of my comfort zone and toss me in the deep end!
I know this is actually going to be great. That I'm going to love the whole thing. I know the questions listed above really aren't that major. They're barely even minor. But, it took someone else just not even taking me seriously about my reservations and going full steam ahead to wake me up to the joys. Of carpooling.
So, this morning, I got up when my alarm went off instead of lying in bed as usual. I didn't have to do as much to get ready. I got Twinkle up a little earlier than usual. We had a non-stressful, non-rushing around morning. And had 15 minutes to spare before Twinkle's ride arrived.
Tomorrow, it's our turn to drive. Hopefully things will be just as peaceful around here.
Friday, January 26, 2007
What Kind of Gorey Death Will You Die?
Over at Blog con Queso the above question was posed. I just had to take the quiz and here's what I got:
You will perish of fits. Repeat this to yourself: "Things can work out even if I don't get my way. Things can work out even...."
Take this quiz!
You will perish of fits. Repeat this to yourself: "Things can work out even if I don't get my way. Things can work out even...."
Take this quiz!
Now, how did THEY know? I shall repeat my newly given mantra daily.
It's NOT the SATs!
I just dropped Twinkle off for testing. She's in Kindergarten. Next year, for 1st grade, she's switching to a different school that's a combination between private school and home schooling (blogging should be interesting next Fall).
So, this morning, she's at the new school being tested. Mind you she's never taken a test before. When I told her yesterday what she was doing this morning, she said "What's a test?" (Any Simpsons fans out there? - "What's a truck?") I left her in a room with a teacher and three other kids about to learn how to use a Scan-Tron form.
Did I mention she'll be there for 2 hours? Sure, I leave her at school every day for 6 1/2, but this feels different. Oy.
Mind you, she wasn't nervous at all. I'm glad I didn't rub off on her. SHE has no idea that being nervous is an option. I'm not really sure why I'm nervous, now that I think about it. It isn't as if they are going to come back and say, "Sorry, your child is a baboon". They aren't going to say she can't go to the school - I guess. Why am I nervous? She's a smart kid and she handles herself well. No nerves, maybe a little shyness that comes out of nowhere in new situations. I know she may look to me to see how to behave in new situations, so I try to not exhibit negative freak-out behavior.
I'll leave to pick her up in about half an hour. I'm sure she doesn't know what the big deal is. Now if I could just learn from her, we'd all be doing great!
So, this morning, she's at the new school being tested. Mind you she's never taken a test before. When I told her yesterday what she was doing this morning, she said "What's a test?" (Any Simpsons fans out there? - "What's a truck?") I left her in a room with a teacher and three other kids about to learn how to use a Scan-Tron form.
Did I mention she'll be there for 2 hours? Sure, I leave her at school every day for 6 1/2, but this feels different. Oy.
Mind you, she wasn't nervous at all. I'm glad I didn't rub off on her. SHE has no idea that being nervous is an option. I'm not really sure why I'm nervous, now that I think about it. It isn't as if they are going to come back and say, "Sorry, your child is a baboon". They aren't going to say she can't go to the school - I guess. Why am I nervous? She's a smart kid and she handles herself well. No nerves, maybe a little shyness that comes out of nowhere in new situations. I know she may look to me to see how to behave in new situations, so I try to not exhibit negative freak-out behavior.
I'll leave to pick her up in about half an hour. I'm sure she doesn't know what the big deal is. Now if I could just learn from her, we'd all be doing great!
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