My Jedi in Training Pants

Thought that would be a funny subject line, since I was at the mall today, and found Mason a shirt that says "Jedi in Training Pants". So funny...

Anyways, the week has been a bit hellish, mainly becuase I've been down with the crud AGAIN. Grrr...I've been taking DayQuil and NyQuil for a day or so, which seems to be helping. I spent most of the week miserable and very pissed off to be honest, that I was sick again. The last half of the week I developed a cough. How grand. I've been waiting it out though, because I really don't want to go to the doctor, for them to tell me it's a sinus infection or some crap and give me an antibiotic that doesn't work. I think I'm starting to feel better anyways. Knock on wood.

Wednesday was stressful, because I was put in charge of the 6th grade for the day, as the lead was out with her sick daughter. The kids were tyrants. I took away their recess and they still didn't listen. The odd thing was, there were bouts of quietness sprinkled throughout the day. It's just that overall, I dealt with so much attitude and talking that I just about lost it. But I take solace in the fact that the lead has the same problems. Sort of. At least when she's there they listen a larger part of the time.

The principal drew up an official offer for me for next year. The money wasn't as good as she had previously mentioned (big surprise). Plus, there's no guarantee they'll even take 2 year olds like she had also previously mentioned (another letdown but not surprise). It just all further proved to me that I am for sure out of there at the end of the year. In fact, I plan to turn in the district application on Monday. I hope getting it in early will help get my foot in the door for next year.

Other than that, not much to report. The weekend's been nice but uneventful so far. We ate Taco Bell and watched "The Heffalump Movie" last night, and today I got a long nap as Mason slept with me on the couch and then we went to the mall for awhile. Guess that's it. Ta ta.

I'm on top of things today

Today was a productive day. Since we had an extra day of the weekend, we took the opportunity to get some things done. I dusted the few pieces of wood furniture we have, swept and mopped the floors (kitchen and bathrooms), vacuumed and did laundry. My husband worked on my car all the while. We all managed to enjoy a nap in the middle of the day. Later, we took Mason and our dog Maxie to the nearby dogpark. It was fun for the first couple of minutes, until a truckload of people (maybe not a truckload, but probably 4 or 5 different families with multiple dogs) showed up and made Maxie nuts. He ran around, making this yippee bark at them and then running away. It was pathetic. Yeah, so anyways, it was a nice day.

And I even found time to write a blog. For the third consecutive day in a row. :)

Being a mom is like hard and stuff...

I love Mason. I love him like I've never loved before. But, that doesn't mean it's easy. Infanthood was hard because we had no idea what the hell we were doing, we didn't ever know what he wanted and breastfeeding didn't work out. Now, toddlerhood has already been challenging. He's frustrated about everything, he can't communicate his needs and has become much more clingy to us. Naptime and bedtime have been a trial of our patience lately. He was always the "easy baby" that went down to sleep like a charm and never gave us problems. But in recent months, he's decided that he needs to scream like we're beating him with sharp sticks everytime he's placed in his crib. Well, not everytime, but most of the time. He's never been the type that's wanted to be rocked or sang to or given a bottle to get to sleep. Until recently. Now, he's fine when you stand and hold him in his room, but the tantrum (and I mean TANTRUM) begins when you put him down. I hate to hear him cry. I feel myself getting angry and impatient with him, when I know it's not his fault. I hate that. I know it's just that I feel like I can't fix it and it makes me sad. People tell me "just let him cry if nothing's wrong". Sure, that was easy when he was an infant and the cry was softer and shorter lived. Now, he can belt it out with the best of them, and there isn't anyone who could stand that for too long. Fortunately, he does eventually fall asleep, but the moments that lead up to his collapse are heartbreaking. I'm sure it's just a stage, since he's beginning to realize when he's left alone and has become dependent on us, but I just wish it would be over. I guess just because you have an "easy baby" doesn't mean you'll have an "easy toddler". Maybe the teenage years will be good to us??

Two more days of the weekend! :)

I cannot tell you how nice it is to know that tomorrow is not the end of my weekend. Thank you Presidents! It makes next week short too, which will be nice. Yippee!

This weekend so far has been nice. Last night we went to this Sweetheart Dinner at church. It was a potluck for couples. We sat with our babysitter and her husband and two other couples. We ate Mexican food and talked about how God has helped strengthen our marriage. My husband mentioned how his deployments in the Army helped bring us together and we were blessed that he had the lesser of two deployments both times (he was in Korea when 9/11 happened and most of the troops were being sent to Afghanistan, and he was in Afghanistan when everyone was being sent to Iraq). I talked about how having Mason has been a blessing in our lives and how we are thankful to our babysitter and her family for bringing us to the church. It has strengthened our faith and broadened our social circle. The dinner was a nice time. Today, my husband worked most of the day and I went to Target. His employee discount is soon to run out, so I took advantage while I still could. Later, I talked to my parents and a friend in Virginia (PBAF, I love ya!).

Tomorrow, we plan to go to church and then he only works an hour. No other plans. Well, I guess some maintenance on my car maybe on Monday, but that's it. It'll just be nice to not be at work on Monday. Yippee Skippee.

Laziness is a virtue, right?

Yeah, I haven't written a few days, I know. I wouldn't blame it all on laziness. Time has gotten away from me, far, far away from me lately. So sorry about that. I do have other things to do, ya know!!

I really don't feel like getting into it, but let's just say that God answered my prayer on what to do next school year. My principal YET AGAIN lost my faith in her and all that she stands for. There was some problem with Mason coming to school with me to be dropped off with the babysitter, and the principal felt it was a liability. Fine. I understand. But then she questioned my parenting and that's when it gets personal. Let's just say it ended with me walking out of her office, holding back anger tears and saying in my head, "I hear you, God. I know what I'm supposed to do now, thank you." So, I will be back in public school next year, where at least the insanity mainly lies in the plethora of nutjob students.

I took a Personal Day today. It was kinda nice. My husband and I went into town and ate at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant and just walked around to all the little shops. Then we had TCBY ice cream, which is a rare treat. Yum. Then my parents called tonight and told us some good news: they still had a life insurance policy on me, and realized that they didn't need to keep it anymore since I have my own. So guess what? That money is ours, to use towards closing costs and down payment for a house!! That is so very much a blessing right now. We wanted to buy soon, but had no idea how we were going to come up with any of the costs.

And our other blessing is that my husband has been able to pull full 8-hour days at his job to make up for the fact that he's not returning to Target.

It's amazing what a little prayer can do.

Thank God it's Saturday

It's been a week since I've written and it feels like my mind has been occupied the whole time. First of all, I'm sick AGAIN. Grrr. Mason came down with an ear infection during the week, and is now on antibiotics. But, whatever crud he has draining from his nose 24-7 was passed on to me. Not a big surprise, but still not a pleasant one. I need to go to the store today and get some drugs. I can't breathe and my throat is all scratchy. Story of my life...okay, it's not THE story of my life, but it's certainly a chapter at least.

Anyways, work in general went much better than the week before. The other aide has returned in the 6th grade, so I'm only in there on Fridays again. I love those kids, but they exhaust me. The 3rd grade was okay, after I got some suggestions from the principal. I told them that it really hurts my feelings when I come in excited to teach and I have to spend so much time on behavior. I told them that I am a teacher too, and they need to respect that. At least it worked on Thursday. We'll see if I have to repeat myself Monday.

But work has been on my mind a lot in the past 24 hours. As you may have picked up on in many of my previous blogs, I have had my mind set on leaving the school I'm at in June at a running pace, and never looking back. But then, some new information got me thinking. The principal talked to me Thursday and said she wants to offer me a "competitive package" for next year, to teach 6th grade. She's mentioned it to me before, but she seems really set on offering it to me. I know I can make more there than in public school, but I had been telling myself that it wasn't worth it. The instability in that building can make anyone crazy. But then, she threw a zinger at me: they are planning on opening the school up to 2 year olds next year. That means that after Christmas Break, Mason could start coming for FREE. If I work there, I don't have to pay for Preschool. That would be so wonderful. And I know his current babysitter will be ready to have one less on her hands, if not sooner. She has two of her own, and now two foster kids at home. It makes for quite a houseful. And my other argument about not staying was that I didn't want to teach all subjects. But, the special ed teacher pointed out to me yesterday that I'll get two aides: I can have one teach math and the other can teach Science and Social Studies. Good point. She really wants me to stay too, so that I can prepare those kids for middle school. I love the lead in 6th this year, but she babies them WAAAY too much. They can turn work in months later, they have chances over and over to correct papers that have wrong answers, and they basically are treated like little kids. That's gonna be a serious shock for them that first day at the middle school as 7th graders, when they have 6 different teachers, lockers, homework every night and aren't allowed to turn assignments in late. Yikes.

I really don't know what to do. I'm praying on it and hoping that I am shown the way to go and soon. The principal where I'm working now would like an answer in the next month, and I have the public school district application sitting here waiting to be turned in after I get one more letter of recommendation. I'm in a pickle. And it smells like vinegar.

Forget yaks...

Llamas are my new favorite funny animal. Tonight, my husband and I were watching this VH1 show called, "WebJunk", where they show funny video clips found online. They had this one called "The Llama Song", made by this group called Burton Earny. It is the funniest thing ever! Check it out! http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/llama.php

I smell poop...

I think perhaps Mason has made me a present in his diaper, and it's not a toaster. :) But oh no, I must inform my avid readers first!! Actually, I don't know what to say. I'm sure things have happened in the past few days.

Work's been exhausting, being in the 6th in the mornings and 3rd in the afternoons. Even though I normally prefer 6th grade, they are even getting on my nerves. They just won't shut up already! I feel like a babysitter a lot of the time. Trying to teach a lesson is a bit challenging, to say the least. There's a handful of kids that consume my energy. I would be interested to know how many times a day I say, "put that away and pay attention" or "stop talking!" or "get to work!" or "I'm not arguing with you about it" or '"why are you up out of your seat AGAIN?" or "Good lord in heaven, stop talking!!!" I feel bad for the ones who are angels. They really are. They sit in their seats unless they have permission to be up, they work dilligently on whatever you ask them to do, they read silently or draw by themselves when they're done, they don't argue, and they keep their mouths shut!! They just don't get enough credit. They must get sick and tired of hearing the other kids get harped on all the time. One of these days, maybe one of the angelic children will haul off and whack one of the troublemakers. I think I would have to just "not see anything", if that happened...

Mason has decided that milk in a cup is the devil. He'll drink water or juice out of a sippy cup no problem. But milk, no way, no how. We've tried different types of cups, heating it, having it cold, you name it. But all he does is pick it up, look at it, and throw it as far as he can. It's frustrating. He can't be on the bottle forever. That would be great..."Hey Mom, can I borrow the car tonight? I have a date. And oh yeah, all my bottles are dirty, and I want some milk with dinner. Waaaaaahhh!!!" Anyone out there in cyberspace have some suggestions??

Yep, I've confirmed it. We have a CODE BROWN in the Mason presinct. Gotta go. Catchya on the flip side. (whatever that means)