Halloween Preperation
Published October 30, 2009 @ 08:51 in Amazing Kids
For weeks we have busy with Halloween prep. A pumpkin farm was visited, ghosts were hung in our tree, a grave yard set up in the garden, costumes selected, and now time for treats.
Holidays weren't this crazy when we were kids!
Our decorations are good, but I can't get over how many beautifully decorated home there are in our neighbourhood! I leave all holiday decor to Husband and the kids as they seem to be the ones to get the biggest fun out of it. Our dollar store cobwebs have seen better years. Our tree ghosts are also loosing some of their spookiness.
Husband and the kids carved the pumpkins earlier in the week. The farm that we visited sold them at a cost of three for $25. Add that to our entrance fee, cost of hot dogs and french fries for lunch, and gas to get there, and these are definitely the most expensive pumpkins ever! The boys insist on carving their own, while Husband did Daughter's. They are out, sitting on our porch, patiently awaiting the first trick-or-treaters.
Son One has stuck with his costume preference theme of ghosts and ghouls. He has been a ghost, a vampire, and this year is a zombie.
Son Two is more random - a purple monster, a werewolf, and this year a clone trooper from Star wars.
Daughter is going as Little Red Riding Hood, but she calls herself, Ruby Red Riding Hood after an episode of Max and Ruby that she saw.
Candy has been purchased - and sorted. All of our favourites have been picked out so that we don't have them out by accident.
A few hours to go... HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
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The Disappearing Pants
Published October 28, 2009 @ 18:47 in Around the House
I don't know what has happened to all of my boys pants, but I can't find any! Son One is missing two pairs of jeans, two pairs of regular pants, and one pair of sweat pants. That is a total of FIVE pairs of pants that he is down! See - I can do math. Simple math.
Son Two is also down pants. His issue seems to be that he is between sizes. Suddenly, if he wears size 5 you can see his ankles. However, the size 6 fall off his waist. What to do, what to do.
My pants are missing, too. I have a pair of my most comfortable jeans missing, and with the moon changing I am going to need them soon.
What to do, what to do...
Perhaps there is an evil purple pants monster lurking under the beds and stealing pairs of pants. Losing pants is sort of funny - not like an errant sock that goes missing. Pants are BIG!
Maybe this is just an excuse to shop.
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A case of the Grumps
Published October 28, 2009 @ 18:39 in Being Mommy, Kids Activities
Is it just me, or do people seem to be doing a lot of complaining lately? At first I thought it was just a phase that Daughter was going through. She is really demanding and moody (three going on thirteen?) But then I have just come across many, many people that must be having a bad month.
Is it something about October? Are our bodies adjusting to shorter days and longer nights? The rush of school and activities making you crazy?
I find people are complaining, and meddling, and complaining some more. Maybe it is because I am doing more volunteering, and dealing with people are a daily basis with different opinions on how things should run. However, these "suggestions" are often not well thought out, and are really complaints in disguise. Word of advice - if you don't have the time to help and volunteer, don't knock those who are giving time and energy to help you and your kids have fun.
Really - Can't we all just get along? Can't we all be happy?
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Musical Beds
Published October 26, 2009 @ 06:57 in Being Mommy, Loving Daddy
I often recommend this game of, "Musical Beds" to parents who are having trouble sleeping. It doesn't matter who sleeps where, as long as you get some sleep. Once there are more than two in a bed, the biggest one gets up and leaves to find an empty bed somewhere.
We are a family of five with four beds. Pure mathematics demonstrates that once there are three in any bed, there is at least one empty bed somewhere.
We are a family who loves to sleep. We were all sleeping nicely in our beds until last spring. While visiting Florida, Daughter started sharing a bed. She now believes it to be her God-given right not to have to sleep alone. We have been playing a version of musical beds ever since.
More often then not, it is me whom Daughter wants to sleep with. Husband slept months getting kicked out of our bed (literally, she kicks with her cute little stinky feet until he would leave - he is the biggest one in the bed, after all).
Husband, unimpressed by having to leave the comfort and warms of this nightly cocoon at 4 am, started letting Daughter fall asleep and stay in our bed all night, while he found an empty bed elsewhere. Yes, she is the baby and a little spoiled.
However, I have missed Husband, and I have been working on getting Daughter to stay in her own bed all night. She insists on falling asleep in a certain position, resting on my arm, Yes, spoiled. I have a few options:
- Stay with her in her bed until she falls asleep, then leave.
- Fall asleep with her in her bed.
- Let her fall asleep in our bed, then move her back to her bed.
- Let her sleep with me in our bed.
In a way, sleeping with her is like sleeping with a live, warm, cuddly teddy bear. She smells a little nicer than Daddy, and is so soft! She also doesn't move around too much, and really doesn't take up much space.
On the other hand, she does snore. And sometimes I wake up with stinky little girl feet in my face. Daughter talks in her sleep, steels the covers, and kicks. She also has the worse morning breath in the house (actually, I sort of think it is cute!) Husband calls it her dragon breath.
I've been married for 9 years, and never once have I woken up with Husband's feet in my face. He doesn't snore, and he can be a big, warm and cuddly teddy bear, too. As far as musical beds goes, I choose him to be my partner.
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Trophies
Published October 26, 2009 @ 06:47 in Amazing Kids, Around the House
Someone, sometime between when I was a kid and now, realized that kids like trophies. I am sure it wasn't a major revelation. Maybe it has something to do with cheaper goods from Asia - two ideas coming together at just the right time, and bringing more crap into my house.
Someone, at sometime, needs to let some organizations know that while the kids really like the trophies, moms do not.
What ever happened to the purple participant ribbons? That is what you were supposed to get for just showing up. My kids get these 10 inch high, fancy-shmancy winners trophies with a small plaque that reads, "Participant"
The average family will soon have to build trophy rooms, or buy a few Ikea Billy Bookcases, just to store and display all of these participant trophies. I ask you, fellow parents, what is the correct protocol? The biggest trophies used to be the best, the most hard-fought. They actually meant that you won something. But now that we have huge participant trophies, which ones get the places of honour in the display?
Mothers when we were growing up used to complain about our trophies as other things that you had to dust. Forget the dusting, for me it is something else that I have to find a place for!
Honestly, do I even have to keep them all? Is there a trophy recycling facility somewhere? Can I ship them off to Africa where the poor kids could grow up never receiving a trophy? (OK, so hockey, T-ball and lacrosse may not be big sports there, but do the kids really care as long as they get a trophy?)
Let's go back to those ribbon days. Ribbons are small, and can easily fit in a scapebook. No dusting or display required.
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Ballet Class
Published October 22, 2009 @ 07:39 in Amazing Kids
After my first week of ballet, I honestly thought about dropping out. Standing at the barr for over an hour doing boring exercises wasn't my idea of fun. I couldn't quite put my finger on what the problem was until I attended the hip hop class and had a blast, but I realized that I wanted to dance, not learn proper technique and other boring stuff.
I know adults who live vicariously through their children. They never made it to the NHL, so they want to push their kids as far as they can. They always had a dream to be a dancer, figure skater, astronaut, vet, _____________ (you fill in the blank), and they want their child to fulfill that dream.
I decided that I wasn't going to be that parent. That is why when the kids made hockey look great, I signed myself up. When I realized that I had always wanted to dance (while watching, "So you think you can Dance") I signed myself up for ballet. I give my kids some choice and flexibility in what they want to do, and if there was something that I always wanted to try, I try it myself instead of pushing them to do something that they don't want to.
This is what I have learned - No, I couldn't have been a ballerina. I've stopped thinking, "if only I had gone to ballet as a child, I could have been a prima ballerina!" and started realizing that even if my parents had spent every cent that they had on dance lessons for me, it I still wouldn't have made it to the National Ballet.
Let's be honest with ourselves; honest enough to let our kids find and pursue their own dreams. If we were meant to play in the NHL or dance at the Hummingbird Centre, we would be on the Leafs or dancing Swan Lake. We weren't. Get real.
Our children need to learn that it is OK to dream, but that they also need a back-up plan. (I call that back-up plan school.) I want to support their dreams in any way that I can, but I don't want to drag them toward my dream. If it isn't their dream, then I can't force it on them. And at the end of the day, I want to give them many opportunities so that they can grow up to be happy and successful doing something that they love. Isn't that what we all want?
Back to my ballet class. We are dancing, my toes are pointing, and I am working up a sweat and having fun. I close my eyes (to ignore those walls of mirrors showing me what I really look like) and in my mind I am leaping across the stage performing the dance from the Sugar Plum Fairies, and living a little of my dream for an hour a week.
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Mom's Hockey Night
Published October 21, 2009 @ 07:15 in Being Mommy
Hockey is complex. I actually thought that I would be pretty good by now, with about 20 hours of on ice instruction. But I still suck.
We started this mom's hockey group in the hope that we could make it to the Olympics. Or maybe excel at Masters Women's Hockey. All I seem to have learned to date is how to put on my equipment without pulling a shoulder muscle, how to fall forward to avoid injury, all skates are painful (even the good expensive ones), how to get up using a hockey stick as leverage, and that getting 20 women together to learn something new can actually be pretty fun.
Maybe my skating has improved, but I can't even get Husband to sing my praises. I've realized that my chances of making it through an entire game and actually touching a puck are nil, let alone scoring (there goes my Olympic dream!)
2010 in Vancouver will soon be upon. Last Winter Games I was inspired by the firefighter who just started "luging" at 35 years old, and thought to myself - see, I could still make it to the Olympics! (Duff Gibson, Calgary Firefighter who is the oldest Olympic Gold Medalist) Dare to dream.
Apparently hockey will not be my sport. Maybe I still have a shot with curling.
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Balloon Boy
Published October 21, 2009 @ 07:09 in Being Mommy
Poor Falcon. Learning, as Daedalus and Icarus did that if you fly too close to the sun, you are in for trouble!
I must be from another planet, because I swear that I missed the two hours of CNN coverage on the boy. In fact, I did tune in at some point during the afternoon, but horror of horrors! even the story of a six year old boy trapped in a balloon and floating across Colorado wasn't enough to hold my media savvy attention. Really, how sad is that?
Again, like the Gosselins, I feel sorry for the kids. They didn't get to pick their crap parents, and now they are stuck with them.
I'm worried about a culture who treats baby bumps and infants as cool celebrity accessories and where parents pimp their kids to be "famous" is the beginning of Armageddon.
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Messes for Mom
Published October 20, 2009 @ 10:28 in Amazing Kids, Around the House
Becoming a mom means that you have to leave squeamishness behind. Without producing a complete list of the bodily fluids (and solids) that we often have to deal with, I am no longer revolted at the thought of changing a diaper or ministering to a vomiting child.
But it doesn't mean I enjoy it.
Daughter is going through some kind of phase. Take an adorable little girl who has been toilet trained for a while, and suddenly she is having too much fun to make it to the bathroom on time. Last night I actually got woken up by her crying, and while carrying her to the washroom, I got peed on. I, in turn, woke up Husband because I just didn't want to deal with it alone. Misery loves company.
Where in the mother's handbook does it say that we get peed on?
Son One, frat boy in the making, actually "partied-til-he-puked" a few weeks ago. Gee, he didn't know that it wasn't a good idea to run around, eat three pieces of pizza, run around some more and then guzzle half a litre of cold water? I was backing out of the driveway after the birthday party when he started vomiting. All. Over. My. Minivan.
I also think that at least one of the males in my house, not naming any names, has a real aim problem, if you know what I mean. One mother told me that she still makes her 12 year old sit down to pee. I don't know. I think my boys are so thrilled with being able to pee standing up, and it is one of the greatest things about being a boy, how could I crush that?
Clorox wipes are becoming my new best friends, as I clean up after snotty, peeing, vomiting children. They actually have a new purple one that is lavender scented that is particularly nice. I have one container in each bathroom, and I am trying to convince the children to wipe up after themselves...
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Picture Day
Published October 16, 2009 @ 11:54 in Amazing Kids
Today is picture day for the boys. Since Son Two cut his own hair a few weeks ago, and I wasn't allowed to have it "fixed," I had resolved myself to interesting school photos this year. A picture that we would some day look back on and laugh about, or that would end up on Ellen's bad school photo collage.
However, this morning, I gave Son Two the option of going to get his hair cut before picture day. As he has now been moved to afternoons, it was possible. I even talked Daughter into getting hers done, to help even out her "I cut my own hair and Daddy says he likes it!" nightmare.
Both of them fought me into the chair. Daughter ended up sliding out and crying so much that I just said, "forget it!"
However, Son Two did get a wonderful new haircut for his picture day. Now I just have to find some pants without holes in the knees for him to wear.
Now that I think about it, wouldn't it have been really funny to have him with his "I cut my bangs myself" look and holey pants for the class picture? All of the parents could have been scandalized about that poor boy with bad clothes and hair who was so obviously neglected.
I wonder if I forget to wash his face after his lunch if his teacher would clean him up?
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$56 for teeth?
Published October 14, 2009 @ 16:01 in Amazing Kids
Son One lost another tooth last night. What is extraordinary is how ordinary losing a tooth has become for him. I don't remember him complaining about it being loose, being unable to eat or in pain.
When Son One had his first loose tooth, he starved himself for three days, sitting on the couch with his mouth open drooling down his shirt. I actually choose to keep him home from school because we didn't think it was fair to subject his teacher to his ridiculous behaviour. Plus, he lost about 10% of his body weight through his self starvation act. Husband and I told him that if his tooth didn't hurry up and fall out, then we would have to take him to the Dentist to have it pulled out just so that he would start eating again. Can you say drama queen?
Another time he bit into his lunch at school and a loose tooth started bleeding. I was actually called to the school for that one because his teacher was so concerned that he wouldn't eat his lunch.
For one loose tooth, Son One stopped playing hockey. This is because the tooth somehow got turned around while he was playing, though it was still attached. Yes, it looked super freaky. He didn't want to loose the tooth while on the ice, so he benched himself.
Another loose tooth found him drooling on the couch for three days. The extra drool triggered his sensitive gag-reflect, and on the third night (again, after losing 6 pounds), he threw up in the toilet and the loose tooth came out. Husband fished it out.
You can understand why I was thrilled last night when he walked up to me, calmly, and showed me this tiny little tooth. "Look!" he said with a little blood dripping out of his mouth, "I lost a tooth!" I didn't even know it was loose!
This morning, he was happy to discover $6 from the tooth fairy. SIX DOLLARS? Are you kidding me? Next time, the tooth fairy should ask mommy for some change. Son One added up how much he has made off of his teeth so far, and it totals $56! Can you imagine that? I think our tooth fairy thinks that we are made out of money... And neither Son Two nor Daughter even have a loose tooth yet. I hope that they take cheques.
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End of Bootcamp
Published October 13, 2009 @ 09:49 in Being Mommy
Friday, 5:30 am, I arrived a boot camp for my fit test, weigh-in and measurements. That was my last day of Best Body Bootcamp.
The weigh-in wasn't great. I was up a pound. Measurements were down - specifically about 7 inches between chest, waist and hips!
What amazed me the most was the improvements in my fit test. Definitely stronger. I felt like I could hold the V-sit forever! (Or almost 3 minutes). And added 9 to my push-ups.
It is weird, because I really wanted to slim down. Instead, I found myself excited about being stronger and being able to do more. The squats, the suicides, lunges, mountain climber, crazy monkey, prison-push-ups... The list of things that I tried for the first time, or haven't done since school gym class, goes on and on. Sometimes, it was actually fun.
Yes, it has been done for a few days and I am still sore.
The mornings were far too early for me. I am not someone who can get up at 5 am to exercise.
However, I am seriously considering the 7 am class for next summer. But I think that I would sign up for three months, just to keep up the hard work!
Thanks Eroca, and Best Body Bootcamp. Tomorrow, I will be dreaming instead of running at 6 am, but I will still be thinking about you!
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Family Hockey Day
Published October 13, 2009 @ 09:37 in Kids Activities
Yesterday was my Monday Morning Women's Hockey celebrated Thanksgiving with a family hockey day. We had about 60 people, women with their husbands and children, come out and play hockey together.
We started with a free stick-and-puck skate, did some Team (family) pictures, drills, and then some shinny. The dads played the older kids, and the moms played the 5-6 year olds. I think we played 12 moms against 5 kids, and we still needed out coach to help up score. Seriously.
This is our family-team picture with a cup (but not The Cup.) Yes, we are missing Son Two from the picture. He hates posing in pictures. I just took, "future model" off of his resume.
Daughter played "hockey" yesterday for the first time. Our little princess actually spent most of the hour and a half being carried around the ice by her father, but only on his right side. She can be a little demanding.
Finally, I have decided that I want Husband to construct a penalty box somewhere in our home. TIme-outs don't work? Go sit in the penalty box. I will put 5 minutes on the clock for roughing, slashing, tripping, pinching and hitting. This is a non-aggressive-contact family. The kids seem to love sitting in the box (so far).
A great day was had by all. Yes, it is sort of sad and pathetic that my 5-year-old can skate circles around me. Son One was kind enough to skate the drills with me, since we had to go in teams and Husband was busy with Daughter (other women got to skate with their husbands, HONEY!) At least I am a better hockey player than Daughter - so far! Maybe I would be the fourth draft pick from our house - unless they looked at Daughter's potential in which case I would be last... but smiling!
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Happy Belated Thanksgiving!
Published October 13, 2009 @ 09:25 in Family and Friends
Was your weekend crazy busy? But wonderful and fun and full of thanks? Yeah? Mine too!
There are so many people who I am thankful for being in my life. Family, friends and even kind and generous strangers who make life good. Health, comfort and books (hey, I can be thankful for books, can't I?) I am also thankful for good teachers, my cat, and hockey (except the Leafs.)
Turkeys are wonderful. Hams were great too. I love sweet potatoes, gravy and veggies. But let's be honest - who really likes pumpkin pie? Gross, isn't it? I swear people only eat if for the whipped cream. I actually have an extra pumpkin pie in my fridge right now. May throw it in the freezer for Christmas.
What's left now? A messy kitchen from my baking, but no leftovers because I didn't host. Next up - Hallowe'en!
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What do I want? What do I need?
Published October 7, 2009 @ 16:06 in Being Mommy
I was trying decide what, if anything, I should do for myself after the boot camp is done. A sort of reward for getting through it. Am I actually not even sure if I am still eligible for a reward since I skipped last Friday.
My first thought was a new pair of Yoga Pants from LuLuLemon. I still have a gift card from my birthday that I could use, so it wouldn't actually cost me anything. Except that I don't do yoga, and I don't think that I ever really will.
Then I thought I could get a massage. I leaning towards this for next week. I figure that it is the perfect reward because I have been in pain for the past month, and it is quiet time to myself. Win-win.
Except what I really want is to just sleep in. No more waking up while the moon is still high and the sky black. I want to be able to roll over in bed, stretch, look at the clock and say, "My! Already 8:15! I really should be getting up now!"
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Hockey Night
Published October 6, 2009 @ 20:12 in Being Mommy
Women's hockey has been on for a few weeks now. I don't think I am getting better, and yesterday my five year old proved I am still slow. He literally skating circles around me. And around most of the other women, too.
Tonight, though, I am excited because we will FINALLY get pucks. Yes, we have just been doing "power skating" for the past four weeks.
We have an amazing group of women, and really I only go to socialize. Can you believe it? I go to something that isn't me, and that I actually don't like, to socialize. I am pretty sure that most of the other moms are there for the same reason, too.
Husband asked the coach what it was like teaching a bunch of women. His answer, "You know you're having a hockey practice? And you finish up a drill? Do you turn and start talking to the other guys about movies? Or friends? Or shopping? Well, they do!"
Really? Guys don't talk between drills? I never realized that men were so anti-social during sports! What about in the locker room? You always hear about locker room talk; is it true, or just a myth? We talk in the locker room. We also found out that they have amazing acoustics and that we can be heard, word for word. Yep, apparently, you should watch what you say...
Tonight I am going, putting on my new (used) Graf skates and my purple, number 18 jersey, and I am going to skate with a stick and a puck! Again, I am wondering what the heck I have gotten myself into.
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Sex and Santa
Published October 6, 2009 @ 14:06 in Amazing Kids
Last night, as I was putting the kids to bed, Son Two asked if Santa Claus was real. Son One jumped in and said, "Of course he is!" and I thought to myself, "I am supposed to talk about sex to a kid who still believes in Santa?" Let me explain.
A few weeks ago, I read in MacLean's magazine that if you don't explain sex and where babies come from to your child by Grade Two, they will hear it from someone else. Now, it is not that I consider MacLean's my parenting bible, but I do know that Son One, currently in Grade Two, has lots of friends with older siblings. After discussing it with Husband, he agreed that in theory it does make sense to explain the basics to our seven year old.
I have discussed periods, breasts, lactating, how babies get out, circumcision, foreskins, penises and testicles with the kids. Husband talks about things with wheels and sporting equipment. I think it is a little unbalanced.
Alas, a few weeks ago I had the perfect opportunity to talk to Son One about sex. We were over at the home of one of his hockey teammates. I was upstairs in the dining room going over some lists with the mom, while the boys were in the basement. Her eleven year old daughter came in, and handed her a folded note. It read, "I think we should have an adult watching the movie with us. There is sex going on." How mature! The mother said that it was a G rated movie!
After we left, I thought it was a good time to bring it up. It was dark, I was driving, and Son Two was sitting in the back looking out the window. We wouldn't have to look one another in the eye, and we were under cover of the night.
I turned down the radio volume and started.
Me: So - what movie were you guys were watching?
Son One: Marley & Me. You know the one with the dog running outside the car.
Me: Oh. Was there sex in the movie? (look - I never claimed to be subtle!)
Son One: No. (looking out the window).
Me: Do you know what sex is?
Son One: No. (Remember, this is the most curious kid in the WORLD!)
Me: Have you ever heard the word "SEX" before?
Son One: No. Can you see that orange sign?
Me: No one at school has ever said anything about sex to you before?
Son One: No. Is that a star or a planet?
Me: Well, honey, you know that if you ever have any questions, Daddy and I are here for you. If you ever want to talk or ask about anything. Especially Daddy. OK?
Son One: OK.
Obviously, he has heard SOMETHING about sex, and just didn't want to discuss it with me. But here is the trickier part. The kid still believes in SANTA! How can you really talk about sex to a kid who believes in Santa, the Toothfairy, and the Easter bunny? It just doesn't make sense!
Last night, Son Two had obviously put some thought into the Santa Myth. Here are highlights from that conversation:
Son Two: Mommy, is Santa real?
Me: (Why the heck does Daddy always miss the good discussion!) What do you think, honey?
Son One: Of course he is! Remember when we saw the footprints on the snow from the reindeer! (Note: Daddy and his hockey stick) And Aunt Y. heard the jingle of bells! (Note: My father's chains and medallions)
Son Two: Yeah, but anybody could buy you presents, wrap them and stick them under the tree and just say that they were from Santa.
Me: Who would do that?
Son Two: I don't know. Maybe Nana.
Son One: Remember when we heard the Easter Bunny hopping up the stairs? (That was me, actually)
Me: I am really tired. Let's go to sleep.
Husband and I pride ourselves on open and honest communication with our kids. However, Daughter is only three and I still want her to believe. Husband and I go out of our way to create magic with the holidays.
Though let's be honest. How old are kids when they stop believing? When can we just tell them the truth? I want to know, because just think about how we could sleep in Christmas and Easter if there was no charade about "Oh, let's see what Santa/Easter Bunny left for you guys!" We could skip right to the mimosas and brunch...
And on the topic of sex, I just may try talking to my five-year-old about it first, see how he takes it before I move on to Son One. After all, if Son One still believes in the fantasy of Santa, he may not even believe what I have to tell him about sex.
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Best Body Bootcamp - Opps! I missed week three
Published October 5, 2009 @ 19:55 in Being Mommy
This week was my third week of Best Body Bootcamp, and I almost missed telling you about it. The reason that I almost didn't tell you about it, was because *CONFESSION* I skipped Friday.
I woke up at 5:20, headed to the bathroom, and at some point decided to crawl back into my warm, comfortable bed. Unfortunately, the guilt the I felt for skipping boot camp kept me awake, and I should have just gone. Lesson learned.
Last week was good (at least Monday and Wednesday). I was actually starting to feel like I was keeping up with the class. Nothing too crazy - and the classes actually seemed to fly by! Really, I should have missed Friday - the GUILT!
It is so dark at 6 am in the park. But at least now that it is cool the bugs are gone! The next session moves in doors. I definitely feel stronger doing the bootcamp. And last week, when I tried a hiphop class (yes, midlife crisis) I could do everything easily! The lunges, the jumps. I am a machine!
Alas, this is my last week of bootcamp. Husband really had to shift his schedule to allow me to wake a 5 am and head out the door, and I don't know if I could make the 6 am class even if he could permanently shift his work. It is just so darn early!
One more session, then the fit check again... Friday. Scales. Measurements. Sprints. YAY!
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Big Kindergarten Move
Published October 5, 2009 @ 19:31 in School
Today Son Two, who has attended morning kindergarten since he started in JK last year, SWITCHED to afternoons.
Why?
Ministry mandate.
Seriously, why else would you switch children a month into school, but for completely bureaucratic reasons?
The Ministry of Education in Ontario mandates that there must be 90% compliance across each board to have a hard cap of 20 students in place for all primary grades through the third (I am sure the actually wording is much more complex and verbose, but you get the idea.)
In my son's case, he was in a morning class with 22 students. However, there is an afternoon class at his school that only has 18. From the superintendent's perspective, an easy switch!
However, when you look at the actual situation, it doesn't make sense. The morning class is all SKs, so easier to teach than the afternoon that is a JK / SK split. Plus, there is a student expected to join the afternoon class soon, and one will be leaving the morning class.
Some parents from the class decided that we should all call the superintendent to voice our displeasure. I think I may have been the only one to call, but I was accused of yelling at her assistant and hanging up. Honestly, I really wasn't even irate!
The principal was looking for volunteers, and I think I was the only parent who actually considered the switch. Yes, it is a pain in the butt. Daughter's activities were all booked for mornings so that her brothers wouldn't have to sit through them. I now play hockey on Monday mornings (son one joined me out there this morning), so finding babysitting for him will be a pain. However, it isn't a huge imposition, and Husband and I want to be flexible and support the school.
This afternoon Son Two joined a line up of kids he doesn't know, and entered his classroom. The teacher is the same, the room is the same, just the kids change. The good news is that he has already made a new friend, he just can't remember his name.
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Daughter's Life Saved by Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
Published October 4, 2009 @ 08:26 in Amazing Kids, Around the House
I don't often use the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. In fact, I hadn't even purchased one when they first came out. I heard a horrible story about a child who ended up in the ER because they had written on themselves with a permanent marker, and their parents tried to scrub it clean using a magic eraser and the child ended up with chemical burns.
A few years ago, my sister was kind enough to take my boys out for dinner soon after Daughter was born. They returned home from East Side Marios with non-washable crayons. I was too tired to notice, and they coloured all over my kitchen island (this was pre-reno, and my island was white.) I almost cried (blame post-natal hormones and exhaustion.) I tried everything, and then my sister-in-law suggested the Mr. Clean Magic eraser. AND IT WORKED! Easily.
Since then I have kept an eraser on hand for emergencies. They DO NOT work on pen marks on a leather ottoman; they seemed to actually take the colour out of the leather. However, crayons are a snap.
Last year I added GOO GONE to my cupboard after Daughter decided to redecorate our home with stickers. Somehow, the words, "only on paper!" fell on deaf ears. I've heard that you may have to tell your children something up to one thousand times before it sinks in, however I am not sure that even Mother Theresa had that kind of patience.
Goo Gone also works when your cat knocks over a cup of water, melting a magazine into your table top so you have to scrap it off. Seriously, imagine MacLean's and Stephen Harper stuck to you kitchen table. It has happened to me.
That fateful trip to Staples when Daughter picked out that package of his and her scissors that lead to the "haircut", she also selected a package of highlighters. Last night she decided to colour ALL OVER OUR KITCHEN TABLE with the green highlighter. ONLY ON PAPER, DAUGHTER!
Husband noticed first, and got the sponge and dish soap. Barely smudged the marker. I tried the Goo Gone, but no luck. Son One suggested the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser - and then he cleaned the table himself. Thank goodness for helpful seven-year-olds! Because of her brother's ingenuity, we decided to spare Daughter's life...
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I am an AUNT! Again...
Published October 3, 2009 @ 17:04 in Amazing Kids
Today I became an aunt for the 11th time. My sister had her fourth son this morning (9 lbs, 7 ounces - we don't have small kids!) This is my 7th nephew. I think that I need to start Christmas shopping right now! (Or at least saving up for it.)
Mom and baby are doing well. I am going to try to go and meet my new nephew tomorrow. Don't you just love newborns?
Congratulations to my sister and her family on their beautiful and wonderful new addition.
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Midlife Crisis?
Published October 1, 2009 @ 17:28 in Being Mommy
I have some bad news. I am only going to live until 70. How do I know this? Well, I am currently 35, and have realized that I am having a mid-life crisis.
I didn't realize what was happening to me at first. Suddenly, 20 year old men started looking mighty fine (Zac Efron in 17 Again, Rob Pattinson in Twilight). Come on!
Then, I started working out. Bootcamp was the beginning of my, "let's look better" phase. And Hockey. Never had a desire to play hockey before in my life, but then I went and signed up for something that just isn't me.
On top of that, there is the new, longer darker hair, make-up and skin care. Who exactly am I trying to impress?
Finally, the dancing. First ballet, now hip-hop. Really, what am I thinking? I don't have the body, the talent, the flexibility or the rhythm to be a dancer. I should just give up and go watch FAME.
A few days ago, this older, balding, pot-bellied man who thought he was hot-stuff because he drove a Mercedes started trying to talk me up outside a convenience store. Then I realize, OMG! I am like those middle aged men having a mid-life crisis and trying to hit on young girls! (Except I haven't actually run into Zac or Rob so have yet to have the opportunity to hit on them) How pathetic is this?
I brought my case to Husband. He agreed that I was going through something like a midlife crisis. He mentioned that it could last a dozen years or so, and then I could live past 80. Or I can have another one in 25 years.
Does anyone know if there is a cure for mid-life crises? Or am I doomed to get hair extensions and a convertible?
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Funny Things this week...
Published October 1, 2009 @ 17:18 in Being Mommy, Loving Daddy
On Monday I went shopping for new skates. While sitting there in my warm skates, waiting for them to mold to my feet, I got to talking to the young guy who had helped me. Daughter was having a skating lesson on Tuesday, so I asked about the smallest skates which they carry.
"Oh, we carry a size 8. They are so cute and little! You could hang them from a rearview mirror!"
OK. First of all, do I actually look like someone who has something hanging from the rearview mirror of her minivan? Come on! And secondly, who would actually want to hang something sharp and metal about a foot from their face?
* * * * *
Daughter was acting crazy the other night as Husband and I were trying to get her to bed. She sort of teases Daddy. When I am not around, she is a daddy's girl full of affection for him. But when I am around and he tries to kiss her goodnight, she bucks and screams like she is having her leg amputated without anesthesia. Not good. So I said to Husband, "How can something so cute be so annoying?"
"I have been asking myself the same thing for the past 15 years," he answered, pointedly.
I was so excited! "You still think I'm cute!" I smiled. This is the closest to compliment that I have gotten out of Husband in about a decade. He thinks I am cute! YAY ME!
* * * * *
Today I was at the hairdressers for a long overdue appointment. I was telling her about my three bald babies, and how Son One now has so much thick, thick hair, "Well," she answered, "you have really dense hair, too. Fine, but really dense." Hmmm... I think that might be my second compliment of the week! I almost answered that my dense hair matched my dense thighs, but the hairdresser was young and skinny and I don't think that she would have gotten it.
Those are the things which amused me this week...
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