Saturday, April 26, 2008
All is well
Not sick. All is well. Having a fun day with lots of time in the backyard - it's 87 degrees out! Cute photos to follow.
Family fun
Mateo had a day of crazy excitement yesterday. He was having so much fun, it seemed at times that he might actually explode. The day started off with my sainted mother taking him in the morning so I could sleep in. I slept until 8! That was really nice. And they had a lot of fun together. Then, we all spent the morning hanging out around the house and playing.
We also went next door to meet the neighbor's dog. The dog was a hit, but the best thing was right afterward, when we were standing out on the neighbor's driveway. I looked down the road to see what was coming and there was a fire truck! It appeared to just be driving around. Mateo LOVED it and all the firemen waved at him as they went by. He also got to see a garbage truck earlier on that tooted its horn at him.
After a nice nap and lunch, Uncle Galen arrived. Mateo has been looking at pictures of him for the last couple of weeks and saying "umple Galen, umple Galen!", so it was very exciting when he actually arrived. And then, my dad got home and Auntie Edlyn came in from the airport. M spent the rest of the evening bouncing from relative to relative and playing and playing and playing.
This morning, however, he's acting a little off. He's been incredibly clingy and I thought he felt a little warm when I got up (after sleeping in again - thanks Mom!). And, he went down before 10 am for his nap, which is not normal for him. Sleeping a lot is usually a sign that he's sick...but he could also just be tired and a bit overwhelmed at all the new stuff and exciting people. I guess we'll see how he's doing when he gets up from his nap...
We also went next door to meet the neighbor's dog. The dog was a hit, but the best thing was right afterward, when we were standing out on the neighbor's driveway. I looked down the road to see what was coming and there was a fire truck! It appeared to just be driving around. Mateo LOVED it and all the firemen waved at him as they went by. He also got to see a garbage truck earlier on that tooted its horn at him.
After a nice nap and lunch, Uncle Galen arrived. Mateo has been looking at pictures of him for the last couple of weeks and saying "umple Galen, umple Galen!", so it was very exciting when he actually arrived. And then, my dad got home and Auntie Edlyn came in from the airport. M spent the rest of the evening bouncing from relative to relative and playing and playing and playing.
This morning, however, he's acting a little off. He's been incredibly clingy and I thought he felt a little warm when I got up (after sleeping in again - thanks Mom!). And, he went down before 10 am for his nap, which is not normal for him. Sleeping a lot is usually a sign that he's sick...but he could also just be tired and a bit overwhelmed at all the new stuff and exciting people. I guess we'll see how he's doing when he gets up from his nap...
Thursday, April 24, 2008
More news on the job front
So. . . my round in the hiring process has officially started. I thought I would give an update for how things are going.
Two weeks ago the principal and vice-principal pulled me into an office to let me know that they had found a position for me!! Yah. Teaching first grade :( immersion (ok) full-time (what?)! I informed them that according to my contract, I should be offered a half-time job for next year and that I really wasn't interested in a full-time job and would not like to be considered for this particular job.
Fast forward a week.
I get a call from the head of HR for the whole district who lets me know that they have found a position for me. You guessed it, teaching full-time, immersion, first grade.
Why do I feel like there is a communication problem between HR and my building?
Since I had HR on the phone (I had been playing phone tag with them. . . a one way phone tag. I tag, no response, I tag, no response), I decided to ask some questions. That person, in turn asked me some question. So, had I turned in my preferences sheet for next year. Preferences sheet? What is that? You know, the form you received with your unassignment letter. Unassignment letter? No, I never received an unassignment letter. Well, they needed my preferences sheet now.
So the principal had forgotten to give me my letter, and had never even heard of the preference sheet. I did some searching and found it online and faxed it into HR and gave it to the school.
You would think that now the district and principal are clear on one thing - I would like to work half-time next year, which is what I am supposed to do according to my contract.
But, NO, today, once again, the principal wants to know if I would like a full-time position. AHHHH.
I'll let you know when I get a real placement!
Two weeks ago the principal and vice-principal pulled me into an office to let me know that they had found a position for me!! Yah. Teaching first grade :( immersion (ok) full-time (what?)! I informed them that according to my contract, I should be offered a half-time job for next year and that I really wasn't interested in a full-time job and would not like to be considered for this particular job.
Fast forward a week.
I get a call from the head of HR for the whole district who lets me know that they have found a position for me. You guessed it, teaching full-time, immersion, first grade.
Why do I feel like there is a communication problem between HR and my building?
Since I had HR on the phone (I had been playing phone tag with them. . . a one way phone tag. I tag, no response, I tag, no response), I decided to ask some questions. That person, in turn asked me some question. So, had I turned in my preferences sheet for next year. Preferences sheet? What is that? You know, the form you received with your unassignment letter. Unassignment letter? No, I never received an unassignment letter. Well, they needed my preferences sheet now.
So the principal had forgotten to give me my letter, and had never even heard of the preference sheet. I did some searching and found it online and faxed it into HR and gave it to the school.
You would think that now the district and principal are clear on one thing - I would like to work half-time next year, which is what I am supposed to do according to my contract.
But, NO, today, once again, the principal wants to know if I would like a full-time position. AHHHH.
I'll let you know when I get a real placement!
Whirlwind
Big weekend last weekend. Big weekend coming up this weekend. Baby (ok, toddler) waking up several times a night again. Sleep deprived mamas. I am going on three weeks of this never-ending cough. So, here's the short version of everything.
Last weekend: My two best friends from college came up for our annual weekend. We've known each other since the beginning of freshman year, when we all met at cross country practice. We started these weekends a few years after we graduated and this was our fifth one! As usual, it was great to see them and get a chance to spend some uninterrupted time together. We drove out to the coast and ate good food and got lots of time to talk. And, it was freezing! I mean, it was torrentially hailing when we got there. Luckily the sun came out the next day. Here's a photo of us in the cold:
Saturday night was also the first night I've ever spent away from Mateo. It went pretty well, all things considered. Sacha's mom came down to help out, which was just wonderful, and my mom and Apa were also at the house for awhile on Saturday evening, so M had a big fun day and went out like a light at the end of the day. He gave Mommy quite a run for her money in the middle of the night, but they got through it just fine. And, I think the time together was really good for them. He's been much more interested in going to both of us this week, which has been great!
This weekend: M and I are hopping a plane to visit my parents and siblings for the weekend. M has been sleeping rather badly and is pretty fussy today, so here's hoping the plane flight goes fast!
Last weekend: My two best friends from college came up for our annual weekend. We've known each other since the beginning of freshman year, when we all met at cross country practice. We started these weekends a few years after we graduated and this was our fifth one! As usual, it was great to see them and get a chance to spend some uninterrupted time together. We drove out to the coast and ate good food and got lots of time to talk. And, it was freezing! I mean, it was torrentially hailing when we got there. Luckily the sun came out the next day. Here's a photo of us in the cold:
Saturday night was also the first night I've ever spent away from Mateo. It went pretty well, all things considered. Sacha's mom came down to help out, which was just wonderful, and my mom and Apa were also at the house for awhile on Saturday evening, so M had a big fun day and went out like a light at the end of the day. He gave Mommy quite a run for her money in the middle of the night, but they got through it just fine. And, I think the time together was really good for them. He's been much more interested in going to both of us this week, which has been great!
This weekend: M and I are hopping a plane to visit my parents and siblings for the weekend. M has been sleeping rather badly and is pretty fussy today, so here's hoping the plane flight goes fast!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Big day
Our little guy had a day of wild fun here at our casa. My mom is in town and she came to spend the day with us today. M loves to talk to his Grammy on the phone and he loves hanging out with her in person even more. After a few minutes of warming up, he was all over her. For hours. She brought along three board books about trucks. M loved them so much that he nearly exploded with excitement. We learned alll about trucks, including some old faves (mixer trucks, garbage trucks, dump trucks, diggers) and some new loves (tow trucks, bucket trucks - the kind that fix phone lines, and some other ones I can't remember). M really loves trucks. He was so excited about Grammy and the books that he was wiggling all over the place and running around between pages.
And, he spend the day expounding on everything under the sun. He really is quite the little talker. He told us all about trucks, his favorite animals, repeated the last few words of whatever an adult had just said, etc. He also got to hang out with some friends from the neighborhood who dropped by and his auntie and cousins. He is now sleeping like a log in his bed. Let's hope we all get a good night's sleep out of such a big day!
Here are a few photos.
Reading about trucks:
Expounding on something Very Important:
Sacha looking radiant at 32 weeks(!):
And, he spend the day expounding on everything under the sun. He really is quite the little talker. He told us all about trucks, his favorite animals, repeated the last few words of whatever an adult had just said, etc. He also got to hang out with some friends from the neighborhood who dropped by and his auntie and cousins. He is now sleeping like a log in his bed. Let's hope we all get a good night's sleep out of such a big day!
Here are a few photos.
Reading about trucks:
Expounding on something Very Important:
Sacha looking radiant at 32 weeks(!):
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
One plus one
M and I spent this morning hanging out with one of his little friends, who is almost two and a half. This little guy's mama had to work this morning and I have a meeting to go to tomorrow morning, so we agreed to swap a few hours of childcare. Also, since we'll have two kids soon and they're working on their second, it seemed like it would be good practice for the future.
After three hours of two toddlers, all I can say is whew! I am exhausted. It doesn't help that I'm still coughing and coughing and trying to get better from this cold. But, wow, is it ever a lot more work!
I am proud of myself, though, because the three of us did lots of fun stuff together. After hanging out in the house for a bit, we got M into his Ergo and his friend into his stroller and we went out for an adventure. We walked down to the big street at the heart of our neighborhood and watched a crane helping build a new building of condos. It made quite an impression on Mateo, who walked up to his teacher at music class a few hours later, in the middle of a song, and announced "Walk, crane!!" quite proudly.
Then, we loaded up again and went to the park on the way home. There was a guy there mowing the lawn with a huge riding lawnmower, which also made quite the impression on both kids. I had them both in the swings and they were happy to just gape at the huge lawn mower as it made its rounds. "Wah mowah!" said Mateo to Mommy, when we all got home after music class.
We all made it back to the other little guy's house and I even managed to read him a book with Mateo conked out in the Ergo. I felt like, even if I was exhausted, that I did pretty well and that I'm sure that kind of thing will be second nature before too long.
Also, I wanted to mention that Sacha got off of work early today and got to come to music with us! This was her first time and Mateo and I both enjoyed having her there. He had a grand old time and just seems to love his new teacher.
Happy Tuesday!
After three hours of two toddlers, all I can say is whew! I am exhausted. It doesn't help that I'm still coughing and coughing and trying to get better from this cold. But, wow, is it ever a lot more work!
I am proud of myself, though, because the three of us did lots of fun stuff together. After hanging out in the house for a bit, we got M into his Ergo and his friend into his stroller and we went out for an adventure. We walked down to the big street at the heart of our neighborhood and watched a crane helping build a new building of condos. It made quite an impression on Mateo, who walked up to his teacher at music class a few hours later, in the middle of a song, and announced "Walk, crane!!" quite proudly.
Then, we loaded up again and went to the park on the way home. There was a guy there mowing the lawn with a huge riding lawnmower, which also made quite the impression on both kids. I had them both in the swings and they were happy to just gape at the huge lawn mower as it made its rounds. "Wah mowah!" said Mateo to Mommy, when we all got home after music class.
We all made it back to the other little guy's house and I even managed to read him a book with Mateo conked out in the Ergo. I felt like, even if I was exhausted, that I did pretty well and that I'm sure that kind of thing will be second nature before too long.
Also, I wanted to mention that Sacha got off of work early today and got to come to music with us! This was her first time and Mateo and I both enjoyed having her there. He had a grand old time and just seems to love his new teacher.
Happy Tuesday!
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Quieres ir al parque?
We've had a lovely weekend full of sun and hikes and meals with friends and lots of playtime with Mateo (who, by the way, appears to have fully returned to membership in the mama's milk fan club!). After a brunch with our friend/doula and chatting about and practicing for the birth of #2, M and I headed for the park. Sacha was exhausted and the kiddo was antsy and needed some playtime.
It was a beautiful day and we just played and played and played. He has, for some reason, decided that snack time at the park happens on one of the benches. He will climb up and request his snack. The funny thing is that we never really bring snacks to the park. Then, one day last week, I brought a fruit bar with us and just happened to feed it to him while we were sitting on the bench. I think the novelty combined with his obsession (and I do mean obsession) with fruit bars to imprint it permanently on his memory.
So, today we had some cheerios on the bench and then set out to play. We partied on the play structure and then had a great time exploring the beautiful, beautiful flowers nearby. One thing I love about our little guy is that he loves flowers and trees equally with trucks and diggers. People tell us all the time that girls and boys are sooo different, but I look at M and I just see a kid exploring his world and all the things in it. We're so glad to be along for the ride!
Here are some photos I took today.
Climbing the stairs:
His favorite pre-slide pose (he always manages to come down on one side or the other!):
Picking some clover:
Move on, folks, nothing to see here:
Getting a little tired (notice the flowers still clutched in his hot little hands):
It was a beautiful day and we just played and played and played. He has, for some reason, decided that snack time at the park happens on one of the benches. He will climb up and request his snack. The funny thing is that we never really bring snacks to the park. Then, one day last week, I brought a fruit bar with us and just happened to feed it to him while we were sitting on the bench. I think the novelty combined with his obsession (and I do mean obsession) with fruit bars to imprint it permanently on his memory.
So, today we had some cheerios on the bench and then set out to play. We partied on the play structure and then had a great time exploring the beautiful, beautiful flowers nearby. One thing I love about our little guy is that he loves flowers and trees equally with trucks and diggers. People tell us all the time that girls and boys are sooo different, but I look at M and I just see a kid exploring his world and all the things in it. We're so glad to be along for the ride!
Here are some photos I took today.
Climbing the stairs:
His favorite pre-slide pose (he always manages to come down on one side or the other!):
Picking some clover:
Move on, folks, nothing to see here:
Getting a little tired (notice the flowers still clutched in his hot little hands):
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