Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen snippets...

1) Last weekend (awhile ago, I know) was a crazy busy weekend, but a very good one. I spent time with family and began the process of registering for my baby showers. We decided that registering for a baby is way more overwhelming than registering for a bridal shower. So many choices! And they all seem so important! And some are so foreign! Thank God I have an older sister who gave me good advice on brands and on what I don't really need. If I followed the Babies R' Us guide, I would be registering for five pages worth of baby products!

2) I've spent the last two and a half weeks frantically writing and revising new curriculum for third grade teachers for reading workshop. The reason it was frantic, and only two and a half weeks, is because that's when my team found out we were to present the new curriculum to the third grade teachers on a professional development day on February 5th. The process of writing this year long curriculum has been frustrating, to say the least. The work itself is not frustrating, but the overall process and leadership has been frustrating. We've been saying, as a team, the same things from the beginning of our work together a year and a half ago now but no one seems to be listening- or hearing. Tuesday's presentation was the ultimate in frustration with our district coordinator literally making changes to the unit as people were walking in for the presentation.....However, standing before the third grade teachers, I was proud of the work we've done.

3) To continue in that vein--it's all about perspective really. As frustrating as this process of writing curriculum has been, one of my teammates put it all in perspective when she said "Just think, the work we did will impact thousands of students." I hadn't thought of it like that and suddenly, the long hours and the fact that I'm behind in my regular school work was all worth it. We did good.

4) I'm ready for a snow day, even though vacation is a mere week away.

5) Did I mention that we finally booked our February vacation? That's right, in just nine days I will be here: Saint Lucia.

6) We spent more money than we should have, but justified it by saying that it's our last vacation for awhile. That and the fact that frankly, we've both earned it.

7) I already know a lot about my daughter. I know, for example, that she likes Twizzlers and banana ice cream, especially in milk shake form. (This sounds like I've eaten a lot of those, but I truly haven't. I've only had banana ice cream maybe 5 times and Twizzlers twice. And I'm six months pregnant. Not so bad.) But every time I eat those things she wiggles and bops around. She also likes music, Old 97's seem to be her favorite band so far. Oh, and she loves it when her Daddy reads to her, which he did the other day. (Good Night Moon, a classic) She doesn't like sushi, or at least not since the last time I tried it and threw it all up. (Which is such a bummer for me.) She wakes up in the middle of the night and moves around, unless she's been particularly active during the day, in which case she'll sleep through the night. (Mental note, keep her active during the day so she'll sleep through the night.)

8) I need to buy some shorts for our vacation. And maybe a maternity bathing suit, depending on how horrible I look in my old bikinis. The thought of walking around half naked in my current state is a bit daunting so I may have to splurge and buy the maternity bathing suits. Where in the world do you buy shorts? Maternity shorts, at that? In February?!

9) Two weekends ago, Russ hung up these curtains. They were our first baby purchase. We discussed the fact that we probably should have started with something a bit smaller (and less expensive) like, say, an outfit, but it was still fun. Every time I walk in the room now I get a little thrill of excitement. Imagine how excited I'll be when there is a crib, and rocker and changing table and...

10) I have a few students that are adorably excited about my daughter. One little boy, who I swear barely comes up to my knees (OK, not really, but the little guy is tiny) literally dives for the ground any time I drop something. He also actually tried to help me up the other day by supporting my back. And then I have one little girl who I will find, every now and again, right in front of me, wanting to rub my belly. It is very sweet and very endearing.

11) I threw up this morning. Blech. That's calmed down considerably but still resurfaces every now and again. And it's still not fun.

12) I spent Monday shadowing an administrator at the high school I graduated from. Wild. I actually got to sit in on an observation of a teacher I once had, whose son had a major crush on me which led to a conversation with a teacher that ended up making me want to teach. Even more wild. The experience was such a great one....he struck me right away as the kind of principal I want to be. If I ever get there.

13) My next graduate school class has started. I know that I am crazy, but I am one of those weird people that loves being in school. I love learning and thinking and having my ideas challenged.....I even love the professor who talks too much (kinda like the one I have now) because inevitably, they'll say something super interesting that will make me nod my head or scribble furiously in my notebook. I don't love the homework, but it's a small price to pay (well, that and the bill I got) for an education.