Friday, February 27, 2009

Mysteries

There are a couple of mysteries plaguing this educator's household.....mysteries that are, as of yet, unresolved.....one I think can be resolved through this here blog. The other one....probably not.


The first mystery: missing pants. Yes, you read right, missing pants. See, I had these two pairs of pants that are practically brand new (having bought them shortly before I got pregnant and thus unable to wear them for very long before I was wearing maternity clothes) that are now too big on me (thanks to Aliza's amazing nursing ability). So I was going to bring them to a tailor to get taken in. Which, I actually did one day. But the tailor wasn't there.....so I put the pants in my car (at least I think I did) and brought them home so that I could return another day. Well. I went to bring the pants back to the tailor a couple of weeks later and I could not find them. They are completely missing. I looked in my closet. I looked in Russ' section of the closet. I opened drawers, I looked in the basement....I even looked in the garage. I called the tailor to see if I had left them there.....they are gone. Two pairs of perfectly nice pants! Gone! I am hoping they will turn up still because pants can't just walk away on their own.....


The other mystery is this:

Education of the Educator -- Site Summary ---



Visits Total ........................ 2,600 Average per Day ................. 18 Average Visit Length .......... 2:17 This Week ...................... 129

Page Views Total ........................ 3,265 Average per Day ................23

Average per Visit .............. 1.3 This Week ...................... 162



If you scroll down to the bottom of my blog, you will see a site meter. I put this up awhile ago, thinking I'd end up being embarrassed by the fact that it would take me ages to get to 100 visits (I know how many comments I get and how much I post). To my surprise, I hit the 100 mark rather quickly. At first I was pleased, then puzzled. I started getting reports like the one above and I became even more confused. 18 visits per day? Who are all of you? And, the better question is, why aren't you commenting? I know that there are some people that like to come and watch the videos of Aliza, or look at the pictures I post, several times a day (Hi Grams and Gramps!) but I'm sure they aren't coming to look 18 times.....that means I have some lurkers. I know it's not de-lurking day, but if you stop by this blog, could you leave a comment to say hi? Just so that one mystery in my life is resolved.....

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Why I love third graders

This was written by my students during their free time:
All about Mrs. Sherman
By: J and M


Mrs.S/Mrs. F.B (fantastically beautiful) is a really nice teacher and I like her a lot. Her favorite colors are Yellow and Red. She has dark brown hair she also has curls at the bottom of her hair and brown eyes and she also has shiny white teeth. I think that Mrs. S is really pretty. Mrs. S is one of the best teachers I've ever had. Mrs. S has a baby named Aliza. Mrs. S shows 3S videos of Aliza hitting stuff of going sledding and stuff like that Aliza’s really funny and cute. Mrs. S favorite animals is are cats and dolphins. Mrs. S favorite word discombobulated.Mrs S favorite food is her mom’s meat sauce Mrs S favorite vacation spot St. John. Mrs S favorite fruits mango, banana, pineapple. Mrs S favorite dessert is banana cheesecake. Mrs S favorite game is Gin rummy. Mrs S birthday is is August 17th. Mrs. S favorite kind of tea is chai tea latte.Mrs S favorite hobbies are Reading, Writing, Playing with her daughter Aliza , and going on walks. Mrs S teaches 3S. If you get Mrs S as a teacher she will probably be the coolest teacher you’ve ever had or nicest teacher ever. You should meet her! The End! P.S. If you run into her say hi Mrs. S! You awesome!

Seriously, how could I not love my job!?!?

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Who else would you see on this blog?

Here are some recent favorite photos of Aliza:

Giggling with Daddy at dinnertime: Playing in the Tupperware cabinet:











Standing up!
Eating big girl food:

Laughing at Daddy some more.......


Thursday, February 19, 2009

Transitions

Aliza is growing every day....it's clear in a thousand small ways. The new tricks she learns and loves to show off....the way her legs hang farther down her high chair....her hair that seems to grow by the minute...the way she is outgrowing the changing table on her pack n' play....

Then there are the moments when these small changes become shockingly real. This past weekend Aliza and I took a trip to Target. I started wandering around the baby clothes, looking for some 12 month outfits. I was puzzled at first because I kept finding newborn, three, six and nine months...but no twelve months. Until I realized that the twelve month clothes are not with the baby clothes. They are with the infant and toddler clothes. I needed to look through racks of 2T and 3T clothes to find 12 month clothes. And I had to look for outfits. Not neatly coordinated baby outfits, or one piece outfits. Nope, now I had to make my own outfits! I almost left without looking through the racks just because I felt a little sad at this discovery....

Recently, I had Aliza's toy basket near us while we sat on the floor and played. Well, she decided that the toys I had out weren't the ones she wanted, so she pulled herself up, with some assistance on my part, on the toy basket to peer inside at her options. I stood there, amazed that my baby was standing up.

And then I let go.

And she stood there, holding on, peering inside her toys, looking for the one she wanted. It was only for a few seconds but she stood. All by herself.

My little girl really is growing up.....and just to prove the point, we took her to the doctor today for her 9 month check up. Here are her stats:

Height: 28 1/4 inches (75%)
Weight: 19.2 lbs (70%)
Head: 45.7 inches (85%) *

* The pediatrician asked us if one of us had a big head.....Russ sheepishly raised his hand and she then pointed out that Aliza's head is, well, growing rather rapidly and rather big. It's all daddy's genes though, so the doctor isn't worried!

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Dunkin' vs. Starbucks

So, my local Dunkin' Donuts is closed for renovations....now, I'm not a coffee drinker, I'm a tea drinker, and we tea drinkers are often forgotten in the world of all things coffee....but that's a post for another day. You'd think that you can get a cup of tea anywhere, but really, it's not that easy.

I don't often stop for tea, partly because I'm still limited to one cup of caffeine a day and I drink a cup while I'm running around in the morning getting dressed and partly because I leave my house later and later in the morning so I simply don't have time. But on Fridays we are treated to breakfast (and by treated I mean we sign up to bring breakfast a couple of times a year) and I treat myself to a cup of tea. But my local Dunkin' is closed. I could go to another one in town, but it is farther away, and out of my way, and, like I said, I don't have the time. So, lately I've gotten in the habit of stopping at a Starbucks that is somewhat on the way and getting tea there.

I'm sure you are thinking, 'what's the problem? Tea is tea...' and see, that is where you would be wrong. I like the fancy teas as much as anyone, earl grey, raspberry peach, lemon, peppermint, darjeeling....and, if I'm being totally honest I'll say that I love cut tea over tea bags any day. (Tastes better....fresher.) But on a Friday morning, all I want is a cup of regular old Tetley. Or Lipton. With cream and sugar. That's it. Nothing fancy, nothing decaf, or herbal, or fruity...just regular tea.

Impossible to get at Starbucks. So I've been getting chai tea lattes. Which I also love, but to me, are more of a dessert treat than a morning tea. And chai doesn't go as well with the bagel and cream cheese I eat on Fridays. I miss my Dunkin' tea.

How about you? Which do you prefer? Take a gander at my sidebar and cast your vote....

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Sometimes, you just have to lie

Yesterday, as we were wrapping up a fire drill, one of my students looked at me, concern evident in his face, and asked, "Mrs. S, if we have a real fire, what would you do about Squirt?" (Squirt is our class pet, a leopard gecko.)

Well. I mean, the truth is that if there is a real fire, obviously my concern is for the safety of my students. And myself. I seriously doubt I will think about Squirt in that moment. Not that I don't think Squirt is awesome, and cute, but he's not a kid. I debated internally about whether or not to go with the truth but when I looked at his little face, all freckles and red hair, his blue eyes squinting at me, concern written across his forhead, I just couldn't do it.

"S, if there is a real fire, I'll grab her tank and run with it." I said. He smiled happily at me, his world returned to order and got back in line.

Of course, the students nearby then had a lengthy debate about whether I should grab the cage, or just grab the log that Squirt often hides in. And then we had to have a chat about what would happen if I did grab the log and Squirt started to come out of the log. S didn't participate in any of this conversation; he had his answer and he was content.
And I didn't feel the slightest guilt over that lie.

Monday, February 09, 2009

Aliza's latest

I managed to capture Aliza doing all of her new tricks at once! SO BIG! YAY! and feeding herself!

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

The Quiet Room

As per usual, Aliza and I went to church with my mom and dad this past Sunday. What was unusual was that my two nieces were with us while my sister enjoyed a trip to Vegas. Since we had so many children in tow, we decided to sit in the quiet room. I'm not really sure why it is called the quiet room, because it was anything but quiet.

The room is situated upstairs, with one door leading to a balcony where you can also sit, and another leading down the stairs. It is surrounded by glass, has metal chairs instead of pews and features speakers from which you hear the sermon. You look out over the people in the balcony to the pews and the alter below.

When we first arrived there weren't too many children in the quiet room. As mass progressed more and more children arrived. Maybe it's because I'm a teacher so I see, and deal with, all manner of behaviors, maybe it's because I have a daughter now so I'm constantly thinking of how I want to raise her, maybe I'm just getting opinionated in my old age but I could not believe the behaviors some of the parents were allowing. Children were banging on the glass, racing cars around, talking loudly....and, for the most part, they were not reprimanded. It is church. You should be quiet. I mean, I know that younger children have difficulty sitting still and staying quiet for a long time. I used to work with three to five year olds, trust me, I know. But to just allow the behavior? To not remind the children that they should at least try to be quiet because they are in the house of God? To not teach your children to be a little respectful? C'mon.

I decided it is the fault of the quiet room. See, no one can really hear what's going on up there. So, it doesn't really matter if your kid is loud. Why discipline if you don't have to?
And then I decided I don't want Aliza to grow up sitting in the quiet room. I want her to learn to sit in the pews with the grown ups. I want her to learn that for forty five minutes of your life you are quiet and respectful and you think about how to be a good person. I'm not so unrealistic as to think that she can do this when she is little. I'm fully prepared to bring coloring books, or a snack, or whatever quiet activity I need to in order to keep her occupied. Because sometimes that forty five minutes is long even for me. But I do believe that young children can learn how to not sit in the quiet room.