Student Teaching

Happy Thursday!

This week was my first week of student teaching and Hannah and Ben's first week of full(ish) time day care.  Not surprisingly, Ben is home sick today with a lovely virus...the daycare plague we call it :).  Just a high fever and extreme grumpiness, but nothing that some motrin, tylenol and mommy hugs won't fix!

While I do enjoy spending the extra time with the babies, I really miss school!  I have had so much fun in the past three days in my class-the kids are great and I love my supervising teacher.  This week I am just observing and getting to know the kids but next week I'll start teaching science, then move into literacy, math and then the entire day.  I'm the most nervous about math since that takes up most of the day...three hours!  The classroom I am in departmentalises math and reading so that my teacher actually teaches math to two different classes, and the kids in our class go across the hall for reading.  I am probably the most excited about my science unit-which is about Georgia habitats and animal adaptation...I have some really cool activities planned and get to create my first bulletin board!!  (shutup!  It's exciting!!)

I could write for days about this, but I'll stop here...hope y'all have a great day!!

KidsStuff

Today I'll start with the youngest:  The Ben is getting so big!  At almost fourteen months, he is definitely one of the kids.  He doesn't have too many words (mama, dada...randomly.  He also does the 'da-doo' for thank you...but he does it when he gives YOU something.  Doesn't quite understand the word yet!)  but in spite of this, he still makes sure he is heard.  He is very opinionated and one of his favorite things is his shoes.  If he sees them, it's over.  He wants them on his feet RIGHT NOW.  In fact, if he had his way, this is what he would wear every day:

...maybe minus the diaper.  I think he knows that shoes=outside, and this kid LOVES going outside.  Particularly if the wagon is out there!  Nothing better than 'bumpin' up and down in [his] little red wagon'!!  He still goes to bed with a bottle (i CANT take it away.  He loves it like he loves his shoes.) and his blanket, and usually sleeps through the night.  We did finally move him downstairs, where he seems very happy.  Matt and I love having our closet back!!

Pea:  Hannah is still a little mommy's girl-but loves to 'get' daddy-she pokes him, or jumps on him...she is completely fearless!  She has recently started showing an interest in reading books, instead of having me read them to her.  Today I went in to her room during naptime, and she was laying in bed 'reading' Ms. Piggle-Wiggle-and tonight when I was trying to read to her, she took the book away and started reading it her own way! (guess mommy was not doing a good job...)  I love seeing her evolve from a toddler to a little girl!!

Matthew is doing so well at school-he has a good group of friends, and has gotten a dragon award (a schoolwide reward system) for being a good citizen.  He has mentioned having a girlfriend, but fortunately he was an unwilling party in the deal (...that's what he told his mommy anyway).  He said, "K told her friend M that I was her boyfriend and I was SO. EMBARRASSED."  As long as he stays SO.EMBARRASSED. instead of SO.ENAMOURED. I'll be okay.

 He is playing flag football again this year and seems to love it!  I caught a couple of pictures this evening during practice:

One handed push up?  He's on it. 

Future Dawg quarterback!

Caitlin continues to grow up too fast!  I mean, is this my little baby Caitlin???

Matt and I are so proud of who she is becoming every day...she is such a bright and happy child!  She does still worry a lot; whether it is about when Mommy is coming home from class, or if Daddy is going to go outside after she goes to bed-every night before bed we go through this routine:

M&ML: G'night C!  Sleep well!

C: G'night!

C: um, youre not going anywhere, right?

M, ML: Nope!

C: um, youre not going outside for anything, right?

M, ML: Nope!

C: Good!

And then, about 10 minutes after bedtime, she always comes out of her room to find out what time it is.  I'm pretty sure she's just making sure we did not actually go to Mexico :)

Overall though, she is a sweet little girl.  She and Matthew are still best friends and it's so entertaining to listen to their conversations...almost like they are speaking their own language!!

That's about all I have for now...more soon!!

Baby Backpack

Ever since our trip to Tallulah Gorge, I have been completely obsessed on a quest to find an inexpensive backpack carrier for TheBen to replace the one I backed over (what?!  at least there was no baby in there!)  I found a lot of used backpacks on ebay and craigslist, but they were all really, really nice, and really, really expensive.  However after a few days of searching I finally found a nice, basic one for $20!!!!!  Except it was in Greenville, SC.-a good hour and a half away.  After seeing the ($200) alternatives, I decided it was just what I wanted and the price was right, so I'd make the trip.  However when I contacted the seller, she said she would meet me halfway-bonus!

So this morning, Matt, Ben and I got in the van (big kids are at the Nana's) and drove up to pick up the backpack.  It was perfect!!!  So great in fact, that we couldn't resist stopping along the way to try it out.  Fortunately there were THREE state parks on our route home...we decided to stop at Tugaloo state park, on Lake Hartwell...it was so nice!!   We will definitely go again.  Here's the only picture we got-enjoying the new backpack:

I think he's as excited as I am-

Pictures!

The weather has been great around here so I've been very busy with the camera...today I think I'll stick to captions to tell the story.  Warning: The pictures go from adorable to creepy....

First  up: Tallulah Gorge! 

Caitlin has gotten quite good with the camera..hardly ever cuts off our heads anymore!!

If we learned anything from this trip, it was that we need to buy a hiking backpack.  People were laughing at us...

Down the steps was the easy part!

Hannah was ready to give up

Looking down at the Gorge

Caitlin and Mommy-you can't tell here, but I am trying so so so hard not to die laughing...just a second before the shot was taken Matthew hurled a pebble...trying to get it down the Gorge.  Unfortunately Matt's forehead was in the way.  Matt was NOT amused but it was HILARIOUS!!! 

Matthew helping Pea along the trail.

The rest of the pictures are a random assortment....

Matthew is about to lose that front (your) right tooth...I wanted to capture the full set before he becomes a jack o' lantern!

Ben and the Swiffer

"Well SOMEBODY has to keep this place clean!"

Little Red Wagon=Big Fun

Squeezing in for a ride

More squeezing

Benben.  Daddy says it's time for another haircut...

Eating a "peejeyey sammach"

I tried taking it away and he buried his face in it...

On to Creepy...this morning we found this critter hanging out in the grill cover:

And what is that??

Yep!  A giGANtic black widow...ew ew ew!!

We, ahem, disposed of it.  Apparently they kill toddlers.