Jeff and the kids and the little dogs have all gone to Maryland for a few days. Jeff is fixing up the Gannon porch. I decided to stay home with Basho and fix up our own house and maybe finish my grading once and for all. I'm not planning on teaching that requires this kind of grading ever again. Soo happy about that. So.
The day is already hot and sticky. People wanting to preach to me actually made it all the way to the front door this morning before I or Basho recognized that these were strangers knocking on the door. I don't think that's ever happened before. How weird is that? I can't imagine being them, driving up some lonesome gravel road all the way to very end to find this small house surrounded by way too much detritus and thinking, yep, these are folks who'd really be interested in hearing from me in my suit about how jesus saves. Weird.
I'm glad for the sleeping in, but I miss my family. It feels strange to be home alone like this--lonesome. I miss Ossie being a super hero and his spectacular moves and his smile that lights up the whole world. I miss Matilda singing and drawing and finding gross things and sitting by my side with her messy hair. I miss Jeff and his sunshine. They've only been gone 8 hours. I think I'm going to clean house and then join them, is what I think.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Monday, March 9, 2009
Daycare blues
The one constant source of anxiety that Jeff and I have faced as parents is child care, and the lack of decent and affordable options. We don't live near family, and thus we pay dearly for every hour we are not physically with our kids. Of course, as my previous entry discussed, the kids are also paying dearly it seems (which is, of course, not to denegrate daycare, which I think is an awesome thing. It's just not working great for old Ossie).
Today, I received word that I will be teaching two online courses this summer.
Of the good: 1. I don't physically have to come to work. 2. I get paid.
Of the bad: What will we do about the kids?
My mind cannot stop spinning to Figure This Out Now. I am not a person who rests easy with uncertainty. I like having decisions made already. We had originally planned to take the kids completely out of daycare starting June 1, when I can be home with them. Then we would commence our summer of abandon, flinging care (and financial security) to the wind!
But now...I'm not so sure that's going to work. My summer workload just reached the tipping point of Too Much: teach two writing intensive classes in a short 8 weeks, do books and paperwork for Jeff's business, bake bread for the CSA, and be full time mama to wild summer children?
We could keep them in daycare, I guess. But! I! dont! want! to! The whole point was to get them out. Back to the drawing board. Again.
Cute picture courtesy of Nana Luby.
Today, I received word that I will be teaching two online courses this summer.
Of the good: 1. I don't physically have to come to work. 2. I get paid.
Of the bad: What will we do about the kids?
My mind cannot stop spinning to Figure This Out Now. I am not a person who rests easy with uncertainty. I like having decisions made already. We had originally planned to take the kids completely out of daycare starting June 1, when I can be home with them. Then we would commence our summer of abandon, flinging care (and financial security) to the wind!
But now...I'm not so sure that's going to work. My summer workload just reached the tipping point of Too Much: teach two writing intensive classes in a short 8 weeks, do books and paperwork for Jeff's business, bake bread for the CSA, and be full time mama to wild summer children?
We could keep them in daycare, I guess. But! I! dont! want! to! The whole point was to get them out. Back to the drawing board. Again.
Cute picture courtesy of Nana Luby.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
6 months gone
It's been awhile, no?
The quest for good child care is seriously unfun. 6 months ago, we began our search in earnest. Up until then we had put together a patchwork of care that included me, Jeff, a very part-time babysitter, and part-time preschool. Then Jeff was forced to sit home for two weeks straight because of various babysitter issues. We thought that we wanted either a homecare sitauation or a good, reliable (non-texting) babysitter.
Our look into home daycare situations left me chilled--rusted trampolines without safety nets, yards without fences on major country roads, cigarettes, etc. etc. etc. Every single house we went into had a big screen TV which was turned on and never turned off, even while we sat and chatted about our kids. Isn't that messed up? I think it is.
We also knew that a babysitter was problematic. We'd been using one who, while fairly reliable, still got sick and had life issues that meant that we had to scramble for alternate care far too frequently. We also worried that a babysitter would not be as focused on engaging our kids in activities.
So we started the kids in full-time daycare at a Spanish Immersion school back in October. We were so relieved when we visited--the rooms were bright and sunny, the kids actively engaged in doing things, the toys were clean and safe. We were all, where do we sign up? FYI: the cost is unreal. We could buy two new cars a year with what we pay for daycare. Cheap, eastern european new cars, but still. To me, this is nuts. But I digress.
As a result, Jeff has finally able to get his business off the ground, and I am about a 100,000 times less stressed because I have actual time to do my actual paid job instead of rushing home between classes to relieve the babysitter. Both things of the good.
However (didn't you know there would be one of those?). We had our very first parent-teacher conference yesterday. We knew there would be issues. Ossie can be, how shall I say it?, high energy? high needs? high mantainance? Yes. We had hoped to use the conference to brainstorm some strategies that might work to help him, I don't know, blossom a bit more in this environment. He's not great with rules or tight structures or learning centers. He is great with being a good friend, running around outside, working, engineering new toys and inventions, and making butt crack jokes. Those are his specialties. We went in to the conference with our list of ideas and questions and we never got a chance to really ask them or talk. Instead, we got a bleeping report card that shows Ossie not doing well in just about everything.
I don't want to be a parent who blames the teachers for her kids not being successful. But dudes. He's THREE. They showed how he can do important things like write his letters (three. he's three. he doesn't need to be writing flipping letters) if a teacher is sitting right next to him, but he won't do if she's not. And they also find him to be overly emotional and generally unfocused. He's THREE.
Obviously, we are not on the same page. His teacher is very nice, but very rules and obedience oriented. She also just really doesn't seem to respond that well to Ossie. What are you going to do, though? We need child care, and this is about as good as we can get in our neck of the woods. They learn Spanish and have some lovely cross-cultural activities that I really like. And Matilda IS blossoming and HAS the most lovely awesome teacher.
What we are hoping is that I can quit come May. Cross your fingers and hope Obama's stimulus saves the day so Jeff can keep working.
I'm starting to get excited by this prospect. I'm collected ideas for activities with the kids, as well as phone numbers for potential playmates. We do live in an isolated setting, and I am ridiculously introverted, so that last piece is one that I'll have to really work on.
I'm hoping to restart this blog as place to post ideas for how the kids and I will fill our days, as well as a place to think about the lost arts of homemaking. In a feminist way. We'll see how it all shakes out.
The quest for good child care is seriously unfun. 6 months ago, we began our search in earnest. Up until then we had put together a patchwork of care that included me, Jeff, a very part-time babysitter, and part-time preschool. Then Jeff was forced to sit home for two weeks straight because of various babysitter issues. We thought that we wanted either a homecare sitauation or a good, reliable (non-texting) babysitter.
Our look into home daycare situations left me chilled--rusted trampolines without safety nets, yards without fences on major country roads, cigarettes, etc. etc. etc. Every single house we went into had a big screen TV which was turned on and never turned off, even while we sat and chatted about our kids. Isn't that messed up? I think it is.
We also knew that a babysitter was problematic. We'd been using one who, while fairly reliable, still got sick and had life issues that meant that we had to scramble for alternate care far too frequently. We also worried that a babysitter would not be as focused on engaging our kids in activities.
So we started the kids in full-time daycare at a Spanish Immersion school back in October. We were so relieved when we visited--the rooms were bright and sunny, the kids actively engaged in doing things, the toys were clean and safe. We were all, where do we sign up? FYI: the cost is unreal. We could buy two new cars a year with what we pay for daycare. Cheap, eastern european new cars, but still. To me, this is nuts. But I digress.
As a result, Jeff has finally able to get his business off the ground, and I am about a 100,000 times less stressed because I have actual time to do my actual paid job instead of rushing home between classes to relieve the babysitter. Both things of the good.
However (didn't you know there would be one of those?). We had our very first parent-teacher conference yesterday. We knew there would be issues. Ossie can be, how shall I say it?, high energy? high needs? high mantainance? Yes. We had hoped to use the conference to brainstorm some strategies that might work to help him, I don't know, blossom a bit more in this environment. He's not great with rules or tight structures or learning centers. He is great with being a good friend, running around outside, working, engineering new toys and inventions, and making butt crack jokes. Those are his specialties. We went in to the conference with our list of ideas and questions and we never got a chance to really ask them or talk. Instead, we got a bleeping report card that shows Ossie not doing well in just about everything.
I don't want to be a parent who blames the teachers for her kids not being successful. But dudes. He's THREE. They showed how he can do important things like write his letters (three. he's three. he doesn't need to be writing flipping letters) if a teacher is sitting right next to him, but he won't do if she's not. And they also find him to be overly emotional and generally unfocused. He's THREE.
Obviously, we are not on the same page. His teacher is very nice, but very rules and obedience oriented. She also just really doesn't seem to respond that well to Ossie. What are you going to do, though? We need child care, and this is about as good as we can get in our neck of the woods. They learn Spanish and have some lovely cross-cultural activities that I really like. And Matilda IS blossoming and HAS the most lovely awesome teacher.
What we are hoping is that I can quit come May. Cross your fingers and hope Obama's stimulus saves the day so Jeff can keep working.
I'm starting to get excited by this prospect. I'm collected ideas for activities with the kids, as well as phone numbers for potential playmates. We do live in an isolated setting, and I am ridiculously introverted, so that last piece is one that I'll have to really work on.
I'm hoping to restart this blog as place to post ideas for how the kids and I will fill our days, as well as a place to think about the lost arts of homemaking. In a feminist way. We'll see how it all shakes out.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
growing up
This morning Ossie wanted to lie in bed, alone, listening to Pearl Jam's "Better Man" over and over. And he wanted milk in his sippy cup. He did NOT want his babysitter (who is lovely, not incidently). When did this kid enter this cranky goth phase? Soon he will be writing bad poetry in spiral bound notebooks (or starting his own blog, heavenforfend). But, since I am pretty sure I have always been stuck in the poetry-writing misanthropic phase, I was touched. Isn't it hilarious that Pearl Jam is the favorite band of both kids? I wish I had taken a picture of Matilda rocking out while Ossie pretended to play the drums.
I know we haven't updated here in forever. We mean to, and often. Suffice to say that we are well, Matilda is one already (birthday pictures at our flickr account), the fall semester is about to begin and summer is nearly over. Le sigh.
I know we haven't updated here in forever. We mean to, and often. Suffice to say that we are well, Matilda is one already (birthday pictures at our flickr account), the fall semester is about to begin and summer is nearly over. Le sigh.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
I'm at work, which means no pictures again. This is always my dilemma. The only place with time and non-children space to write is at work (apologies to The Man for writing in this blog on his dime), but our flickr site is blocked (Riddle me this: I work at an insitution of higher learning and yet I cannot access about 7/8 of the Internet).
So no picture. If I could share two pictures, they would be these:
1. Matilda, poised on her two unsteady legs, a look of determination or "don't leave me!" or joy on her face. Or all three. Which is to say, she's gone and done it. She walks. Justlikethat! We were completely surprised by this development as she just recently decided to become mobil. She never really spent a lot of time using furniture to cruise around the place. She just stands right up in the middle of the floor and bam. Walking like a little drunkard. She really didn't like getting left in the dust by her older brother. Off she goes.
2. Jeff as a kid about Ossie's age, lying on the floor next to his trucks, looking at them the way kids do. I could show you that exact picture of Ossie, with that exact look of rapt attention on his face.
Ossie has been alternating charming and dreadful this summer. The charming: he walks me to the car in the morning as I leave for work. Once, he shut the door for me and said, "call us if you need anything!" Ha! So cute! He said to Jeff yesterday, as Jeff purchased train tickets for their big boys train ride to DC (happening in August), "I love you very much." Which killed Jeff, I happen to know.
But the dreadful is very dreadful. Typical toddler harranging and whining and throwing oneself against the wall because the terrible parents happened to have opened the popsicle from the wrong end! Or grabbed the chips out of the bag instead of pouring them!
Next update to include finished deck photos (yay! deck!) and/or picture from our upcoming last minute journey to DC this weekend. This is probably a terrible idea (last minute travel plans with a newly walking baby and a tempermental 2 year old? What?). But we're a-doing it anyway. Fun!
So no picture. If I could share two pictures, they would be these:
1. Matilda, poised on her two unsteady legs, a look of determination or "don't leave me!" or joy on her face. Or all three. Which is to say, she's gone and done it. She walks. Justlikethat! We were completely surprised by this development as she just recently decided to become mobil. She never really spent a lot of time using furniture to cruise around the place. She just stands right up in the middle of the floor and bam. Walking like a little drunkard. She really didn't like getting left in the dust by her older brother. Off she goes.
2. Jeff as a kid about Ossie's age, lying on the floor next to his trucks, looking at them the way kids do. I could show you that exact picture of Ossie, with that exact look of rapt attention on his face.
Ossie has been alternating charming and dreadful this summer. The charming: he walks me to the car in the morning as I leave for work. Once, he shut the door for me and said, "call us if you need anything!" Ha! So cute! He said to Jeff yesterday, as Jeff purchased train tickets for their big boys train ride to DC (happening in August), "I love you very much." Which killed Jeff, I happen to know.
But the dreadful is very dreadful. Typical toddler harranging and whining and throwing oneself against the wall because the terrible parents happened to have opened the popsicle from the wrong end! Or grabbed the chips out of the bag instead of pouring them!
Next update to include finished deck photos (yay! deck!) and/or picture from our upcoming last minute journey to DC this weekend. This is probably a terrible idea (last minute travel plans with a newly walking baby and a tempermental 2 year old? What?). But we're a-doing it anyway. Fun!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Welcome Ally Mae
A request: think good thoughts one and all about Ally Mae, a very recent arrival on this here earth.
Dear Britt on the Distant Train had her little girl last Thursday. I am so happy for this family (hot dog, a girl!), but I think we need to have some positive energy blasts over there. Ally Mae is still in the hospital. Send a prayer up to wherever those things go for her to please please come home.
Dear Britt on the Distant Train had her little girl last Thursday. I am so happy for this family (hot dog, a girl!), but I think we need to have some positive energy blasts over there. Ally Mae is still in the hospital. Send a prayer up to wherever those things go for her to please please come home.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
The no picture entry
Round two of the grandparents bonanza is in full swing this week. Jeff's folks are in town to woo their grandkids and make our garden and house pretty again. Ossie is easy. He ran into the bathroom while I was in the midst of my morning ablutions, busting with happiness. A new bird book! From Grandma and Pop-pop!
He bursts with happiness often these days. Yesterday, jumping across a broomstick, he yelled, "I'm flying!" And then crashed to the ground. Over and over again.
Two mornings ago, I came out of the bedroom to find him skipping high, singing "Chim-chimeny chim-chimeny!" Mary Poppins! Woo! Anything but the Wiggles, is what I say.
Of course we are also midway through horrible illnesses. First, Ossie and his ear infection. Now Matilda is just miserable with pink eye. Ugh.
Speaking of that babilicious baby, Matilda isthisclose to walking. She's funny--she has no failure of imagination when it comes to her physical abilities. You know how most kids (Ossie included) can probably walk before they dare actually, you know, walk? She keeps thinking she can walk already, and always seems rather surprised that she can't.
He bursts with happiness often these days. Yesterday, jumping across a broomstick, he yelled, "I'm flying!" And then crashed to the ground. Over and over again.
Two mornings ago, I came out of the bedroom to find him skipping high, singing "Chim-chimeny chim-chimeny!" Mary Poppins! Woo! Anything but the Wiggles, is what I say.
Of course we are also midway through horrible illnesses. First, Ossie and his ear infection. Now Matilda is just miserable with pink eye. Ugh.
Speaking of that babilicious baby, Matilda isthisclose to walking. She's funny--she has no failure of imagination when it comes to her physical abilities. You know how most kids (Ossie included) can probably walk before they dare actually, you know, walk? She keeps thinking she can walk already, and always seems rather surprised that she can't.
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