Church Behavior

Birthday parties

Today we had 2 birthday parties to attend and thankfully that were at opposite times. DS and I went to a birthday party at a park outdoors, my kind of party. I am so over these Gymboree, bouncy house type places for parties don't get me wrong I like them I just see them as becoming the norm and I love the smell of outdoors and I want my child to have lots of contact with the elements while he is young. It is too easy to find reasons to be inside. Even if it is active inside there is something still artificial about it.

The second party was a home outdoor (mostly) party. This is my other favorite kind of birthday party. Both were enjoyable and DS was fulfilled he even let go for a while of what presents he was going to get for HIS birthday (he's obsessed).

Being silly

It's so important to be silly with your child. I remembered that tonight and then realized how often I forget to just be playful and silly with DS. Laughter is good.

What do you do when a pet dies?...

We've had Bob, our Beta fish about 3 years. Ahhh, dear sweet Bob. Sometimes he was just an accessory to the environment. "I think he'll look nice over there next to the red wall. It's ill set off the red in his scales." Sometimes he was an afterthought, "Did you feed Bob today?" But often he was a beloved pet, member of the family and fixture of Mama school part of what the children counted on being part of there everyday life at MITN. I knew he wouldn't be around forever. He had been looking sickly for a while especially during the colder, wintry days. I had googled more information about Betas and had my eyes open on many levels. It seems part of our neglect may have been temp related. I think there were many times the temp feel below 70 degrees fahrenheit which is less than ideal for a beta fish but more so it was life span. There are of course a range of numbers but it seemed that the possibility that Bob was reaching his natural span of fish life and that his days would soon end. Another factor in Bob's demise was the much younger group enrolled at Mama school. The children loved to visit his little tank but often tapped a little too hard on the walls thus putting Bob in distress on those 3 mornings a week. Also a few times in recent days I caught one of the children with the watering can which is supposed to be used on plants looking like that wanted to water or HAD watered Bob's tank. It is very possible that Bob was murdered (unintentionally mind you) but the shock of the tap water mixed with his water ugh!!!! poor Bob. He was a good fish.

Well, after noticing little movement today I realized his time had come. First though, how to tell DS who would often join DH is the care and feeding of Bob. It happened simply this evening. Daddy took charge. I was not present to witness how it happened I just returned inside from putting a load in the washer and DS says, "Bob is dead." He said it matter of fact. He seemed okay just reporting information to me and proceeded to tell me that he and daddy were going to flush him down the toilet. I joined the procession. "Do you want to say a prayer?" I asked thinking there needed to be a sense of finality to the events. "People often say a prayer when a pet dies." He let me do the honors and then chose to say "Amen." As we watched Bob disappear into the toilet it was a very intense and final moment and I felt sad to see him go. Suddenly, DS burst into tears. He was really feeling this. "I want to go back to school." Which seemed to say I want this day to start over when Bob was alive. We both consoled him and steadily recovered but I do believe this moment will definitely imprint in his mind. He did say he wanted another pet, "A snake." This was before the tears. We ended the evening on an up note. Playing floor paddle ball. It was REALLY fun. I wonder what he'll have to say about Bob tomorrow as his usual space is left empty. DH mentioning printing a picture of BOB and putting it on the family wall. We will definitely have to buy a nice frame.

Working mom strikes back

Okay, today was hard. It has been such a challenging doing my little at home casita. For one, I feel like I work ALL THE TIME! Laundry every night, constantly cleaning and straightening up, planning and preparation seems never ending. So taking on the school today, pretty much by myself although thankgod grandma came to be with DD was mind and body blowing. I continually recited the Serenity prayer while working and I keep thinking/daydreaming about all the other jobs I could have besides this one that has me currently feeling like I'm in HELL! One of my students seemed to cry non-stop, someone broke a borrowed material, there was pee on the flower. I guess I should consider myself lucky that there was no poop, blood, vomit or anything else.

Finally after the school morning was over and the cleaning was done I picked up DS and took him to pick up a good friend for a playdate. Ay Caramba the wills of those two boys. They do challenge each other.

So much going on

DD on the move. Trying to make her way through this young life. She's really challenging herself to see what she is capable of and she is getting stronger everyday. Her eating wow! She's good such a good appetite. I am working hard to keep it healthy and balanced. So wish she had a weaning chair and table. It's those expenses of raising a Montessori Child that challenge me. I have to compromise based on my income bracket and unfortunately DH nor I have time to make one.

DS what isn't he into. I am so over his materialism. Is that what you call it? He wants EVERYTHING. Drives me nut. "For my birthday, can I have...." His list just gets longer and longer but basically he wants everything. How did that happen. Do we deny him too much? Not sure what to do about it but dare I ask his teacher she rarely responds to my emails. That really bugs me. God I hope she's a good fit for DS. He doesn't seem attached to the school at all. Pretty bummed about that.

How do you win

When other people's parenting/non-parenting style infiltrate your efforts to raise your child/children in the best way possible how do you succeed.

I received this invitation with a child wearing a costume of a night and holding a sword. How do I discourage my violence intrigued, bad-guy curious, action packed 3 year-old boy not to be interested in such things when some parents are so careless with what they allow their children to partake of. Really now, is the sword necessary and not just a plastic sword a sword complete with what looks like a spiky brass knuckle handle for an extra something in the ass-wompin'. All I can say is I am glad we missed that birthday party.

What are people thinking? Really????