Teach Me How to Mommy

Having my husband home this week has been useful and exciting in many ways.  Little nit-picky arguments aside, we managed to have a lot of wonderful family time and actually get some stuff done around the house. Rather, I should say we got a lot of different projects started and nothing actually finished.  Like, my husband gutted our upstairs bathroom (you know the only one up there) so that's a start.  Then we arranged the family room for a new couch and went shopping, but came home empty-handed.  We are making progress. More importantly my husband and I both when through our closest and dressers and purged (donated) all our old/ugly/ill-fitting/stained clothes.  We had three black industrialized bags full and it felt so good to drop them at Savers. I am not positive what I'll be wearing over the next couple months, but everything is so much cleaner and lighter.  It's worth having to go naked to the grocery store. While I was playing with the anti-na...

Christmas was magical in every way.  The cookies, late night bedtimes, parties, Santa and presents (oh my the presents).  The last four days have been a whirlwind.  We (gladly) lost any sense of schedule and we bop from one new toy to the next (and back again and then to something new and then back to the beginning - or the ever popular "let's open something new").  As soon as Jerry and I get the house "cleaned" it's back to a tornado, yet we haven't given up. We will never give up. It does get more fun every year, so (as we all know) it's worth the extra work it takes to make it right.  Yet, when I came up on this saying on my Insta, I thought yes, yes, yes.  Christmas is over so now what ?  Like, what day is it?  And how many days do I have left on this vacation? Am I supposed to be somewhere right now? A couple months ago I had planned to paint Lucy's room and the bathroom over vacation.  Seeing as though I haven't gotten th...

The first weekend of December is officially in the books.  My kids were in bed at 7:15 and Jerry and I are too exhausted to do much, well, much of anything. Over this weekend my kids met Santa twice and will see him twice more this week.  Before you judge me and think that the season has gotten just that much out of control, hear me out... It's a lot of work to organize some of these things (Polar Express and Fire Truck Santa), but some just fall into our laps.  We went to a pasta dinner at my school this week where Santa showed up.  Score.  This upcoming weekend my mother in-law actually has a Santa come down a chimney for her grandkids (and nieces and nephews).  Pure magic. Yes, it's likely that my kids won't remember this particular year of Santa activities, but I am sure you can agree that passing on them is silly. And so although it is unlikely I'll survive this holiday season completely unscathed, I am choosing to move forward.  I wil...

Cute kids- not so cute sleep avoidance I know last week was a long week for you.  It was a long week for me too.  I know this because I can't believe Thanksgiving is tomorrow and also, I didn't really have time to reflect on anything that occurred last week until now (and even this is a squeeze).  What's even more exciting and nerve-wracking is that after tomorrow the Christmas spirit will fill the air we breathe.  I can't wait for it all and I'm on pins and needles all the same.  I am wondering how I'll juggle it all -  I know I am bound to screw up somewhere along the way.  I think that's why I got to thinking about what happened to me last week... I am trying to do a special bulletin board/project in my classroom.  If I ever actually get it done I'll post it - it has potential, but right now it is just under construction (like permanently under construction).  It required a laminator which I don't have and to my knowledge my school...

With the help of two troops of wonderful family Jerry and I left for the weekend to celebrate my beautiful friend's wedding day.  Off to Cape Cod we went while our children were showered with love, gifts, sleepover treats, adventures and cousin time.  After checking in with them a few dozen times, I made some time to have fun.  A lot of it. If you put twelve of your closest high school friends in one house for a weekend there are a couple things that are guaranteed: 1.  You'll get no sleep.  I mean that.  One night I did not sleep.  The last time I did that was, well it was last year when John refused to sleep.  Let's just say it took me the whole week to recover. 2.  You end up reminiscing about the same memories you reminisce every time you see each other.  You also make a lot of promises about getting together again soon (let's make it actually happen). 3.  It's a good thing that snap chats disappear after 24 hours. ...

There's something just so cute about a little girl making a potion of dead leaves, grass and rose petals - isn't there? You know when people say "it goes by so fast" and you want to say "I know" but you really don't.  You're in the thick of it and it doesn't feel like it goes by too fast. Sometimes it feels like I am waiting, waiting, waiting for bedtime just to get a few minutes of quiet. But then there are pictures like this -------> .  My daughter has pink in her hair, she plays pretend games for hours and just today I heard her explaining to her brother why standing while you're eating is dangerous.  Of course things go by fast since just two years ago she was in diapers and just learning to string along a sentence.  She barely had hair - now we go to the salon. Then there's this guy.  We are spending our time finding new ways to get bumps and bruises (or bloody noses).  Not every dance party is safe - at least not in our...

A holiday must be coming up, or maybe report cards are due.  Oh wait, it's both.  Amy and I have been quite quiet recently and it's killing me. Like every other Facebook family on the planet we too have been spending our weekends doing amazing fall/autumn/harvest activities.  I know Christmas is fun because of Santa and the magic and all, but really is there anything better than being outside in the sun collecting leaves, make scare crows and picking pumpkins? Enjoy it now - winter.is.coming. In the weeks between posts I have also become an aunt again which really truly does feel magical.  If you thought pumpkin picking feels good, try holding a sleeping infant for a couple hours.  Right, there is no comparison.  Thanks for going through the whole pregnancy and labor thing sissy - it really worked out for me and everyone else who loves you. And if ever I am so exhausted at the end of the day (ok every day) I can always count on my daughter to leave h...

We all give dads a bit of flack.  Wait, I don't want to speak for you.  I give my own husband a lot of some flack.  He's really awesome at a lot of things, most importantly being a dad.  Yet, you know, he still finds time to watch football, take a quick snooze and drink some beer.  For some strange reason I can't find the time to do that in my life, so I tease him.  He's a good sport, plus I think a few jabs here or there are worth it as long as he still gets what he wants. Sometimes it dawns on me just how great I have it.  He's home every night and when he walks in the door his on "dad time".  There's no time to change, put up his feet or even go to the bathroom - it's time to be dad.  I do it too so I know that it can be hard, but never do I hear a complaint. Many dads do this so I am not ready to give him a gold star.  But not every dad, would do this.... This is my husband's favorite tv.  He researched it forever...

My sister, Laura, has written a few times before .  She is just weeks (perhaps days) away from welcoming my second niece into this world.  I am oozing with excitement, but her recent sentiments have brought me back to the days before I welcomed John into this world.  Those days are riddled with both excitement, fear and dare I say  - doubt.  Anyone who's been through this can relate and those waiting like her well you already know.  Her raw words say it better than I can... I’m now 3 weeks away from my due date with baby number 2.  The anxiety is starting to really set in.  I’ve been really anxious about things my whole pregnancy because I’m not sure I’m really prepared to have a toddler and a newborn (but who is?!) but now that it’s really getting down to the end, my anxiety is higher.  When you are trying to prepare for baby number 2, the anxieties are different than the first time around.  I’m prepared for taking care of a n...

Is there anything better than a Friday night on the verge of a three-day weekend?  Add in a Peapod delivery, a great volleyball game and a movie night with your kids and nope, there's not. September was a busy, trying month, but I suppose a successful one.  Wake ups are easy, the hustle and bustle is still busy, but it's a new normal. Now that we are all in a new routine, I look at my kids, my house and my classroom and I think, what next?  There are always things to do in the house, in fact (I hope like you) I look at walls that could use new paint, bathrooms that could be re-done and of course the daily cleaning that I try but fail to get to.  My classroom is a work in progress always.  My kids?  Well, they were born perfect, but it's time for a few adjustments. Mainly it's time to get haircuts, dentist appointments and it's time for us to think about getting John a big boy bed and not his crib.  And with Lucy?  Jerry and I are still just ...

Before bedtime this week I asked Lucy about her friends at school.  Since the beginning she's been best buds with a little girl named Lily (Lucy & Lily).  When Lucy had a hard time moving from the 2 year old room to the pre-school room, Lily took her hand and welcomed her.  When I pick up Lucy, Lily comes to say bye to her and me too.  They are adorable and it has been really nice for me to see that Lucy is capable of making a friend - yes, she's now a big girl. But before bedtime that night Lucy told me Lily isn't going there anymore.  I don't know if it means this week or she went somewhere else.  Maybe their circumstances changed?  Maybe she's getting free pre-K from the numerous towns who offer it (BESIDES MINE)? I don't know. Lucy was sad, and I was too.  Jerry told me later that I was being dramatic, "It's daycare, she's 3, there will be sooo many friends." I know he's right, but I caught a glimpse into the future.  The shifti...

Like everyone else on the planet Amy and I are trying so hard to adjust to the school schedule that we  almost missed the fact that today is our One-Year Blogiversary! One year ago (today) we took the plunge and started this thing.  Throughout this year we have learned a lot about each other and also our "fans".  We are different, but the same.  We love our kids with our whole hearts and we make a lot of mistakes.  We are way too hard on ourselves, but we are also doing a pretty job of enjoying this chaotic time in our lives.  We are moms doing our best.  We are all living it, Amy and I just write about it. Doing this blog is an extra thing on our to-do list, but it's become a necessity.  It's added a whole new layer to our friendship and it is a major source of stress relief (a rewarding one at that).  We plan to continue forever.  Yes, that's right this will live on and on and on.  How else will we survive these turbule...

Tonight is the official start to awards season (even though the really big and good ones are not until the winter).  Amy and I should be drinking wine and critiquing the red carpet, but instead I am looking at this mountain. The start of the year is so exciting in some ways and then so overwhelming in others.   The pressure I used to put on myself (having all classes graded immediately) is something I just don't have room for anymore. Instead of "I need to get this done," I am aiming more for "It will get done."  If you think about it both of those end with a final product...there is just no much pressure on the when . So for now, I'll be peeping at the fashion and the winners while the tv is on mute .  I'll carefully weed my way through these essays and tomorrow is a new week with, well new due dates. It will all get done.

And all of a sudden my "baby" is two . He can have a conversation, he's almost out of diapers and he can tantrum like a champ.  I guess those "emergency bottles" I've been keeping in the back of the cabinet have no use.  The extra pacis hidden in the junk drawer can be thrown away.  All clothes that end in "months" and not "T" can be given away.  My baby is now a boy. He seems fine with the change, it's me that's struggling. I've always been a bit out of my league with him.  His love for trucks, diggers, John Deere and overall destruction has forced me to become a real boy mom.  It might not be what I am used to, but I really "dig" it now. It's been quite a roller coaster ride.  I tend to forget the 10 months of no sleep and focus on the hours and hours and hours of snuggles and love.  But, I guess most of all when I think of John I think of his smile.  Happy Birthday big boy!

I knew the honeymoon of smooth days filled with getting-to-know-each-other activities and smooth daycare drop-offs was over when Wednesday hit.  You're probably not having your best day if you get to daycare only to realize that your daughter has no shoes on and you have no back-ups. Technically I still got to work on time, but it was close - very, very close. So instead of describing just how disconnected my brain feels from my head these days, I'd like to focus on two wonderful things that happened this week: The kids "washed the dishes" while wearing the cutest undies on the planet. I happen to teach some of the most wonderful, spirited and fun kids on the planet.  They exhaust me and give me life all at the same time.  What an amazing whirlwind to be in. That is all.

Last week was the first full week of school. Even as someone who thrives on work chaos, and especially as someone who was seriously looking forward to the routine... last week was ROUGH. Our PD did not fulfill me, like at all.... the AC was broken with not a fan to be found, I got heat stroke (it was debilitating and took me three days to fully recover), and then I thought I broke a tooth. I have no recollection of my tooth chipping, but there was intense pain radiating from my top right molars into the tippy top of my brain. It was Friday by the time I ran out of extra Strength Tylenol and decided to call my dentist. They felt "soooo bad" but they just couldn't fit me in... So, I spend my first Friday at work, before a holiday weekend, calling every dentist in the state of Connecticut. I finally gave up, said screw my anxiety, and called MY dentist back and begged to be seen. ALLL of a sudden, they could magically fit me in.  But only if I arrive ASAP. I ma...

Sometimes first days of work involve unpredictable doctor's appointments, double ear infections, and a run-in with one of the very first students I've ever had.  They can also harvest the best, deepest, most heart-felt hugs of your life. Had a full-circle moment when the medicine I needed to treat Lucy's ear aches was given to me by one of the first students I ever taught. She was in my third period class in 2008 and sat in the front row.  But she was a tough girl.  She was not mean, not disrespectful, but always skeptical and always making sure I did just what I was supposed to do.  She was always there, but didn't always smile.  She is someone I'll always remember (whether she helped me at the pharmacy or not). When she saw me she smiled big and said, "I was just talking about you earlier."  Earlier?  As in it hasn't been over 5 years since I've seen you last?  She's doing well and she helped me get my kid better.  Who knew that the ...

Determined to make this week still feel like summer, I tried extra hard to make my afternoons with the kids really fun.  Whether it was going swimming or going to a welcome back to school bash, every afternoon I had something planned to help ease the pain of our new schedule.  I exhausted myself (and them too) but I think they caught on to the sentiment - mommy isn't going to be here every hour, but she will be here when it counts.  Well, at least I hope that's how they feel. So, what happens when you plan an evening adventure to an outdoor eating venue and it's closed (until April)? You end up watching your son pour out a salt shaker while you order Wendy's for them on a random Tuesday night.  I don't do fast-food so this was a big deal, but the kids were hungry and it was getting late.  Surprise, surprise they ate well.   Also, not that I should have one but the frosty I had was out-of-this-world! I wrote last week about how going...