Class of 2010

Today we celebrated the culmination of 13 (some 14) years of education. Parents, students, teachers and guests donned their finery and feted the accomplishments of 172 students.
It was well done. There was a very good speech honouring the student who had just passed away and the young man who died a year and a half ago. There were more then a few teary eyes but, we managed to avoid hysteria.
Unfortunately, there was another accident yesterday involving one of our grads. He's currently fighting for his life in the hospital. He won at least 3 scholarships. He has plans to be an Arts Ed. teacher. He's a very talented photographer. He should be taking a family trip to South Africa next week to attend the World Cup Bronze Medal Game. He's a great kid. I loved teaching him. Please pray for him and for recovery.

Not the way to end...

It's like a bad script except, it's reality.
One of my grade 12 students was in a very serious car accident the day before school ended which also happened to be the day before his 18th B-day. While staff and students wrote and marked Final Exams, friends and family kept vigil at the hospital hoping he would wake up. Last night, he died.
Tomorrow is grad.
I taught him Psych last year. He was in the same class as his good buddy who died in a car accident that semester. It doesn't seem fair that he's gone. He was just on the cusp of adulthood.

Grad is one of my favorite celebrations. It's the icing on the cake for teachers. I love watching my students transform into these radiant, happy and excited young adults about to take their first brave steps into a big, new world. Tomorrow's grad won't be like that. We will want it to be exciting and celebratory. We will want to ooohh and aaahh over tuxes, dresses, hair styles, limos and awards. Then, we will look at the beautiful brunette who will be there without her date. We will look at the empty chair on the stage. We will see the rivulets of mascara running down cheeks. It will probably feel more like a funeral.

Please pray for this young man's family, my students and my staff.

Happy Hour

Simon's sleeping. I LOVE his afternoon nap. I love how happy he is when he wakes up for it. The sun is out. Here's a list of things that make me smile.

1. Schmoo Daddy - The guy works all day, comes home to wrestle with an overly enthusiastic toddler, endures my endless nattering, then goes for a family walk, gives Simon his bath, puts him to bed and watches LOST with me (we just started Season One - we're a little behind but, I hear it's pretty good.)
2. Jogger - I quit running just before I got pregnant with Simon. That didn't stop me from buying a used Jogging stroller. It's my best friend this summer.
3. Revamping the Old - My fall class list is sweet. I'm teaching mostly all grade 9 Social which is one of my most favorite classes. I'm actually excited to dig into my pile of binders and revamp some cool assignments for the fall. (Not so cool is the one other class I've been assigned... Science 9? What the heck? Oh well... a girl can't have everything.)
4. Humidity - I love a good thunderstorm. I love basking in the heat.
5. Good Taste - I can drink coffee again without nausea. I can eat bananas again without nausea. It's summer and there's tons of summer fruit for Simon and I to chow down on. It's also BBQ season... yum!

(I love this picture because I love Simon's hat. I think it's the cutest thing in the world on his tousled head.)

20 Weeks

(Every time I hear the above song by the Weepies, I think of parenthood. I thought I'd share.)
Updated belly shot (post nasty cold sore) and less pondering to come later.

Half way there!
Don't get me wrong,
we're excited.
Only this time,
it's like being strapped into a roller coaster.
We know that it'll be crazy ride
full of ups and downs
and stomach lurching moments when
the whole world is
up-side-down.
All we can do
grin at each other in that
nervous kind of way
and hold on
tight to one another's hand.
This ride's only just
begun.

First Aider

I spent my sunny Saturday inside. I wore a jacket and jeans to stave off the chill of air-conditioning.
I had to do my First Aid Recert.
It was okay. The instructor let us go early. I almost finished reading "The Hours" on my breaks and over lunch.
My First Aid has been refreshed. I found the AED instruction pretty interesting (well, as interesting as a sunny day trapped inside learning can allow) and I reviewed how to help a choking or non-breathing infant.
I hope I never, never, never have to put any of this knowledge into practice.

When it's not raining...

Don't you want to put on your sneakers and come for a walk with us.

Progress and a Curse

After talking to a new mommy of twins yesterday, I was reminded that newborns sure do take their time eating. Simon was no exception. We used to watch episodes of the Wire while he ate before bed. Last year, at this time, I was a Dairy Queen lounging and nursing my little man.
Today, he polishes off 2 pieces of raisin toast and a half a banana at breakfast. This kid eats more then me.

On a whole other nasty note, I've decided that I'm cursed. The other day, I woke up to a familiar tingly feeling on my lower lip... and just under my nose. Two cold sores had erupted while I slept. Blech!
During my second year of teaching in Lanigan, a well-meaning young lady came to our school to talk to the kids about abstinence. Part of her presentation was to talk about STIs. She mentioned that colds sores were a sexually transmitted disease. I think she was getting her Herpes viruses mixed up. My face turned red as the cold sore on my lip became a beacon for all my grade 9s to stare at. I also noticed a very shy and quiet grade 9 girl slouch down in her seat to hide the cold sore eruption on her nose. Needless to say, I corrected her and we moved on but, really... how uncool was that.

rain

It's been a busy week. I can't complain. All is well in my little world.

Simon is insatiable. He eats and eats and eats. He outgrew 2 pairs of adorable slippers while I had my back turned. He points at everything and says "euh". He's in this stage where he can't communicate and can't move anywhere on his own. His frustration level has led to more then a few meltdowns. He'll have his break through eventually... until then, it's "euh"...

I have one more day of subbing booked. It actually was a lot of fun to go back to my school and reacquaint myself with the kids without having all the prep, extra-curr and marking pressure. Our baby-sitter is pretty amazing. I'll be sad to see her go.

It's been birthday week around here. I turned 31, Trevor turned 30 and my adorable niece is now 1. I'd like to say that I feel wiser and more mature now that I'm "getting on in age" but, I think I won't notice that I transitioned to my 30s until I'm transitioning to my 40s and missing them.

All it does in this province is rain. It's crazy how much water has fallen in the past month. I'm hoping for some sunshine for next week. I'm starting to feel like I've got a bit of cabin fever.

Schmoo 2.0 is on the move. My placenta is facing out so, I don't feel as many little kicks and flutters as I'd like but, I know that he or she is squirming around. I also have a bump. I'm getting to be at the cute stage of pregnancy where, I can just barely start wearing maternity clothes or squeeze into my jeans. I'm also still pretty agile and able to carry Simon wherever his little heart desires. Finally, the nausea's gone. Every now and then, it creeps back but, at least it's not all day, every day anymore.

Better ask Jesus

While riding back to the school with the ILP (Special Needs) students after a grueling :) session of Laughter Yoga, my seat partner had a few questions about my life.

B - Miss, Miss, who looks after your baby son when you're at school with me.
Me - He has a great baby-sitter who looks after him.
B - Oh, that's good. Are you going to have another baby someday.
Me - Actually, I have a baby in my tummy right now.
B - Really?
Me - Yep. This baby's coming in November.
B - So you have a baby at home and a baby in your tummy? Two babies?
Me - Yep.
B - HOW MANY BABIES DO YOU NEED, LADY?
Me - Um...
B = That's a lot of babies. Babies are a lot of work!!!
Me - We might have 3 someday.
B - Oh dear. You better ask Jesus about that. That's a lot of babies.


It's true, Mr. B. That's a lot of babies. Thanks for the reminder!

(Mr. B. also told me that it hurts lots and lots when the hospital cuts the baby out of my tummy. I could have explained the whole childbirth process to him but... I didn't. Today, he was worried because I ate a chocolate bar at lunch. Babies are too little for chocolate so, I shouldn't have any. Sigh...)

Snuggles

We finally have Simon into this wonderful routine where, we read stories and cuddle a little, put him in his crib and he puts himself to sleep. He's really good at it and, we're glad.
However, somedays, like today, I just have to sneak in some extra cuddles and I rock him to sleep. I'm pretty sure that I'm doing it more for me then him. I just love the feeling of him all soft and limp in my arms with his satiny baby hair up against my cheek. I love his contented sighs and sweet baby breath. My little baby won't be my baby for much longer. Soon, I'll be glad to stick him in his crib as I tend to his more demanding sibling.
I'll miss this time with him.