Traditions

(foreword: I was going to post more pictures, but Blogger is being a jerk, so they will come later)

Happy Christmas Eve to all! It has been a busy day here. And yet, relaxing at the same time. For the last couple of years, we have managed to stay home on Christmas Eve. Which I really enjoy. Caitlyn gets to really experience what the night before Christmas is all about.

Since I was a child, my mom has let us open one present on Christmas Eve. The really good gifts were never under the tree by then, so there was no fear of us getting the good stuff the day before we were supposed to. I have carried this tradition over with Caitlyn. She was in my room around 10:00 this morning urging me out of bed so she could open her present. When she finally decided on which one, she wasn't all that thrilled with it.



Connect 4 was not on her list, and I thought she would enjoy it. After we played a few games, she packed all the pieces back up and put it away. Where it has been since this morning LOL!!! It's all good, she will have the gifts she loves tomorrow.

We then went to the grocery store. Which I have decided will never again be put off until the day before Christmas. Because, good LORD that place was a freaking disaster. But I did find this really cool gingerbread decorating kit. The cookies are made and all you have to do is load them up with the gooey gel and candy decor. Right up my alley. Mom and Dad even got in on the fun of decorating them!



I was also thinking that I want to bake cookies with the girl every year on Christmas Eve. But not from scratch. I am perfectly content buying premade dough and then using some cookie cutters. Regardless of where the cookie comes from, it's the actual process of shaping the cookies and spending time with me that is important to Caitlyn. So who cares if I make the batter from scratch or not right? Caitlyn loved, LOVED, doing this. And the cookies are quite tasty too ;)

Because we don't have a fireplace, Caitlyn early on began asking how Santa gets into her house. Right around this time, my friend Shelley sent us a Santa Key. It was perfect timing. The key is now hung on the outside of our door every Christmas Eve. Once Santa uses it to get in, he hangs it on the inside of the door.

The last of the traditions that took place tonight was right before bed. Since Caitlyn's first Christmas, I have bought her new pajamas to sleep in. Her first were from Gymboree and had the cutest little penguins all over them. Of course, they were preemie sized. She has had some really cute ones in the years past. I think my favorites were a green, red, and white striped pair that came with a stocking sleeping cap. She was able to pick hers out for the first time this year. And she didn't pick a pair that have a Christmas theme. Instead, they are just a winter theme. And they are no longer preemie sized, but rather a 7/8. Amazing I tell you. I just can't believe how big she has gotten!

She is now tucked in her bed, after checking one last time where Santa currently is on the Norad Santa Tracker. He should be here in a couple of hours according to them. So she knows she has to fall asleep quickly.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!!! I know we will.

Christmas Concert and other things

The girl had her Christmas concert at school. It was splendid. All of the second graders were on the stage at once, so there were about 95 kids up there. They sang 4 songs, of which I really can't remember the names. Caitlyn had a sore throat that week, so she kept making faces at me and motioning that she needed a cough drop. As if I could do anything about that at that very moment.


She also got her progress report, which basically is a midterm report letting parents know where the kids are at and where they will be when report cards come out. Caitlyn is overjoyed, as are we, with her grades. She has all A's right now. That is what her goal for the year is. I can see that sometimes she gets too focused on her grades and is quite the determined child when it comes to getting an A on anything. I often have to remind her that B's are fine too. And C's are okay provided she put forth her best effort. She does know though that a D or an F really isn't acceptable around these parts. But where she gets this drive from to succeed in school like this, I'll never know.

More to come after Christmas :)
I am pretty much done with all of the Christmas stuff. Not only is just about everything bought and wrapped, I have also wrapped the Santa gifts for Caitlyn. Truly, this is a huge feat for me. Santa's gifts always come in wrapping paper that is different from any we have in the house. I buy it special and it is based on what Caitlyn is "in to" that particular year. In there past, there has been Barbie, Princesses, Tinkerbell, etc. This year, it is High School Musical. Go figure. Once all Santa's gifts are wrapped, the paper is put away under the stairs, never to resurface. Well, at least not until she knows Santa does not bring her gifts. Which should be within the next year or so. Mainly because the kids at school are really starting to talk. Which is fine with me. We got a good 7 years, hopefully at least one more, of the sheer excitement and joy of Santa, and I am content with that.

We have been having crazy weather here in Chicago. Loads of snow and freezing cold weather. The snow and ice resulted in snow day for me on Friday. And it allowed for Caitlyn to play outside with the neighbor's son while I shoveled. This weekend has brought us temperatures that are below zero, so we have been pretty much holed up in the house. The only good thing to come out of that, is all the stuff I have been able to get done since it's too cold to leave.

Caitlyn loves to knock people down in the snow. Here she is getting my neighbor.

This is going to be a long one!

OK, time to catch up on everything that went down since last Thursday. We were going nonstop! But had an amazing weekend!

First off, the concert. OMG! The girl and I had such a fantabulous time that I am already wanting to take her to another one. She is a little superstar. I picked her up from school and we hit the road right away since we had about a two and a half hour drive. It's a good thing we left when we did cause the weather was crappy and there was blowing snow all the way there.

We got to the hotel, checked in, got ready, and headed right back out the door. When we got to the venue, we bought a Carrie Underwood t-shirt (for her not me). And that stupid shirt was $30.00!!! Yeah, you read that right. For a lousy t-shirt. But it was the only thing she asked me for all night, and it's a good keepsake for her. So we splurged. Then we sat down and had some hot pretzels with cheese before the show started.

When we got to our seats, I was amazed at how great our seats were. There was a runway that ran down the middle as well, which gave us a great view of the performers as they came out there.

So when the lights dimmed, the girl got so antsy I thought she was going to explode. Everyone had their cameras pointed at the stage ready to take a picture of Carrie. Not me. I had mine strategically aimed at the girl ready to get the expression on her face when Carrie came out. And it paid off!


So here are just some random pictures that I think came out pretty good.











Caitlyn's most favorite part of the concert was when the confetti fell from the ceiling at the very end! She wore her ear plugs the entire night and never complained about them. And afterwards I was so glad that I had her use them. She didn't complain about any ringing when we were back at the hotel at all.

So all in all, I am so so so glad that I bought those tickets. Yes the concert was wonderful, but we had so much fun hanging out in the car on the drive up there and back and having dinner and breakfast together. We just yakked and yakked the entire time. So it is definitely something that the both of us will remember for many years to come!

When we got home on Friday, we had enough time to unpack our overnight bags, only to repack them for the weekend. Once we were packed, we headed out to have our nails done and be pampered for just a little bit longer. Once they were dry, we went and picked up her dress from the cleaners. We went through a drive through right quick and got home with enough time to eat while Matt packed his bags before we had to head out again.

At the hotel, Caitlyn went swimming with her cousins and uncle while Matt and I got ready for the rehearsal. Then we were off to the church for that. Before we knew it, it was 10:00 and we were stuffed with loads of good food and had to make our way back to the hotel because we had to get up so early in the morning.

Once back at the hotel, all the kids went into one room and climbed into bed....while the adults headed into another room for a few nightcaps! Again, time got away from us and suddenly it was 1:30 in the morning!! And Matt, Caitlyn, and I had to be up at 7:00 in order to make it to the hair salon. So we had to shag everyone out of our room...much to their chagrin.

So we got up bright and early, raced to the salon, got hair done, raced back to the hotel, got dressed in our finest, and raced out the door to the church for the 12:30 ceremony. Which was absolutely beautiful. Caitlyn did fantastic walking up the aisle and looked so gorgeous!! She was a perfect angel throughout the entire ceremony and never complained about how long it was taking.

After pictures were taken, we all headed back to the hotel for some food. Once that was eaten, I told Matt that I wanted to the girl to take a nap as I knew she would end up being exhausted if she didn't. Lo and behold, it took her all of about 7 minutes to fall asleep once I had her out of the dress and in the bed. Then I managed to squeeze in a nap as well.

At 4:45 we were awake and getting dressed again to head to the reception. Where a good time was had by all. Once the kids were picked up at 10ish by the baby sitter, the adults were allowed to indulge in some spirits and act like fools on the dance floor.

Needless to say, by Sunday I could not only wait to get home and do nothing, but I was so eager to actually sleep in my bed that I practically walked in the door, dropped the bags, and headed straight for it.

Monday was hard and all three of us were really dragging ass. But it seems that we have recovered today. If you have managed to read all of this nonsense, you certainly are devoted. I will reward you with some pictures of the girl in her flower girl dress. Tell me this kid isn't going to be a looker when she is older.

Innocence is Bliss

Caitlyn and I were in the car the other day and we were listening to the Carrie Underwood CD (of course). The song Before he Cheats was on and she was signing it at the top of her lungs. She suddenly stops and says:

"Mom, I have a question."

N: What's that baby?

C: What does she mean when she says cheat? Is she talking about like cheating in a game or something?

I thought to myself, if she thinks tearing up someone's car is reasonable retaliation for cheating on a game, what in the world is she going to do if she ever has a boyfriend who cheats on her?? God help that guy! Then I thought about how innocent her question was and how she really didn't have any idea what the song was really about. So I told her in simple terms that her boyfriend wasn't nice to her and that's why she is destroying his car. And I swear to you, she had this look of utter satisfaction on her face. It was almost frightening.

Needless to say, I think when it comes to dating, she will probably be able to hold her own.

Tomorrow is the concert and we are completely psyched for it! She is having a difficult time sleeping tonight because she is so excited. I booked a hotel room for us so that we don't have to drive back home afterwards since it is about a 2 hour drive. The weather here has been kind of crappy, so I am not taking any chances of driving that late for that long should it end up snowing or something. Besides, it will give us more mommy-daughter time, which is always a fantastic thing!

When we get home on Friday, we are going to have our nails done for the wedding. Then we are off to the hotel that we are staying at for the wedding. Where she plans on doing nothing but swimming until it's time to go to the rehearsal.

Then Saturday we are getting up early to have our hair done. Then the wedding starts at 12:30. The reception doesn't start until 6, so we will have some downtime in there.

Sunday, we have a birthday party to go to by our house. Hopefully that will be low key and relaxing, cause we will need it.

All in all, it will be a crazy busy weekend. And come Sunday night, I think we will both be so wiped out we won't know what to do with ourselves.

I can't wait to see her reaction tomorrow when she actually sees Carrie Underwood in the flesh. She is going to go insane!

Report Card and Reaction

I will start with the report card and parent teacher conferences. First of all, the teacher had us shagged out of the room within about 7 minutes. Matt says it's because we had the meeting about 2 weeks ago, I say it's because she just doesn't want anything to do with us. Whatever the case may be, it made for a quick and easy conference.

Caitlyn's report card was outstanding. She was all worried that she was going to get a C in writing. And Cate puts a lot of pressure on herself to succeed in school. She and I need to work on curbing that at times. Sometimes I think it is how she views school and other times I think it's just part of her drama queen genetic make up. Either way, she really strives to do well at school. And it showed on her report card:

Reading A
Writing B
Math A
Science A
Social Studies A
Library A
Music A
PE A

and she got a ribbon for excellent citizenship. So all in all, a great report. Teacher had nothing bad to say about her. Said she participates all the time in class and is so well behaved that she often forgets she is even in there. To say we are pleased is an understatement.

The outstanding report card led to the big surprise. After she saw her report card, all she did was ask me what her surprise was. She had to wait until we got her from my mom's, went to the office supply store for more crap for my homework, and ate dinner. So by the time I told her I was ready to give them to her, she was already near spontaneous combustion from the anticipation of it.

I made her close her eyes and put her hands out. (side note....why do we do that?) I put them in her hands and told her to open her eyes.

The look of complete shock on her face was priceless. The interesting thing was that she knew what they were immediately. Obviously she read what it said, but I didn't expect her to know they were concert tickets.

Without looking at me she said:
"You got Carrie Underwood tickets??" In a low voice, completely stunned.


I told her yes and that was when the jumping and screaming and of course, tears began flowing. Yes, she cried. That's what my kid does. Apples and trees I tell ya!


She wanted to just sit and stare at them all night, but I had to put them away because I just knew if they were laying around any longer something was going to happen to them.


And now the countdown begins.

Tomorrow is the Day!

So tomorrow is Caitlyn's report card pick up. We have our conference with the teacher at 4:30. I am fairly certain that it will go just fine. I have no worries after our last meeting.

BUT..... I told Cate that if she did awesome on her report card that I had the best surprise ever for her. I know her report card will be fine, so I figured it was a good way to work the tickets in as a gift to her. She has no idea what the surprise is and she WILL NOT stop asking me what it is. If the kid was more observant around here, she would have seen them sitting on the dining room table since I got them last Friday!! But, alas, she is not and there they sit. She is also going nutso because the country music awards are on tomorrow and Carrie Underwood is going to be on them. So she and I have a date to sit and eat junk food and watch the awards. (I just need to make sure that I have the insane amount of homework done that is due on Thursday so that I can sit with her and watch them)

I have to say that I loved the idea of putting them on the breakfast plate that I received. But I had horrible visions of the things getting milk or some other runny substance spilled on them and not being able to use them. So I nixed that idea.

Will let you know how it goes!

I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HER FACE!!!!!

Decision Made

I bought them!!

I managed to bargain with the seller and get her to sell them to me for $65.00 less than she wanted. So I got 2 tickets, 21st row, for $190.00. Which is only $80 a ticket, so not bad. It chokes me up a little to think of that money being spent on them. BUT, I got my tuition reimbursement check last Friday and somehow we managed to get a nice little check from our mortgage company. Seems there was leftover money in our escrow account when we refinanced. So I could rationalize the frivolous purchase knowing that between those 2 checks, there is plenty left over to throw into our savings account.

The girl does not know yet. And I need a creative way to tell her about them. So if anyone has any ideas, feel free to share with me please.

Thanks for voting in the poll. It was kind of fun having that up there to check daily and I may consider putting one up every week. Something silly. I really considered the 3 comments that were left too, that encouraged me to just go ahead and do it. The one that I took to heart the most was Colleen's. Her daughter Kennedy has had a really rough go of it over the last year and her comment really put everything into perspective for me. So thank you Colleen :)

Now I am super excited to go to this concert. Not because I really want to see Carrie Underwood, I have already seen her twice at Country Thunder. But I CAN NOT wait to see Caitlyn's face when she hears we have the tickets. More than that, I CN NOT wait to see her face when she is a mere 50 feet away from her. I know I will be the only fool in the audience crying. And not because of the performance, but because of how happy my little Mojo is going to be!

Poll

Ok, Caitlyn loves (LOVES!) Carrie Underwood. She can't get enough of her. There are 2 tickets pretty cheap on ebay. Normally I would buy then in a heartbeat and take her. Here are the issues I am having:

1. It's a Thursday night, I would miss my last class of the term.
2. It's a Thursday night, she would miss school on Friday.
3. It's in Madison (I'm in Chicago), so about 150 miles away.
4. We would need a hotel in addition to the tickets and other crap I end up buying.
5. It's 2 days before she is standing up as a flower girl in my brother-in-laws wedding.

I don't know what to do. I really really want to take her. I just hate that it's so far away. There are still tickets at ticketmaster. However, by the time that I pay all the silly fees they have, I would end up paying the same amount for those on ebay which are FAR better seats.

Vote in the poll that I have put up in the side bar and tell me what to do.

******EDITED: Those of you who vote, leave me a comment and tell me your reasons for voting yes or no***********

The Conference

No I am not in jail needing bail money (but thanks for the offer Tiffany :) ) The meeting actually went really well.

Imagine my surprise when we were greeted by the principal and told that we would be meeting in her office with the teacher! That's what I get for CCing the principal on all my emails right? Completely fine with me, I think the principal needed to be aware of what was happening in this classroom anyway. Hence my copying her on all of my emails initially.

There was no beating around the bush, I basically came right out and told them both that Caitlyn was not happy in this classroom, and I believed that she was also afraid of approaching the teacher. I really don't think that they expected me to say anything of the sort to be honest with you. Which I found great joy in. The principal looked at me funny, almost appalled, and said, "I can't understand why Caitlyn would be afraid of Mrs. L?"

And that's when I laid it out there for them both!

I told them that it started with the whole snack issue. And the principal was about to cut me off. I put my hand up and said that there was more, that was just what initiated all of this. Then I told her that she has been told in the classroom on several occasions that they needed to have fewer emergencies for the bathroom. Again, they were about to interrupt and I talked right over them and told them about the book situation and her not being able to read the library book that she brought into class. Once I had it all out there, I let them talk.

And talk they did! And in the middle of all that talking, there was a whole lot of back pedaling. Not to mention crazy distorted faces by the teacher. She insisted that she would never tell Caitlyn that she couldn't read a book from home. She also insisted that she was certain that they had a bathroom break on that Tuesday and that Caitlyn was mistaken. I am pretty sure that my daughter didn't lie about it, but even if there was a second bathroom break, my child was not comfortable enough to approach you and tell you that she needed to go to the bathroom again. So regardless of how many breaks you took, you still weren't accessible to my child when she needed you.

Once we got through what all of the issues were, I pulled out my ace in the hole, so to speak. Despite all of the medical ramifications that can happen from holding in urine or sitting in wet pants, I through this gem out there:

"Her father is an insulin dependent diabetic. When Caitlyn presents with issues that are characteristic of those with diabetes (intense thirst, urination issues) then there is reason for me to be concerned because her health is in jeopardy."

Oh the looks on their faces were priceless. And I do wish I had a camera so I could show you the pictures. Their mouths dropped open and they didn't even know how to respond. The only thing they could say was, "We have no way of knowing that." No, you don't. However, there are lots of things about these kids that you don't know. Therefore, you should not make blanket assumptions that just because a kid says they are having a bathroom emergency everyday that they are lying. Because there is obviously information that you don't know and that lack of knowledge could cost a child their health.

When all was said and done, Mrs. L said she was going to have a private conversation with Caitlyn the following day to assure her that she could ask her anything, especially when Caitlyn felt as though it was an emergency. She never did concede to saying she did the things or said the things my daughter said she did. But that's ok. Based on her reaction, it is clear that this teacher is NOT accustomed to being confronted by parents who question her judgement. (much like I reacted when she took my kid's snack away) In the end, my ultimate goal was reached.....

This lady now knows that Caitlyn informs me on everything that happens at school and that Matt and I take our daughter's educational experience very seriously. I think they got the idea that we don't just let things happen to her and when things are said and done that make her uncomfortable, we react accordingly. Needless to say, I really don't think this teacher will be messing with my kid anymore. She knows that we will be in there in a heartbeat if she does.

Oh and by the way.....Caitlyn told me that kids are now bringing in applesauce for snack time. Not only is that using a utensil, which was clearly shunned in the letter (same letter the principal wanted to show me in the meeting), but I also didn't realize that there are that many moms who make fresh applesauce for their kids. Note....that is sarcasm, I am certain it is the Mott's brand and in no way shape or form is that a damned fresh fruit or vegetable.

I do wish I had that gem the day we went to the meeting.

T Minus 90 Minutes

Until the meeting with the teacher from hell.

Wish me luck. Hopefully she will understand that when it comes to my daughter's well being and education, I am not someone to mess with.

I'm nervous, and I'm not really sure why. I guess it's because I don't really know what I want out of this meeting. I just want her to start treating my daughter with the respect she deserves in school. Caitlyn is now saying that she wishes she wasn't in this classroom. She is hiding books in school that she brings from home so the teacher doesn't see them. She is constantly worried about what I have packed in her lunchbox for snack. She asked me to put an extra pair of panties in her bag in case she has an accident because they didn't get a bathroom break.

My heart just breaks for her. She shouldn't have these worries when it comes to going to school. She should be worried about what she is going to wear and how much homework she is going to get and whether or not she will get to go on the playground equipment at recess. Not this other crap.

Will update when I can.

New Voting Machine

This is priceless. Matt and I were watching Chocolate News on the Comedy Channel, don't ask, it was on after South Park, and this was a skit on there. I thought it was hysterical. Let's just hope it's nowhere near the truth!

Oh, and wish me luck tomorrow. We are meeting with the teacher at 3:00. Say at prayer at that time that I don't hurt this lady and end up in jail. Will update tomorrow after the meeting.

A Horrible Nightmare

Before I tell you about the dream I had last night, here is the reply from Cate's teacher regarding the email we sent her. Now this just pisses me right off for several reasons.

Mr. Walsh,

I can meet with you on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday afterschool at 3:00 or later if that is more convenient for you. Please let me know what time works for you.

Mrs. L

No mention of anything that we brought up in the letter. Also, second email we have sent, both have included me, they just came from Matt's email. First time she called Matt and completely ignored me. This time, completely ignored me again, despite the fact that our email was signed from both of us. This woman is not chalking up any points from me. God help her on Monday at 3:00. I want you all to say a silent prayer that I don't end up on Cops. Please.

Now on to the hellish nightmare that I had last night that I haven't been able to stop thinking about. ALL. DAMN. DAY!!!

Every morning I drive 2 blocks north and 1/2 a block east to drop Caitlyn off at my mom's house. I walk her in the house, say my goodbyes, give kisses and hugs, and I am out the door.

In my dream last night, I decided to drive the 2 blocks north. And that's it. I opened the car door and took Cate out and said to her:

"You can walk from here. You know the way."

I gave her kisses and a hug, and I remember touching her cheek as I kissed her. Then I got in my car and drove off. Fast forward to hours later (isn't that always how dreams work?) and I am back at home. There are loads of people there, my family and friends, but no Matt and no Cate. Turns out, she never made it to my mom's. And all I can think of is how in the world did she not get there? She only had to walk a bit over 1/2 block??? Then it occurs to me. My child is missing. She has been abducted. I have no clue for how long, who would have walked or driven up to her, who she stopped to talk to, nothing. and I begin sobbing hard. To the point that I can hardly breathe.

I then notice that everyone around me is just carrying on as if it's business as usual. Just another party or gathering at Nancy's house. So I start to think that they must know something that I don't. And I then flip flop my thoughts between two lines of thought.

1. She just hasn't made it to my mom's yet. (It never occurred to me that it shouldn't have taken her that long to walk the small distance to my mom's.)
2. She has been abducted.

At one point I remember someone saying that they knew a car had pulled up to talk to her. But I kept thinking it was impossible that she got in that car because we have had that conversation. She knows better.

Then Matt calls. Mind you, I haven't yet told him that his daughter is missing. I actually debate whether or not to tell him, or wait just a bit longer for her to make it to my mom's house. (Apparently I was really clinging to this theory and all logic had gone out the window.) I decide to tell him and again break down into hysterical sobs, to the point of not being able to breathe again. The whole time, these people are meandering about my house as if they couldn't comprehend why in the world I was so upset.

Then my alarm went off. I woke up dripping with sweat and my face covered in tears. I ran into Cate's bedroom and guess what I saw?? She wasn't in there. Nope. Gone. It took me a minute to actually realize that she hadn't been in there all night cause she slept at my mom's last night. But for that fleeting moment, I actually thought that the dream was in fact reality and somewhere among the people milling about my house I had fallen asleep and when I woke up it was really true that she was missing.

Needless to say, I called my mom's to talk to her. It was almost as if I had to just make sure that she was fine. I swear I haven't been able to stop thinking about this all day. It has been nagging at me. and I have come to the resolution that whether she likes it or not, she is not going anywhere without me for a looooooooong time.

An email has been sent

Matt and I have sent an email to the teacher requesting a conference for any day after school next week. We have also sent a copy to the principal. I am thoroughly pissed and disgusted with this teacher. I am near the point of asking that Caitlyn be moved to another 2nd grade classroom and Matt agrees with me. The only thing stopping me from doing that is the fact that Caitlyn enjoys the kids that she has in there and I certainly don't want to do that to her.

I had Caitlyn outline the day and tell me the exact schedule of what they did. At no time in the afternoon did the teacher take them to the bathroom. She also made it clear to the kids that she was not to be disturbed as she was testing other students. My daughter took that literally and thought she wasn't allowed to ask her anything.

Another thing Caitlyn told me she said (and Caitlyn quoted her):

"Don't bring full water bottles. I am sick of you having emergencies, emergencies. Especially when we are working."

News flash bitch....they wouldn't have emergencies, emergencies if you actually carted them to the bathroom as a group once in the morning and once in the afternoon. And who is she to say that school policy of bringing in water is no longer acceptable.

The longer it takes for me to get a meeting with this lady, the longer I have to seethe about this.

It's not getting any better

The situation with the teacher that is. Truly, I think we are now at the point where she is just out to punish me, which directly correlates to punishing my child. Which in turn, directly correlates to me being a really pissed off mother.

Now we all know how things went with the snack issue. Well, I haven't pursued it any further. Partly because when I really think about it, it isn't directly effecting Caitlyn. It is more so my own pride that has been getting in the way. So I figured I would suck it up and just send the damned fresh fruits and vegetables after all. It's not difficult for me to do so I will just suck it up and do it.

Until the two instances that occurred in the past week.

Some history, we all know that Caitlyn is a fantastic reader. I recently told her that from now on, she will be reading more chapter books and fewer easier books. And by chapter books, I mean chapters that are about 4 pages long. I just want her to get in the habit of reading things that are a little tougher for her. For every 2 chapter books she reads, she can read any 2 books that are easy that she wants. I figure it's a good compromise. Secondly, the school issues library cards for the Chicago Public Library. They send home these elaborate letters about how we should encourage our child to use the library, take out books, learn how to look for books, etc. Being the good mother that I am (usually) I follow this and traipse her over to the library to take out books. We have actually been doing it since last year and the girl loves it. So I tell her to take Gus the Greedy Puppy to school so she can finish it during silent reading.

Caitlyn obliges and takes the book out when the teacher announces that it is time for silent reading. She takes the book up to the teacher and tells her that she got it from the library and she was going to finish reading it. No what the teacher's response was? No, you have to read a book from the classroom library.

WTF??? REALLY????

I was going to confront the teacher, then thought better of it. This bitch is digging her own grave with me. No doubt about it. First of all, anytime a kid shows interest in reading, you allow them to read. Secondly, who really gives a shit where the book came from? It's not like I sent her to school with Playboy or anything. I wouldn't do that until at least 4th grade :)

Then yesterday happened. Again, a bit of history. Caitlyn came home last week and told me not to send her water bottle to school with her. See we get another elaborate note from school every year about how kids need water to learn. When they are hydrated, they are more alert, etc. Again, I follow the directions. I asked Cate why she didn't want it sent and she said the teacher told the class that there are too many bathroom "emergencies." So Cate was worried that if she had the water bottle, she would have to go to the bathroom. Well sure she will, it's the natural progression of things right?

So she comes home yesterday and it turns out she had an accident. A pee accident. The way Caitlyn tells it, they didn't get a bathroom break during lunch. Which is at 11:30. Nor did they go in the afternoon at all. Caitlyn asked at one point to go to the bathroom and was allowed to go. A little later the teacher went on a tirade about the "emergencies" again and after Cate went to the bathroom she said no one else was going. Again.....WTF???? REALLY???? Maybe if you took them to the bathroom at regular intervals throughout the day, these kids wouldn't have to ask you to go on an individual basis. But I digress.

Around 2:15, Caitlyn had to go to the bathroom. Badly. It was an emergency. She heard the teacher earlier, so she was afraid to ask. She relieved herself a bit in her pants. Probably enough to release the pressure that was building in the poor child's bladder. She told her teacher she had a small accident, who then said ok and sent her to the office. The office sent her back to class as they don't have a change of clothes for her. Nor does her teacher. See normally, my kid, like other 7 year olds, don't have accidents when they are allowed to go to the bathroom, so there was no need to send in a change of clothes. Caitlyn sat in the damp pants until she got to my mom's house around 2:50. Where she proceeded to break down into hysteria because she was so upset that she had an accident.

This morning, I told my daughter if she ever felt like she really had to go like that again and the teacher says no, that she is to leave that damn classroom and go to the bathroom. I certainly don't want my daughter suffering from a UTI, bladder infection, etc because this bitch won't take her class to the bathroom.

I haven't yet figured out what I am going to do. I don't know what to do. All I know is, this woman is in a serious power struggle with me and she is taking it out on my kid. and I am not having any of it. I want to see what happens after school today. Because of course, I sent her to school with a Junie B Jones book that certainly didn't come from the classroom library. If she even utters a syllable of disgust, this woman is going to feel my wrath. I have to talk to Matt about what we are going to do, because I think things are progressing to a point that indicates that they are only going to get significantly worse.

Progress Reports

Progress reports came home from school on Friday. Caitlyn has amazed me once again. She has all A's right now in her subjects which is fantastic. But that's not the part that amazed me. They are doing DIBLES testing again, it was done earlier in September. They don't look at as many categories as they did last year; this year they only look at nonsense word fluency and oral reading fluency.

Benchmark for nonsense word fluency is 50 words per minute. Caitlyn is reading 54. So she is meeting the benchmark.

Benchmark for oral reading fluency is 44 words per minute. Caitlyn is reading 98. 98!!!!!! The benchmark for June is 90. The average words per minute read by a third grader is between 100-110. To say I am stunned is an understatement. This kid is cruising along in the area of reading. And what's even more amazing is not that she reads at this level. Cause we all know decoding words isn't the most important part of reading. What's important is whether or not you can comprehend what you have read. And lo and behold, she is.

On Thursday last week, she read her first chapter book completely on her own. She was so very proud of herself for reading a book that had close to 100 pages. And I think her mom is pretty stinkin proud of her too. Then over the weekend, she read another chapter book. So now she is all gung ho to go through her bookshelf and clean out the books that are just too easy for her. And I am all about that seeing as we have books crammed in every nook and cranny of that shelf and 2 tubs full of them as well. Now I need to figure out what to do with all of them.

In other news, Matt's football team is tied for first place in his conference. He is playing the team he is tied with on Friday. So any good vibes you can send on over to Chicago would be spectacular. I would love for him to win his conference.

My school district has signed a new contract. So there will be no striking for us. Thank goodness. Things are crazy there as usual. Though it seems to be a much calmer year than it was last year. We had a couple "high profile" kids leave at the end of last year, so I think that's the reason.

As for my master's program, I have 2 really intense classes this term. One of the classes is online and I swear it is more work than the classes I sit in class for. The class that I have on Thursday is a huge amount of work. And I am convinced the instructor doesn't like me. Which is fine with me, so long as I can manage to get through until December and get the credit for the class. I currently have a 4.0 going and I would like to keep it that way. Let's just hope that the fact that this woman doesn't like me doesn't interfere with that ;)

Caitlyn is leaving for Atlanta on Saturday for a couple of days. She is going there with Rita to visit Jimmy. She is ecstatic about it and has been counting down the days for weeks. I am a little nervous though. Not because she will be away for 2 days in a different state. That happens all the time in the summer when she heads up to Wisconsin with Matt or Rita. What I am nervous about is not being on the plane with her. She isn't afraid of flying, she enjoys it actually. I just worry that if something were to happen, that I wouldn't be there to comfort her. I am sure it will all be fine and she will have a wonderful flight, but it scares me a bit.

What a Week

Life has been rough in the land of the Walshes this week. Started off with me getting a sore throat on Monday. Which by today, has progressed to a full on horrible cold. I have been this sick since I had the shingles. That was the last time that I actually had a cold. So I guess 3 years in between colds is nothing to complain about. But I am still going to because it sucks. Bad.

I also started 2 classes this week. One of which is online. They are both going to be a shit load of work and I really don't know that I am going to be able to keep up with it all. Although, I managed last spring during annual reviews and what not, so I have to keep telling myself that I can do it. I was hoping to graduate with a 4.0, but this term may do me in and ruin that dream. It's quite possible that I could end up with a B in one or both of the classes. Only because I would have to settle for work that isn't A quality in order to maintain my sanity. But it's only the first week, so I have to see how things turn out.

Work is crazy. Our district filed an intent to strike on Tuesday. Which means that we could be on strike as early as 26th. Scary. While I am hoping that it doesn't happen, I think that we are correct in demands that we have set. A fair contract is all we are asking for. Nothing more than what we feel we deserve. If we do end up going on strike, look for me at your local Wal**Mart as I will probably be getting a job as a greeter. "Welcome to Wal....will you be needing a cart today?" I have been practicing in front of the mirror. Can you tell?

Caitlyn is doing fantastic in second grade. She loves it. She loves her classroom and her friends and her teacher. She did tell me this morning that when the teacher writes on the white board, it is often hard for her to read it. I made her promise that she will ask the teacher if she can move her seat closer or if the teacher can write larger. While the Mama Bear side of me wanted to spring to action and call the teacher about it, I decided that I would first allow Cate to do some self advocating first. She is perfectly capable of it, and it is certainly a skill that I think all children should learn. So hopefully whe I ask her after school if her desk has been moved (which it has already been moved 3 times this year and I m not sure why) she will tell me that it has. Or that the teacher has made another accommodation to help her see the board. Will keep you posted.

Only 6 more hours and I can go home, take some sleepy time meds, and crawl into bed where I plan on staying for the duration of the weekend!

An Award

For little ol' me? How sweet of Tiffany to think of me :) You should check out her blog. I do love when she goes on tirades about how stupid people can truly be. She is a woman after my own heart, at least when it comes to cursing people out ;)

Now for some nominees on my end:

Of course I have to nominate Stephanie. She is the person that got me in to this whole blogging thing anyway. Although, I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. But I love her dearly and she has some really cute kids too.

Next up would have to be Kari. She was a little hesitant to start blogging at first. But I will say that once she started, she became a maniac! She has three beautiful babies, all born prematurely. And she has such an amazing outlook on life despite the crappy hand that she is sometimes dealt. While you are visiting her blog, you should check out her dad's blog too. Every now and again, Gary manages to make me tear up when he writes about his daughters and grandchildren.

Here is another Stephanie. She has boy girl twins who were born 17 weeks early. Here husband is an aspiring professional boxer, who is doing amazing things with his career. Stephanie is always so articulate when she and I are discussing issues related to prematurity. Unfortunately, her blog is private, so following the link will prompt you to log in. If you want to read her children's amazing stories, send her an email for login information.

And last but certainly not least, I nominate Abby and Sharon, they are Hallie and Olivia's moms. Hallie has certainly managed to give these ladies a run for their money when comes to feeding issues. I swear they could both be certified nutritionist after all they have been through. Hallie is an amazing little girl who never ceases to amaze me.


Here are the instructions for the following Brillante Weblog Premio award recipients:



1.Place the Logo on your blog


2.Link to the person who awarded you


3.You can nominate up to 5 blogs


4.Add their links to your blog


5.Leave a message in the comment section of their blog to notify the winners.

Stephanie is right

In a few years I will look back at this ridiculous string of posts and laugh my ass off. I know that. Like I said, I am laying low for now until I can have my ducks in a row. Although I can tell that my kid is wanting to really push the buck with this too. When I asked her what she wanted for snack she said that she really wanted to take dried fruit. Now she knows that the teacher told Matt this is not acceptable. But she also knows that her mother will go to bat for her if need be. And to be honest, I think my kid gets a kick out of me raising hell in her defense. She is just too smart for her own damn good I tell you.

So we got a note home yesterday that the kids are encouraged to wear red, white, and blue today. For obvious reasons. Well, last night when Cate and I were picking out her clothes, she wanted to know what holiday it was today. And I told her it was "Patriot Day" and that it wasn't technically a holiday. She wanted to know why she had to wear certain colors if it wasn't in fact a holiday at all.

And then I had to explain to her why she was being asked to wear the colors of the flag. And it was horrible. I could see the fear in her face. I tried to put it all in to kid terms as much as I possibly could. But no matter how gently you say that bad men flew an airplane into a building and killed thousands of people, it doesn't lessen the blow. I think the worst part of the conversation was when Cate asked me if the men flying the plane meant to kill those people and I had to tell her yes. the absolute look of confusion on her face paired with her fright was gut wrenching.

I tried to tell her that the reason her uncle is a soldier is to try and prevent things like this from ever happening again. That wasn't going to console her. If anything, she was concerned by the fact that there is the possibility that it could happen again. And I know she isn't alone in that fear.

I was able to calm her down and get her giggling eventually. But there is nothing worse than having to tell your child about the evils in the world and knowing that there is nothing you can do to shield them from those things. Whether she learns them from me or hears them from other people, she is going to learn that the world can really be a hateful place at times. And that makes me sad. Sad because I can't keep her in her happy little "everything is right in the world" place forever.

Replying to Comments and an Update

Okay, first of all...4 posts in 4 days? I think that must be a new record for me. Maybe I will set a goal for a post a day for all of the days remaining in September (a girl can dream right!)

This snack saga continues. I need to comment on a some of the things that were said in comments as well let you all know about some new information that I have received as of yesterday.

Steph, I get the issue of a special diet and that putting some restraints on what kids are allowed to bring. However, we have not been informed of any severe allergies in the room thus far.

Kari, she is pretty young, a bit older than me maybe by a few years. I do however, think that she is a very uptight person. Judging from the way that she walks and speaks, she doesn't seem to have a bone in her body that would allow her to chill out. If she does have that bone, then it's the one that is stuck up her bum and it does her no good up there.

Tiffany, I agree that if this woman only has the battle of worrying about my kid's snack, she should be thankful. People like that, they always piss me off. Maybe she should be more concerned with the larger issues that are sure to take place in her classroom.
She was quick to tell Matt on the phone that this is a guideline set by all of the second grade classrooms; there are three of them, so about 100 second graders in all. Out of those 100 kids, I know that I can not be the only parent who takes issue with some of these rules. Which is why I am going to back to school night and talking to parents on the playground when I am able to drop off/pick up Caitlyn. I need to rally my troops so to speak.
In the original letter that was sent out, it was clear that messy foods were not allowed. She doesn't want anything too sticky cause then their desks get all sticky. I am beginning to believe that this woman really is borderline OCD. We are talking about second graders here, 7 years olds. It is their sole purpose in life to be messy and sticky and get everything around them just as messy and sticky as they are. I do wish I would have kept the letter so that I could let show you just how over the top this woman truly is.

Now an update:
Caitlyn was allowed to eat her snack that contained 2 snacks in one yesterday. Which is a blessing. Not for me, but for the teacher. Seriously, if she had denied Cate that snack, you would have been watching the news screaming, "OMG, I totally know that mom from the internet forums we are on!!!" And I would have looked like a crazed lunatic spouting off shit about cheerios and raisins. Although, I may just get off whatever charges are placed due to insanity. Because, really, who goes on and on and attacks teachers over cheerios and raisins. But I digress.

I left work early to pick Cate up from school. There were 3 reasons for my wanting to do this. 1, I had to get the hell out of work. I am overworked and horribly stressed right now. So leaving an hour early did everyone around me some good. 2, I wanted to make sure that Cate was allowed to eat the snack that I packed for her. And if she wasn't, then I was a mere 37 seconds way from the principal's office; to which I would have immediately headed. 3, I wanted to talk to some of the other parents about this issue. Because you know, sometimes I really do over react. It isn't until after I have cooled off and done some research that I realize I have gone temporarily insane and may not have handled things as well as I should have. So I wanted to make sure that I wasn't the only one irritated with the snack policy. Here is what I learned from my playground adventures:

1. It would seem that a child is allowed to have dried fruit for snack. As long as it is not my child. A parent I know fairly well has already sent in dried fruit with no repercutions to their child. Mental note, send in dried fruit and see if teacher denies my child snack, then have this parent speak on Caitlyn's behalf as to why her child was allowed to eat that but mine was not.

2. It would seem that a child is allowed to bring in things like cheese sticks and crackers for snack during the winter months. This was told to me by a parent who had a son in this class last year. He was able to bring his cheese stick and enjoy the hell out of it despite it not being a fresh fruit or vegetable. Unless of course that has recently been added to those food groups unbeknownst to me. This parent also informed me that they received the exact same note, with the exact same guidelines, last year. Which leads me to believe that this policy was in effect last year as well, and she managed to bend the rules for those kids, but again, not for Caitlyn. Same mental note made as above.

3. Mentioning the issue of money and the fact that some of the students receive state assistance and free/reduced lunches upsets some people. Despite the fact that it is true, they certainly don't think that those things should impact whether or not those families can provide only fresh fruits or veggies for snack. Especially in the winter when they cost an arm and a leg. Mental note, those people who don't want to talk about families who struggle and second grade snack isn't priority on their list, suck. I need not talk to them anymore.

4. Saying the word fuck in front of a born again christian, not the best idea. They will just turn their backs and walk away from you. Mental note, avoid that person because I have a trucker's mouth and certainly don't want to offend her further.

So here is what I have decided to do:
I am going to continue to only send in fresh fruits and veggies. In the mean time, I am going to continue talking to other parents to get their impression of the rules that have been laid out for us. I also need to get my hands on parents who have kids in other classes to see if the rules are as stringent in those rooms. Because if they aren't, well then Mrs. L has clearly painted herself into a corner as her foundation for all of this is that the rules can't be bent and it is a second grade policy school wide. All I need is for one parent to say that their child has been allowed to bring something other than fresh fruit/veggies in the last week. Once I have that, this woman is going down.

But I am not making my move until I have all of my ducks in a row. And once I do, this woman will not know what hit her.

The response

Well, it certainly wasn't what I was hoping for. I really just wanted the teacher to say that the note was not to be taken literally. That it could be interpreted to mean a healthy snack and not just limited to fresh fruits and vegetables. But I was not so lucky.

She called Matt after school yesterday around 3:30. Matt expressed his concern with Caitlyn not being allowed to have a snack when hers was deemed inappropriate. Mrs. L replied by saying that she handed out snacks on Wednesday and Thursday to those children that didn't have any. To which Matt quickly replied that our child wasn't even in school on Thursday. And he wasn't concerned with those 2 days, he was concerned with the Friday that his daughter was without a snack. To which she really had no reply other than the fact that it is the responsibility of the parents to provide the snack, not hers. Correct me if I am wrong, but I did provide a snack and you told my child she couldn't eat it???

Matt also questioned what the policy would be if our daughter needed a special diet. He mentioned that she was born extremely premature and often times we boost her food with some added calories to help out in the weight arena. She of course said she knew nothing about Caitlyn's medical history and Matt was quick as a whip in telling her that it's because she just assumed that all was well and she could take his daughter's food away. Every now and again a side of Matt comes out that I just love ;) Matt was worried once he said this that it would prompt the teacher to say that maybe Caitlyn would need a 504 plan if she had special dietary needs. And she may just do that. But this lady certainly doesn't want to play the special ed game with me. Cause she will surely be fighting a losing battle. See in the world of Chicago Public Schools, 504 plans are handed out for some really inane reasons; and mostly incorrect reasons. Her dietary needs in no way impact her educational performance. Thus, no need for a 504. So I dare the woman to spout that shit at me.

Matt also questioned whether or not dried fruit would be allowed. Mrs. L's response was that it is not fresh fruit and not as healthy. It's healthy in other ways. It has many benefits. Benefits that are different than those of fresh fruit. I can print out the literature if she needs me to. I would be more than happy to do that for her.

She did say that it becomes difficult to obtain fresh fruits and vegetables at the height of winter for obvious reasons. But basically said that still only fresh fruit and vegetables would be allowed. I call bullshit on that. In the winter months I am not willing to pay an arm and a leg for these things when I can provide her with dried fruit.

Mrs. L said that as teachers we should understand that if the rules are bent for one child, then other parents will want them bent as well. News flash lady, I wasn't asking for the rules to be bent. I was asking that you allow any and all snacks that are in fact healthy. Whether or not you believe them to be, there is nutritional value to Cheerios and raisins. And dried fruit.

The most amazing thing to me is that there is a large population of children in this school who are receiving free and reduced lunches and breakfast. There are many families who receive state aid who have children that attend this school. While Matt and I can certainly afford to go out and buy fresh fruits and vegetables weekly, there are many families in this community that can not. How dare this woman decide how other families spend their money?

Caitlyn also mentioned when we were at the store that they are only allowed one snack at a time. Last night when I was making lunches, I packed her grape tomatoes and green grapes. I DARE this woman to tell my daughter that she can't have what was packed for her today. I will follow her guidelines, but you can bet your ass that I am going to push the envelope every chance that I get. Unless of course it starts to impact Cate. Then I will follow the rules nicely.
(until the end of the year when I key her car)

This saga is not going to end anytime soon. I think that it is now becoming a power struggle and is going to continue through most of the year. Back to School night is on the 25th; it's a Thursday and I have class. But I will be talking to my professor about missing that night. I want to bring this up in front of all the parents and see what their point of view is on all of this.

The email

Here is the email that Matt and I sent to Cate's teacher. I had to keep telling Matt that he needed to reel it in as he was being really mean and vicious. Then he got angry with me when I would ask him not to use words like deprive, and other words that make us sound as though we are attacking her.

It really was a difficult email to write. Only because what I wanted to say, I couldn't. I really just wanted to lay into her about how she has no right to tell my daughter what she can and can't eat provided what she has is healthy. So it was very frustrating to try and compose this.

Hopefully we will get a response sometime soon. We sent it off last night around 10:00 and I was sick to my stomach after I sent it. All I can think about is the possibility of this teacher now being mean to Caitlyn because of the email. Let's hope that doesn't happen. And God help the woman if it does because Matt is horribly fired up about this whole situation.

Dear Mrs. L,
I was a little concerned when my daughter, Caitlyn Walsh, came home on
Friday, September 5th, and told me that she was not allowed to eat the
snack that my wife, Nancy, and I packed for her. She told us that she was
told she could not eat it because it was not a fruit or vegetable.
However, it was in fact a healthy snack. In case you don't remember what
it was, she had Cheerios and raisins mixed together in a baggie.

I understand that you are trying to promote a healthy lifestyle by having
the children consume fruits and vegetables, and we support that. However,
the Cheerios that we packed for her aide in lowering cholesterol and are
made of whole grains and oats and the raisins are dried fruits (grapes).
We try our hardest to provide Caitlyn with healthy food choices throughout
the day and avoid foods that are high in sugar and fat. Which is why we
thought the snack that we provided was appropriate. We read the note that
was sent home regarding the guidelines of what the students are allowed to
bring as a snack. However, we did not interpret the note to literally
mean that they were only allowed to bring in fruits and vegetables.
Rather, we thought it meant that they were allowed to bring in foods that
were healthy. Which, again, what we provided for her was a healthy snack.

What is more distressing to us, is that when she was told that she could
not eat what was provided for her, you did not replace her snack with
something else to eat. Thus, defeating the purpose of eating a snack
midday entirely. In the future, if you feel that the snack that we
provided for her is somehow inappropriate, it becomes your responsibility
to give her something that you feel is appropriate. At that point, I
expect either an email or a phone call to discuss why the snack provided by us
was inappropriate.

Please know that we are not the type of parents who typically complain
about how a teacher runs their classroom. In fact, my wife and I are also
both teachers. We just feel that this situation was handled poorly and
the only person to suffer because of that was Caitlyn. She was teary eyed
when she told us that we had packed a snack for her that she couldn't have
and was quite angry about it. Please realize that we have also included
Mrs. Ortiz in this email because we wanted her to be aware of our concerns.

If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to reply to
this email or call me on my cell phone listed in the signature line of
this email. We appreciate your attention to this email.

The new teacher

Let's hope that what happened on Friday is not a sign of what is to come of this year for the girl.

On Wednesday, Caitlyn came home with a letter from school about the need for a snack to be brought every day. The note was short and stated that the snack should be fruits and vegetables. It also stated that the snack should be stored in a disposable container, and the need for utensils is discouraged as they eat the snack as they continue to work. I took the note to mean that a healthy snack should be brought to school. I talked to Caitlyn about the things that she could bring and we mentioned things like dry cereal, raisins, crackers, pretzel sticks. Basically foods that are not junk but would hold her over until lunch time. Sounds logical right?

Caitlyn stayed home from school on Thursday because she had a fever. She started showing signs of a cold on Monday, of course, the day before school starts. BY Thursday she was coughing and sneezing and had a fever. So she didn't have to take a snack to school.

On Friday, I packed Cate's lunch and put in a snack of Cheerios (the plain old cardboard ones, not honey nut) and raisins mixed together in a baggie. Dropped her off at my mom's and took myself to work. When I got to mom's after work to pick her up, I checked her bag for papers and looked in her lunch box to see what she had eaten. Imagine my surprise when I found that her entire snack was still in her lunch box completely untouched. I asked her why she didn't eat it. I figured maybe she wasn't feeling well or just wasn't hungry, despite the fact that her entire sandwich had been eaten. She got all teary eyed and said:

"Mrs. L said I couldn't eat that for a snack because it wasn't a fruit or a vegetable."

I was shocked but not overly concerned. I asked her if the teacher then gave her something to have as a snack since she couldn't eat what she had brought. Nope. My kid sat there with no snack. Now correct me if I am wrong, but the whole purpose of the snack is to help kids make it through until lunch, and you took my kid's snack away and didn't replace it with anything, thus defeating the purpose of helping her get through until lunch?

Cate then told me that a friend of hers shared her snack with her. So I am glad that she had something to hold her over.

I have numerous issues with what transpired over this snack. Here is a nice little list of things that this teacher will be getting an email about:

1. Raisins are in fact fruit, they are simply dried fruit. Grapes really. So she should have at least been able to eat those.
2. Cheerios are marketed as a healthy snack as they have been known to aid in lowering cholesterol. They are basically grains and oats and are nothing more than a healthy snack.
3. How dare you refuse my child her snack because you deem it to be unhealthy and then not replace it with something that you find to be more appropriate?
4. Are you seriously questioning my judgement about what I feed my child? Do you think that I don't know what makes a healthy snack for her? I understand some parents need teaching in this arena, I however, am not one of those parents.
5. There are only so many fruits and vegetables that can be taken as a snack that fall into your guidelines of disposable packaging (which by the way is a horrible lesson to teach kids when you are always spouting about recycling and saving the earth), no utensil required, not sticky, and not disruptive. So if I choose to mix things up for my kid and make her snacks a little more interesting, how is that wrong?

Caitlyn and I did go out on Saturday and pick up a bunch of things that she could take for snacks. Naturally we got grape tomatoes (was there a question?), we got some carrot sticks, apples, bananas, and some dried fruit. I told her that if she wanted to, she could take some tomatoes and carrots on Monday. To which she replied that she is only allowed one snack.

Now, I really get that this teacher wants these kids eating healthy. You don't have to stress that to me. But I have one of the healthiest eaters on the block when it comes to 7 year olds. She would turn down junk food for tomatoes any day. She turns away cake at just about every damn birthday party we go to. The kid takes peas to school in her lunch because she loves them so much. She probably eats more of a variety of fruits and vegetables than most kids her age. So we are not the parents that need to be preached to about presenting healthy meal and snack choices to our kid.

Matt and I are drafting an email. He was actually going to go into the school on Monday during his free period to talk to the principal about it. So if he is his fired up about it, I know that it's a big deal, since he is usually the one telling me that I am over reacting. I told him that before we go into the school hissing and spitting, we need to contact the teacher. As teachers, we both know how pissed off we get when parents completely skip that step and go straight to administration. I also told him that I am proof reading the email before it goes out as I know that Matt can get hot headed at times. We are also sending it from his email account as it will have the Chicago Public Schools address attached to it, which he feels will be more powerful. And we are also copying the principal on it. Matt feels it is a power struggle move by this teacher. And I think I have to agree with him.

So please, please, cross your fingers that this is not the way that the entire year is going to go.

Really?!?!?!?

Has it been over a month? Ok, so the reason that I haven't posted any updates is because......yeah, I have no excuse whatsoever. Other than the fact that the girl and I were enjoying all of our summer days together. It was fabulous. Splendid. Exhausting. We went on vacation to the lake a couple more times. Slept in a bunch of days. Swam at mom's in the pool. Went to the park. Pulled weeds in the yard. And just had an overall fantastic time.

And now we are back to the real world of school and homework and work and dance classes and brownies and team meetings and IEP meetings and football practice and football games. It's never ending and I remember why I love summer months so much every August/September when we arrive in this place once again. So here is a recap of the last week as it has been probably the most eventful of the summer (how is that even possible?).

I returned to work last Monday. All was going wonderful until 2:00 when I received an email from the admin office saying I had to stop by there to pick up a letter that was delivered for me. It came certified mail and was from a law office. Yeah. Fun. Turns out it is a subpeona for a deposition. I will not (and can not) go into details here about what it involves, but needless to say, it completely sucks. So happy first day of school for me. We are now done with the first week, and things are in full swing. Almost to the point that it seems I never left for 2 1/2 months.

Matt's team has been furiously practicing and managed to win their first game on Saturday. It was a really good game and his team looks great this year. So hopefully he will have a good season. Because we all know that Matt having a good season also equates to a happy husband, wife, and household.

Caitlyn is fantastic. She is wearing her glasses like a champ and loves wearing them. The most exciting thing that happened to her this summer is that she had a tooth knocked out. Yes, you read that right. My little lady who is always the girliest girl on the block, managed to get her tooth knocked right out of her mouth. She was swimming in the pool on Sunday and she and all the kids were splashing around like crazy and she got hit in the mouth. We didn't know right away that her tooth was missing until she started laughing and had blood all over her teeth. Gross, I know. The funniest part of the story is that one of the other little girls there said she was going to find the tooth. I shrugged it off, because it was a baby tooth in a big pool that had a blue and white speckled liner. Lo and behold that child came up about 47 seconds later with the damn tooth in her hand. Caitlyn was a trooper about the whole thing and was thrilled to learn that the tooth fairy leaves more money for teeth that are knocked out as opposed to those that fall out naturally. Thanks Mom.

Today was the first day of second grade. Holy smoke.....did you read that right??? SECOND GRADE!!!! How in the hell did that happen? She is excited and yet very nervous. She knows that things pick up in second grade and that more is required of her. I am sure she will be just fine cause she is the smartest little second grader that I have ever met (not that I am biased or anything). She looked so mature to me when I took the picture. We have let her bangs grow out this summer and they have gotten quite long. And a few weeks ago we went and got her hair cut much shorter than we usually keep it. And now she just looks like a "kid." Not a little kid anymore, a full blown kid.

And finally, for your viewing pleasure, first day of school pics with her glasses:

BIG News!

Some back story before I make the announcement. Matt's graduation ceremony was at Navy Pier. When the ceremony was over, we figured we would hang out and see the sights and watch the fireworks later that night. While me and Caitlyn were standing on the pier looking out at the sail boats, she asked me a strange question. Although, strange questions from Cate are not strange really.

Now, before I tell you the question, here is a picture from google images from right where we were standing.



If you look closely, you can see in the distance that there are some pieces of wood (not the rocks and the lighthouse, the line of objects in front of that). On these pieces of wood, it is not uncommon for birds to be perched. On the day that we were there, there was a large tour boat parked directly behind those pieces of wood. On said boat, there were people standing to look at the incredible view of the city.

So here is the question posed to me by the girl:

"Mom, what are all those people in line for?"

I told her that they were not in fact in line, that they were standing on a boat looking out. Her reply:

"No, not the boat, in front of the boat."

On this particular day, it was quite sunny, not like in the picture. So I gave her my sun glasses and told her to look again. One more time:

"I can see them the same mom. What are they in line for?"

I told her that they were not people and that they were pieces of wood. She insisted that they were people.

I insisted that we would be making a trip to the eye doctor.

Well, we went to the pediatrician this afternoon for her annual checkup and I informed the doc that I wanted a distance acuity test done on her. Lo and behold, my poor baby could not see at a distance with her left eye. The doctor said that we could go to a Pearl Vision or For Eyes, anything like that to have it looked at as she will probably need some glasses. However, she was very clear in stating that if they find anything more upon that examination, that I am to not let them do a thing and she would write me a referral to the ophthalmologist. That's why I love my ped's office :)

We high tailed it up to America's Best and Caitlyn had a full eye exam. And let me just tell you the look of surprise on the optometrist's face when she found out that she was examining a 25 weeker who had ROP!! I do wish I had a camera there with me. She actually couldn't believe that the ROP had resolved itself and there was not further damage to Cate's vision.

The optometrist was spectacular. She explained everything in detail to Cate prior to doing it, which is what the girl needs in order to be comfortable with any procedure. It turns out that her left eye is pretty weak. It does have a tendency to wander every so slightly (I have not noticed this since she was an infant). When she uses both of her eyes together, her vision is pretty good, damn near normal. But when forced to use her left eye alone, she just can't do it. So we were prescribed some glasses with a small prescription. The hope is that the glasses will strengthen her left eye enough that she won't need them in a coulpe of years. However, Matt's entire family wears glasses, so I wouldn't be surprised if that doesn't happen.

The girl is beyond thrilled. She got to pick out 2 pairs, yes I ordered a back up pair cause I am "that" mom. Then she got to pick out what case she wanted. They should be ready in about a week or so. I will post pics of her with them on once we have them.

A Funny Thing Happened...

...at the zoo today. Actually, it was a pretty amazing thing. Last week sometime Caitlyn asked me what an incubator was. Not even sure how the conversation came up. I told her it was basically a plastic box that she was kept in when she was born to help keep her warm, since her body was unable to do that for her. Today at Brookfield Zoo, we went into a section that has a bunch of areas where kids can have some hands on time with different things set up in different rooms. One of the rooms was arranged to mimic a vet's office. In the corner there was an infant incubator. I pointed it out to her and reminded her of the conversation that we had last week. I mentioned that this was pretty similar to the one that she was in when she was born.

Then it hit me. Not only did she now tower over the incubator, but she is so far removed from that plastic box that it's difficult to imagine her "now" body in that thing. So I told her to stand next to it and I would take her picture. Then she played vet with her dolphin. She put on her scrubs and went to work. She went over to the incubator and put the dolphin in through the arm holes and cared for her dolphin that way. Again, I was hit in the stomach with the memory of me putting my arms through those very same holes to "care" for her in the only way I could...by touching her.

It was so amazing to witness.

Caitlyn in the incubator (one of the few that I have managed to scan in) That's Matt's wedding band on her leg.



Caitlyn outside of the incubator



I was amazed at how intent and concentrated she was when she was "working"


She was quite tired after being there all day. We were barely out of the parking lot when this occurred.....I don't think the wedding band would fit on these legs LOL

Playing Catch Up

Sorry for the absence. Once Caitlyn's birthday hit, we were busy busy busy. We had her party with her friends at a place in the mall that is similar to Build A Bear, only way cheaper and just as good. The following day we had family at the house for a BBQ. Once we were settled from the parties, we went to the cottage in Wisconsin with Grandma and Auntie Mary and her boys. Caitlyn had a ball tubing once again this year and swimming was a bit hit again.

In between the events we had a couple really hot days where we didn't go to Grandma Linda's to swim so we played in the sprinkler in the back. Well, Caitlyn played in the sprinkler while I pulled weeds. Then we had Matt's graduation ceremony for his Master's. Which he had no intention of attending until I pretty much forced him to.

Caitlyn picked out the song for the montage. It is currently one of her favorites :)

Rather than posting all of the pictures individually, here they are in a montage. Enjoy :)

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Happy Birthday to the Coolest Kid I Know

My little girlie is 7 today. Crazy! She woke up at 6 this morning cause she was so excited about it being her birthday. I quickly shagged her back to bed. Only to be woken up not even an hour later with her squealing once again about it being her birthday. I love seeing her so excited.

We have her friends birthday party this afternoon at a place in the mall that is similar to Build A Bear. Tomorrow all of the family and some friends will be over at the house to celebrate with her.

Happy birthday Caitlyn! I love you more than you will ever realize.











More pics to follow in the next few days after all of the celebrations are completed :)