"Treat!"

Joslynn had her first "trick or treat"ing experience tonight. She loves being outside, so it was a great day for that. She can say "treat" although she is very reluctant to do so on cue. Isn't she the cutest zebra ever?!

Crabby Cures

This day didn't start out the best...in fact, I've been having a rough few days...since about last Wednesday, I would say...anyway, I started out Monday (today) being crabby for several reasons, which I will delight you with in just a minute.  I just need to say, though, that starting off your Monday with crabbiness, is not the best way to start off your week.

Crabby reason #1: None of the printers at school like me.  I swear these evil machines have it in for me.  I can't print to either of the upstairs printers because they truly are the spawn of Satan himself.  The one downstairs is finicky and on its way to really pissing me off since it picks and chooses when it wants to work.  You might be asking yourself, "What's the big deal?" Well, I'll tell ya...I have a sub on Tuesday that I was preparing for, I had morning supervision in the gym/cafeteria, a meeting during my prep and an appointment after school (more things to add to my crabby list) so every spare second was spent trying to get my substitute's materials all in place (because if you are a teacher, you know that its more work to be gone than to be there). So, why can't that frickin' printer work?

Crabby reason #2: I had morning supervison in the gym/cafeteria.  Its really not that bad to do, but I honestly have a million other things that I could be doing to get my classroom in order for my students (so that they can actually learn) so it is just frustrating to spend my time doing things like that.

Crabby reason #3: I am hacking up a lung.  I have been sick and now it is in my lungs.  I am wheezing and coughing, which makes my job of speaking in front of a classroom quite cumbersome.

Crabby reason #4: I had to kick a kid out of class today.  Now, this kid and I have not had a clash of personalities yet this year and I was very excited about that, so my biggest feeling upon this incident was disappointment that I had to resort to removing him from my classroom.

Crabby reason #5: The person that my meeting was with was late.  This has happened like 3 times before.  I wouldn't be too stressed about it other than the fact that I am waiting during my prep, and I am holding in the scream as I sit and watch precious seconds tick away.

Crabby reason #6: More kid issues.  I had to do some more very 'middle school' disciplining and it made me feel like a giant crab.

Crabby reason #7: I haven't worked out since last Wednesday.  I feel jiggly already.

Crabby reason #7 1/2: I had to go to the dentist today.  

Now, I call this my crabby reason 7 1/2 because this is where my day started to get better (yes, I said better) and I thought that maybe there was a cure to this crabby cloud that was hanging over my day...

Crabby Cure #1: On the way to the dentist I heard Beyonce's new song, "If I Were A Boy" (which I really like for some reason) and I just blarred it.  I don't get to do that often, because I usually have the kids.

Crabby Cure #2: Laughing gas.  Even though my nose was plugged, I still took some nice long pulls off of the laughing gas nose hose.  It was great giggly times.

Crabby Cure #3: I had a good talk on the phone with my sister.

Crabby Cure #4: I actually got to go to the store and get some ZiCam.  I figured I'd give it a try...it can't hurt.

Crabby Cure #5: Jackson's pictures.  We had Jackson's pictures taken when he was a month old and we are finally getting them back!  He is the cutest baby boy ever!

Crabby Cure #6: My friend Shanna is coming over tomorrow to show me a new purse she found for me for a steal of a price.

Crabby Cure #7: Thank you! Joslynn is like a little sponge of knowledge.  I think she learns something new each day...literally!  Today she said, "Tanku" (Thank you).  This weekend we taught her "treat" in preparation of Halloween on Friday.

Crabby Cure #8: I don't have to go to work tomorrow!!!!!  Even though part of my day will be spent bringing Joslynn to the dermatologist, whom she will most likely be terrified of, it will be great because we really need to get her treated so she isn't so miserable.  Either way, no work, no eighth graders, no drama!

So, in reality, I have 7 1/2 things to be crabby about and 8 crabby cures; it evens out!  My life is pretty good. 

Uh-Oh! (but cute)

Josh gave Joslynn her bath tonight while I was feeding Jack.  She likes to run around naked when she is done rather than getting dressed (who wouldn't?).  Well, I had a bad feeling about it tonight when she ran over to the couch where I was sitting and stood there making her bathroom sounds.  By the time Josh heard me or realized what she was doing, the damage was done...good thing it was only pee and not #2, otherwise Josh would have been in trouble.

Some new words have popped up since I recently updated Joslynn's vocabulary list.  She's so adorable when she says everything that I am always trying to get her to same something.  In addition to her many other words, she also says:

• Mimy (Mindy, one of our daycare providers)
• Jojo (another daycare provider, Jodi)
• Skew me (excuse me)

She can eat yogurt and applesauce with a spoon. She also knows how to cover her mouth when she coughs. She pats her butt to be changed when she is stinky, and she plugs her nose for "pew." I tell ya, no other human being could ever be as cute as her when she is smiling on que with green beans stuck in her teeth.

I'm such a loser!

I'm all proud of myself because I put all of my 151 kids' test scores into my gradebook (with curved scores), I corrected 3 sections of projects from a previous unit, then corrected another 3 sections of projects for a new unit (only 2 sections to go), and I did all of this before noon.  Then I looked around and realized what a loser I am.  I am the only person at school today (other than the custodians, and Shara did stop in for a few minutes).  I must be the biggest nerd alive! Although, I am a nerd that is actually par with my 'correcting' duties; usually, I am several weeks behind.  Oh, well, this will help me keep sane during the next few weeks.

Overdue update

I can't believe how non-addicted to blogging I have been for the past month or two.  I guess that's what happens when you are a single mom (basically that's what I am until the short break between soccer and wrestling), and then I am on my own again until mid March.  

The kids are doing great!  Jack is mellow and smiling at anything and everything and growing like a weed.  He has got to be over 15 pounds now.  You know he's big when he is wearing size 2 diapers as a 3 month old! He is still a little snuggle-pants, and he is a better sleeper (knock on wood) than Joslynn is.  

Joslynn is signing more and more.  She has most recently mastered two signs put together, "more please."  Its so cute!  She's my little genius.  She's still super picky, so we're trying to find some more foods that she'll eat. In addition to signing, she is working on saying a lot of words too! Here are some that I can think of...I'm sure I'm forgetting some.  

• Mama
• Dada
• Juuuuuu! (juice)
• Hot
• No, no
• Uh, oh
• Puppy
• Moo
• Baa (sheep)
• Duck
• lolo (lotion)
• Mo/more
• choo (shoe)
• book

She understands so many more too!  I love this stage where she can communicate back to us. She blows us kisses, gives great hugs and makes us laugh and smile more than I ever thought I could.

Josh is almost done with soccer, so I will have a little more help until the LONG wrestling season starts.  That makes the long, cold winter seem even longer than normal.  Right now, he is consumed with his STAR paper for his masters, coaching and work.  Hopefully we can manage to spend some time together so I can keep it somewhat fresh in my memory what being married is like.

I have been swamped juggling school, 2 kids, house, cleaning, etc... Grading 150+ papers/test/homework assignments keeps me busy until the late night hours.  I am still getting my classroom organized after moving back in.  My room is almost set up with the new technology, although once its in, then I need to figure out how to run all of it.  The house is constantly a mess and I never thought that would be okay with me, but I have gotten used to letting things slide a bit. (It still kills the inner Monica in me).  I do have a mini-self celebration as of late; I lost 20 pounds since my 6 week post-baby check-up.  Yeah!  Now the trick is to keep it off.

Now I need to start planning ahead on my science stuff so that I have a spare minute or two during the spring instead of having all of this late-night business.  How do I keep getting further behind when I should have more time than this???

Overall, the Stewart's are doing well.  We're busy, but good.