Monday, August 20, 2012

The next step

Well... we made it through the first day of kindergarten. It feels like a dream as it came and went in such a blur. Before you know it, he will be driving, going to prom and getting drunk on Boones Farm (I hope not.)

I never understood what the big fricken deal was about starting kindergarten until.....I happened to my kid. None of us had tears, we were all mentally ready but I still felt the magnitude and the velocity of what what happening from about 6am-8:15am this morning.

So, the other kicker about today was that Hudson got in to the Dual Language Immersion Program. A BIG deal for E and I as we really wanted this for him. (lottery winners!)
100% Espanol from day one people. The kindergarten DLI teachers are not allowed to speak any English to the students or the parents (at least in front of the students.)

Right out of the gate, Hudson's teacher asks him (and all of her students as they walk up):

"Como te llama?" (What is your name?)

I watched him struggle and then I translated for him in his ear. Shortly after, she managed to form them all in a line and had them quieted and following her into the classroom like little ducklings....all done in Spanish.

((The DLI curriculum slowly integrates English back in, so that by 6th grade (the final year of the DLI program) they are reading, writing, and speaking in English and Spanish. That's sort of the deal, in a small nut shell.))

When he came home today, I asked him how it went and he said "It went great mom."

Then later he said, "Mom, do you know what 'Grande' means?" I didn't want to burst his bubble with my Spanish skills, "Un mas grande cervesa por favor?" (One more large beer please.)

So I said "No?"

"It means 'Large' mom."

A great day indeed.

On another note.......
One major difference between 1st and 2nd pregnancy.
1st pregnancy: "How am I ever going to push a baby out of this?"
2nd pregnancy: "Holy shit, I just sneezed, is the baby on the floor?" How am I going to keep this kid in there for another 3 months? I'm seriously afraid to laugh too hard or I may crown.













Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Pregnancy Rant: Bumbo seat recall

I attended my girlfriends baby shower just this past Sunday, and bought her something that I loved and used when Hudson was a babe. A Bumbo seat. You know those colorful chairs made of foam that you can set babies in. Well, they were recalled today due to a large amount of infant skull fractures while using the Bumbo seat.

So, I let my girlfriend know that I had just bought her a baby skull crushing item, but I kept mine and was still intending to use it, you know, the way it was intended. She agreed and mentioned she wasn't an idiot.

First of all, these are chairs for babies, not full time nannies. It says right on the box that they are not to be used on high surfaces and you are not to leave your baby unattended.....so basically don't set your baby on top of the bar, in the seat, while you go do Jagger bombs, you dip shits. The Bumbo seats are merely a way to hold your baby up while your are on the floor playing with them or trying to shove peas into their mouth, not as an excuse to prop them up on the dinner table so you can see them while you mow the lawn.

What is wrong with people? No wonder these chairs made of nothing but foam, cost an arm and a leg, complete boneheads purchase them, misuse them and then sue the company. You don't need straps in the god damned chair to protect your baby, just pay attention to your kid and use your head.

I'm going to write a parenting manual called "Common Sense" and it's going to be 1 page long with one sentence "Use common sense and your kids will be fine."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/15/bumbo-baby-seats-recall-_n_1778152.html





Saturday, August 11, 2012

A birthday letter: Five

Dear Hudson,
Happy 5th birthday! This year was big, as your dad continues to recover, you adjust so well. You have a huge heart, you're a rule follower, and you still punch your dad in the "peanuts" which isn't that cool. You are neurotic about your hair, obsessed with collecting keys and still aspire to be a real ninja.

Your preschool teachers described you as loyal, a good friend and creative. Not to shabby.

This year you learned how to snap your fingers (getting blisters from practicing), you learned how to ride a 2 wheel bike, you love art, and you started Karate to work toward your ninja dreams.

You watched me pee on a stick and after explaining what to look for, your response was "Oh my gosh mom, WE are having a baby!" It was the response that every woman wants from their husband. Because at 4, you are not doing the math, running the numbers or re-working the house plans for a new baby. You are just genuinely excited. I wish this as something you could hold on to when you go through this with your own family one day, if that's what you choose.

You tell me repeatedly that you are going to marry the baby, your sister, and have more babies that I can take care of. I don't have the heart to tell you that's highly inappropriate (in this state at least.) Of course I asked you the question most (warped) mothers would "What if she's ugly?" you responded with "Well then I will make her pretty, I will get her earrings, some bracelets and maybe a necklace or something." Brilliant.

To top off the year, you graduated preschool and in one week you will be starting kindergarten. Immersion kindergarten. Which means you will be taking on a whole new school, all new friends and a new language. You are excited and open minded. I know that this experience will shape your life and I can't wait to see what you do with it.

Again, all that being said, you have taught ME so much this year. Patience, unconditional love, and how not to hold a grudge for more than 60 seconds, being the top 3. Although we've had a trying last year and a half, you still have so much love for your dad and I. You look past all the stress and the bullshit and always remember what's most important. Your simple mind in a complicated world keeps me a (fairly) sane and extraordinarily happy person.

Thank YOU, Hudson, for the best year yet. I can't wait to see what this year will bring.

Love, your momma.

P.s. You have convinced me to go to Disneyland twice in one year. I hate Disneyland but I love you, so, your welcome and don't expect to go again this year.






















Tuesday, August 7, 2012

The name game.

When you get pregnant, there are 3 things that everyone wants to know.

1. When are you due?
2. Are you going to find out the sex or wait for the surprise?
3. Do you have any names picked out?

The due date is easy. The second response was always "The surprise is if this baby is going to be a Harvard graduate or a serial killer. I need to know if
I’m going to be working with a penis or a vagina for the next 20+
years.”

As for my third response, now that we are 100% sure (unless the ultrasound was wrong) we are having a girl, the big question is “Do you have any names picked out and what are they?”

This topic is a little dicey for me and here is why. For some reason,
people ask you, you tell them, and then they feel the need to give you
their opinion. Which I think is weird. But, we all do it, myself included.

This is why, I am generally not a name sharer before the baby is born because once your baby is born and you decide to name them after your favorite Power Ranger - people are not going to give you their opinion on what a dumb name it is to your face. They will do it behind your back and in this one particular instance, that’s how I prefer.

So, do we have a name picked out? Yes, we have a few, but we probably
wont decide until we see her (or him…you never know.) Am I going to
share what the names are? No. But if you REALLY want to know, you can
ask E or Hudson and I am sure they would be more than happy to tell
you the name of the day.





Sunday, August 5, 2012