The Joy of Teaching

I'm heading into the BEST time of my job...my student teacher Ann (who is doing a fantastic job) is getting ready to do her "solo student teaching"...which means she has to do EVERYTHING for the next two weeks!

I have great plans...I'm not even supposed to be in the room much so she can have the "true" experience, so this is the partial list of what I'm going to be doing starting next Monday:

*I have to test every single 2nd grader on their reading scores: I would only have to test mine normally, but I'm nice so I offered to do all the kids since I have Ann.

*Progress Reports are due before xmas, so I've got grading and scoring to do.

*I've been meaning to organize all my IB (International Baccalaureate) stuff for 5 years now so I'm going to take 4 boxes of files, papers, notebooks, copies, books, etc. and make some sense of it all! This should take the better part of a whole day.

*I'm going to sneak in and organize my supply closet: I have things in there I can't find so I'm so excited to see what games, papers, paints, etc. I have hiding!

*I'm going to research Loan Forgiveness for teachers...I've heard some grumblings of different programs where the government will reimburse your student loans if you work in a high-needs school district for more than 5 years. I'll keep you posted what I find out.

*I'm going to outline my lesson plans for the rest of the year. This will take whatever remaining time I have left.

To reference a previous post...THANK GOODNESS FOR STUDENT TEACHERS!!!


HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU ARE A TEACHER?

1. You can hear 25 voices behind you and know exactly which one belongs to the child out of line.

2. You get a secret thrill out of laminating something.

3. You walk into a store and hear the words "It's Ms/Mr. _________" and know you have been spotted.

4. You have 25 people that accidentally call you Mom/Dad at one time or another.

5. You can eat a multi-course meal in under twenty-five minutes.

6. You've trained yourself to go to the bathroom at two distinct times of the day: lunch and prep period .

7. You start saving other people's trash, because most likely, you can use that toilet paper tube or plastic butter tub for something in the classroom.

8. You believe the teachers' lounge should be equipped with a margarita machine.

9. You want to slap the next person who says "Must be nice to work 7 to 3 and have summers off."

10. You believe chocolate is a food group.

11. You can tell if it's a full moon without ever looking outside.

12. You believe that unspeakable evils will befall you if anyone says
"Boy, the kids sure are mellow today."

13. You feel the urge to talk to strange children and correct their
behavior when you are out in public.

14. You believe in aerial spraying of Ritalin.

15. You think caffeine should be available in intravenous form.

16. You spend more money on school stuff than you do on your own
children.

17. You can't pass the school supply aisle without getting at least
five items!

18. You ask your friends if the left hand turn he just made was a "good choice or a bad choice."

19. You find true beauty in a can full of perfectly sharpened pencils

20. You are secretly addicted to hand sanitizer and finally,

21. You understand instantaneously why a child behaves a certain way after meeting his or her parents.

Things I Love About Maelin

Maelin is almost 8 months old. We've passed a few first milestones: rolling over, first foods, squealing, sitting up, first Thanksgiving, first Christmas is almost here, etc. and it got me thinking about how darn fast these kids grow up. It seems like I just had her: it seems like only yesterday I was sitting here writing about how tired I was and how Kevin and I never got any sleep and how horrible pregnancy was.

Now as I write this, Maelin is being rocked to sleep by her daddy. We had a great day today. We went to the park and went out to lunch with our friend Christina and we played with the kitties and then we took Maelin to the mall where she had her first few tastes of bbq! She's still getting over her cold so she's been a bit cranky, but just "delightful" (as her doctor calls her) anyway. She smiles so much and she just loves to be held and talked to. She lights up when she sees someone she knows and she loves to try to talk to them. She's discovered that her voice creates reactions and she loves figuring them out. She met a new doggie last night at our friend Katey's house...her name was Biscuit and she just had a grand ole' time playing with that little thing.

Before we know it, I'll be sitting here writing about how it's Maelin's first birthday soon and then she'll be walking and talking and running around. She'll be asserting her totally stubborn side by telling me "no!" and I'm sure she'll turn into a total Daddy's Girl because already the two of them are so much alike. I just can't believe how quickly it's going by.

Thinking about that made me think about the things I really love about my daughter. Her little personality is so distinctive so far and I can't wait to see her grow up and turn into whoever she's meant to be...with a lot of stubborn struggles along the way! Here's a quick list, and by no means comprehensive, about things I love about Miss MaeMae...

*Her gummy, toothless grin

*The way she squeals when she sees Gizmo

*How she reaches for me when she wants me to hold her

*The way she smiles at me in the morning when she's laying in her crib and I go to get her

*How her cheeks overflow down over her chin...like she's squirreling away food for the winter

*How much she loves her daddy: she just lights up when she sees him and then squeals at him

*What a calm baby she is...she just goes with the flow. You can take her anywhere or put her in any situation and she's just fine.

*Her blue, blue eyes

*How she's learned to put her toes in her mouth

*How she talks to me from the backseat of the car...she yells, "aaaaaaaahhhhhhh" at me when we're driving

*When strangers talk to her (when I'm holding her of course), she studies them for a minute and then lights up with her toothless grin

*How much she looks like Kevin

*How much she loves the people she knows well...Uncles and Aunties and Grandparents

*Her funny facial expressions: sometimes it looks like she's so bored and she can't believe her rotten luck at being where she is right now

*How sweet and chill she is: especially when she's sick. If she didn't get up in the middle of the night, I wouldn't even know when she's sick

*What a great sleeper she is

*Her total stubborn streak...if she doesn't want to do it, she is NOT going to

*She has given us such a purpose to our lives

*She's amazing company: I'm never bored or lonely when I'm with her. She could make you laugh all day just by staring at her or watching her

*How she has created so much extra love in the world for people who know her

*She's created a family out of Kevin and I

*She's the absolute best and amazing aspects of Kevin and I: she's our pride and joy

As I look over this list, it feels so incomplete: there's just no way I can put into words how special this little girl is to us. I love her with an intensity that I never even knew existed: it's so consuming, it's somewhat overwhelming. This list is by no means complete...it feels so lacking but it's impossible to describe all of the qualities that Miss MaeMae has that makes her special. That's why she is who she is...we're figuring out something new about her every day.

What an amazing journey it's going to be!

Maelin's First Thanksgiving

We had a super fun, but very busy Thanksgiving yesterday. We got Daddy up early (leaving the house before the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade started was a first for us!) to go to his mom's house to spend the day with Kevin's family.

We were able to see Aunt Sally and Uncle Steve (it was Steve's first time meeting Maelin, so that was exciting), Uncle Chad and Aunt Jessie were also there, along with Grandma and Grandpa and Great-Grandma Gertie. I bet it won't be hard for you to guess who the star of the day was...

Maelin was great. Chad and Jess brought their adorable doggie along...Oakley is super friendly and loved Maelin. She squealed whenever she saw him and we got a really cute picture of them sitting together. Maelin loved Uncle Chad because he looks and sounds so much like her daddy does...it was pretty cute.

She loved the sweet potatoes and the stuffing. Most of all, she had a great time smearing all of it around on her highchair which is just what a First Thanksgiving should be all about.

Later on, we went to my Uncle Mike's house for my family's get-together. My brother and sister were there, along with Maelin's little (and big!) cousins. As usual, Mike made a fantastic turkey: he uses an amazing brine which keeps it super moist and yummy and you almost don't even need the spinach-cheddar mashed potatoes or herbed gravy to go with it...(notice I said almost.)

My family is super noisy and loud and rambunctious and my cousins are getting older now: 13 and 11, so we're busy hearing about high school and soccer games and gasp! boys, so Thanksgiving at Mike's house was a hoot. It is so wonderful to just hang out and catch up with everyone: I think Thanksgiving should be every month or so!

We had a busy day going around, but we wouldn't change it for anything. There is nothing more important than our families.

Good-Bye Beau Dog

Our good friends Steve, Sherry, Hannah and Jacob lost a member of their family on Friday. Their German Shepard, Beau, passed away. I'm not sure how old he was (I've known him for over 11 years), but I'll always remember him as a huge dog (sometimes he didn't even know how big he was...he once knocked me over when I walked in the house because he was trying to say hello!) who had an equally huge heart. He was the sweetest guy ever and he will be missed by many people; not just S,S,H & J.

I've had to say good-bye to many beloved pets and I know how horrible and hard it is. They're members of the family and they leave behind huge holes. Maelin, Kevin and I wanted to send out a poem that was sent to me after I had to put my sweet little kitty Chloe to sleep a few years ago in honor of the many pets we've all had over the years who are waiting patiently to see us again.

We'll miss you Beau!

Rainbow Bridge
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

Maelin and her Cousins

Today my sister and I took Maelin and her two boys, Ryan and Cole who are 3 1/2 and 1 1/2 to the picture place to get pictures of them. They were adorable! Maelin kept falling over so she eventually just landed on Ryan's legs and that's where she stayed during the pictures. Cole wasn't too excited about the whole business, but we got a few good ones of him anyway.

I have adorable xmas pictures of Maelin in her xmas dress sitting in a xmas present near a tree and in a chair near the xmas tree, but y'all are going to have to wait for your xmas card to arrive in the mail to see those... (if I don't have your current and correct address, please leave me a comment because you aren't going to want to miss these!!!)

Snot Suckers and Other Thoughts

Baby Maelin has another cold! Poor thing: I really wish someone would invent a snot-sucker for babies that actually works! I stick this blue thing up her nose which she HATES and try to suck the snot out but it doesn't do anything except make her mad. Then she sneezes and snot goes everywhere, or she barfs on me because she's swallowed so much of it, or she can't breathe because it's clogging her nose, or she's breathing "snot bubbles" out of her nose because there's so much of it.

If someone were to invent a battery-operated snot sucker that pulled the snot out of the babies' noses, that person would be a millionaire because all the sleep-deprived moms would pay big bucks to have their babies' able to breathe.

Thanksgiving is almost here and I'm really excited to see all the family. My favorite part of Thanksgiving is just hanging out with everyone. (oh yeah, the food is good too). We are going to Grandma Lea's house in the morning and then to my uncle Mike's house in the evening. We get to see all the family!

We're going tomorrow to take pictures with Baby Maelin...not xmas pictures as you might expect, but pics with her cousins: Ryan and Cole. It will be the first "official" pictures of all the Kimling grandkids so I'm excited. Heather and I bought the kids matching sweaters so they're going to be so cute!

I'm trying to convince Kevin to get our xmas family picture taken next weekend...we'll see how that goes.

For those of you who haven't been able to see her lately, here's the latest pic of Maelin doing baby things...

I've Never...

My younger sister Vanessa was out to visit this past weekend and I'm not sad to say she is way more hip than me. She's only 4 years younger but she feels to me like a fabulously single hipster! She has some crazy Puma boots that she wears over her jeans and they look horrid to me but she insists they're in style and and really cool. I don't get it.

She has tons of great jewelry, lots of belts and things she wears and she has been to 3 concerts in the last 2 weeks. It makes me tired just writing about it, let alone living that life!

Anyway, it got me thinking about how old I'm feeling lately. I know 7 months of sleep deprivation coupled with a full time job would make anyone feel old, but hanging out w/ my hipster sis really got me thinking about the things I've never done. Here is a short, limited list of some things I've never done (and might not necessarily want to do...)

I've Never been to 3 concerts in one week.

I've never been to New York or San Francisco.

I've never been to the Opera.

I've never owned my own house. (a real-stand-alone-not-connected-to-anything house)

I've never been further west than Hawaii.

I've never been to a Frat Party.

I've never even been to a real college party.

I've never volunteered at an animal or homeless shelter.

I've never had an eye exam.

I've never been to a prom...someone else's or my own.

I've never been without a cat.

I've never seen a horror movie without having nightmares.

I've never been arrested.

I've never been in a car accident.

I've never been in the hospital due to sickness.

I've never had someone really close to me pass away.

I'm sure there's tons more things I could mention, but those are just a few. Looking them over there's a couple I'd really like to get working on...maybe the arrested one!

We Went to the Park!

Auntie Vanessa is visting us from Seattle this weekend so we're really enjoying hanging out with her and the rest of our family. This morning, we got up early (early for Auntie, but not for Maelin and I) and went to Boulder to have brunch and play at the park with Aunties Kat, Vanessa and Heather and Uncle Jeff and our cousins Ryan and Coley.

This was our first trip to the park where Maelin actually got to play! I was brave enough (I'm slightly afraid of heights) to take her up the really high spiral slide and she loved it! We also put her in the baby swing and although she was too little (she kept sliding down in it) she thought that was great too.

Then Vanessa took her on the big swing and that was just right. She loved just swinging with Auntie and watching her cousins play. The weather was beautiful and we had a great time being outside and enjoing our family.

Maelin's New Friends

I'd post a picture of her friends at daycare, but I don't have one yet. However, it turns out that Maelin is a HUGE fan of fat, gray and not-so-smart kitties. Good thing we have one because she loves him! Her head turns the minute she hears him running or when he jumps up on the couch she immediately tries to grab him and eat his fur.

He loves her too. He'll follow her around and the other day I caught him licking the top of her hair as I held her. I'm glad she has such a sweet animal to grow up with.

Maelin's other new friend is her dolphin that Christina brought her from SeaWorld. When you push his fipper, he makes dolphin noises and shakes and she just thinks he's great. Her other friend was a chicken that clucked the "Old McDonald" song and we overused that a bit on her so we're resting him till later. We think chicken can come back around xmas and he'll be as good as new.

It is so much fun to watch this little person discover her world and the things in it. It's totally amazing.

A Visit to the Pumpkin Patch

Last weekend we were able to meet Grandma Lea and Grandpa Larry at the pumpkin patch. Although it will be much more fun when Maelin is a bit older (there was a petting zoo, a hay maze, a hay ride and a few activities that Kevin really wanted to do but couldn't....) the weather was fantastic and we all had a great time.

Grandma Lea is dealing with her cancer again: it has returned. We're keeping our hopes high that she will continue to beat it because we love her so much and Grandmas and Grandpas are so important!

Maelin's First Halloween

Maelin had been so excited for Halloween: she was asking us every day how much longer till Halloween...she just couldn't wait to go trick or treating and she would not let up.

Not really. Mommy couldn't wait till Maelin's first Halloween because I didn't get to go trick or treating as a kid so I plan to live vicariously through my daughter for a while.

Grandma Lea bought Maelin her chicken costume and I can't get over how adorable she looks in it. We wanted her to be a Spring Chicken because when she was about 4 weeks old, she had a onesie shirt with a spring chicken on it and Kevin would tease her that she was a spring turkey. We thought having a little chicken for Halloween would be fun.

Of course Halloween didn't go exactly as I had imagined: what does anymore? Somehow, Maelin knew that something was up and didn't take her usual nap when we got home from daycare. (how she knew, I'll never know) So we bundled up our little chicken and headed out. We decided to just go visit friends and we made it to Keith's house and then to Kat and Jeff's house where we took a breather and had some dinner. (Maelin did: Kevin and I didn't eat a thing that night...) We hung out at J & K's for a bit and then Steve and Sherry called: they were bringing their twins over and we were so excited to see them! Hannah was a cookie and Jacob was a cow! They were excited to see our little chicken and they were so cute as always.

Then we tried to go see our friend Katey, but she wasn't home. At this point, it was about 9pm and our chicken had had enough of being in her chicken suit and getting in and out of the carseat so we headed home.

We had a very nice night...lots of treats, adorable pictures but the best part was just having fun with our friends.