Twas the night before school...
...It's so hard to believe that at this exact moment, one year ago, I was in labor with Claudia Anne. Actually, her birth was a mere 30 minutes away. Wow. She's so amazing. She has been practicing walking, but she really doesn't like to do it unless she knows someone is watching! Then, she chugs along with a big smile on her face. Her favorite target is me. Once she arrives in my waiting arms, she just snuggles and snuggles, knowing that she has accomplished something BIG. She loves to eat now that we stopped trying to give her baby food. It was pretty obvious one day when she was eating her baby food and I was eating tomatoes and cucumbers. She shook her head vigorously when I offered her a bite of baby food, then I picked up some of my own (for me). I noticed she was watching and nodding. So, she ate some cucumber and tomato. She hasn't looked back since. Cheerios, beans (green, baked, kidney, whatever), stuffing, mashed potatoes, spaghetti, meat...anything that is offered disappears into the gaping maw. She now does "Spoon of Power" during dinner where she holds her spoon aloft and growls. She also does this amazing maneuver where she sticks her foot up onto her high chair tray and waves it around at us, giggling. She's brilliant, naturally, and can pick up a new skill after watching it only once. She learned the signs for "more," "eat," and "all done" in one sitting. She is figuriong out how to put shapes into her shape sorter, and has discovered how to get onto the riding toys in the house (except the horse, and only because it's too big, but she's great at getting on the eggplant and train), she loves playing with her sister, and they are really cute together. It's just so funny to think that this time last year we were just about to meet her for the first time.
Ah, this brings me to the first day of school. Unfortunately, it's tomorrow (today?). I'll miss her first birthday! :( We're doing the presents and party tomorrow after school, but I'll be gone all day and that hardly seems fair to a baby. If my calculations are correct, she won't have that problem next year, but every now and then she's going to have the first day of school as her birthday present. I'm ready for the usual parts of the year. What I'm not ready for are things like purchasing instruments and the meetings after school and planning out auditions for the high school wind section. Also, my parent group is sort of melting away already. Didn't take long. Still, this isn't meant to be a rant about work, just that it's New Year's Eve for me. So, Happy New Year to me. I have a lot to accomplish...I want that stinkin' Division I rating at the high school. I want to campaign successfully so the building proposal passes and I have a place to put my students. I want to begin working toward getting more private teachers in town. Those are my biggies. In the meantime, i still have to keep up with my good eating habits and working out.
So, Happy New School Year and (more importantly) Happy Birthday, Finn!
Ah, this brings me to the first day of school. Unfortunately, it's tomorrow (today?). I'll miss her first birthday! :( We're doing the presents and party tomorrow after school, but I'll be gone all day and that hardly seems fair to a baby. If my calculations are correct, she won't have that problem next year, but every now and then she's going to have the first day of school as her birthday present. I'm ready for the usual parts of the year. What I'm not ready for are things like purchasing instruments and the meetings after school and planning out auditions for the high school wind section. Also, my parent group is sort of melting away already. Didn't take long. Still, this isn't meant to be a rant about work, just that it's New Year's Eve for me. So, Happy New Year to me. I have a lot to accomplish...I want that stinkin' Division I rating at the high school. I want to campaign successfully so the building proposal passes and I have a place to put my students. I want to begin working toward getting more private teachers in town. Those are my biggies. In the meantime, i still have to keep up with my good eating habits and working out.
So, Happy New School Year and (more importantly) Happy Birthday, Finn!