for all he went through, Jonah's hair looks pretty good

Sometimes I think I should sit down and blog...and thinking is as far as I get. 

Lack of blogging these days can be blamed on the fact that I spend almost every day at the preschool and remembering that Dylan was put in time out 7 times by 8:45 or that I was whacked in the back with a plastic bat is not really a priority in my life. I often leave the school feeling like the Jonah I found in a children's Bible. 

I spend most of the time when I'm not at the school babysitting my favorite little people. Molly has learned how to wave and does so 1,558 times an hour. (Why do I feel like this blog is becoming a documentation of Sam and Molly's lives?) No need to tell me the awesome quality that is this cellphone photo. 

Mr. Levi McCuteness celebrated his first birthday and personally invited me to the par-tay. Just look how thrilled he was when I took him for a walk while his mom did party preparations. It's like he could barely contain his excitement.

Last night Christopher had a 24 hour shift at work so I made supper and brought it up to him. We ate in the meeting room and when we were done, I started looking around for something to entertain us. I spotted the copy machine and asked Christopher if he ever photocopied his face. 

I think we'll hang it in the living room right next to the Monet waterlilies.

much of my life is spent with people who are barely three feet tall

One of the joys (read: requirements) of my student teaching at the school was to plan a craft for the toddlers.  I like crafts and I like children, but I was not (repeat NOT) about to do any project involving paint, no matter how much toddlers love paint. I viewed my sanity as more important than discovering the next Michelangelo in a group of 12 paintbrush-wielding people who frequently fall when they walk. We made flowers instead and except for when Isaiah ate the fish sticker I gave him as a reward, it went relatively smoothly.

Speaking of people who frequently fall while walking, I babysat Samster and Molly McChubster on Friday. Every so often their mother likes to put on real people clothing (jeans) and do real people things (ie. shop at the commissary on pay day because who wants to miss that kind of excitement?) without her darling cherubs screaming serenading her the whole time. In other words, the girl likes some alone time. 

Sam was both fascinated and puzzled by the paint on the road. He stopped every. single. time. he rode by in order to discuss it. 

Unfortunately, his good mood ended at lunch time. Along with his hotdog, he had a side order of whining and a big spoonful of crying. 

Sam: wwwwwhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeee

Me: Why are you whining so much? Do you need to go back on the stairs?

Sam: No! No! All done!
Me: Then eat your lunch.
Sam: whhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnneeeeeeeeee CCCCRRRRYYYYYYYYY.

Me: Go back to the stairs.

*two minutes later*

Me: Are you ready to come back?
Sam: No!!

Me: You want to stay in time out?

Sam: No!!

Me: Then come back to the table.

Sam: All done!

Me: What do you want to do?
Sam: No!!

Neither of us knew were clear on what was going on. 

Molly could not have been more uninterested in my presence. Please note the flower in her hair. When the mother's away, the babysitter will play hairdresser.

As I finished changing Molly's diaper I noticed a long white hair on my shirt. I'm praying it just happened to be hanging out on the couch since Jenn's mother came to visit AND NOT BE FROM MY OWN HEAD.

If you need me I'll be at the salon getting my hair colored just in case. 

cruisin' around the classroom

I have a very good reason for not blogging much lately. I've been cruising around the Bahamas, swimming with dolphins, watching the sun set, and in general living the easy life without a care in the world.

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

In reality I've been spending hours upon hours at the preschool doing my student teaching. I have 1131/2 (the half is very important when every minute counts!) of 300 hours done so this week I plan on rewarding myself with a day off. Because when every minute counts it makes perfect sense to take 8 hours off. Logic was never my strong point.

Spending 113.5 hours with a combination of preschoolers, toddlers and infants has lead me to the following revelation- I hope I never EVER have 19 toddlers. I love children and all, but I can only handle a certain amount of time with two people drooling down my neck, three people pulling my hair, four people fighting for my lap, and one more child pulling my earrings while they are all crying and/or screaming. God bless toddler teachers. May they all receive a pay raise.

The other day Dylan was banging the pictures of presidents with a plastic hammer and I said, "We do not hit Abraham Lincoln in the face with a hammer. It's very disrespectful." It was exactly what I envisioned saying when I woke up that morning.

I had to tell two of the toddler girls not to touch their friends tongue with their own tongue. You would have thought I ruined their lives forever.

Like I said, it's been all sunsets and dolphins over here.