Drive on
In about 5 hours we are going to start our drive to see our family in NY. I haven't showered, bathed Em, or even put one article of clothing in the suitcase yet... And here I sit on my old ass writing this post. Makes total sense...
Emily is tired, and I mean tired. Last night Keith wanted Chinese food and I didn't so I ordered Em a slice of Cheese Pizza and a Sub. for myself. I left the house around 6pm and when I came back about 20 minutes later Em was sitting on the couch in a little ball fast asleep. I layed her down thinking she would wake up soon and she didn't. I put her bed... At some point during the night she crawled into bed with us and is still sleeping in my bed at 7:30. She hasn't slept this long in ages so either she is going through a growth spurt or maybe she wasn't feeling good. Either way I am glad she is getting a good rest for the trip.
Speaking of Em... I had the meeting about her possibly going in to Preschool and she made it. I am really happy for her. I think she will really blossom there. I met her teacher and she is really nice. The classroom looks interesting and I am sure Emily is really going to learn allot there. We are starting her at two days a week once we come back from NY until the end of school year. Then is September she will go the usual 4 days a week. I think this is best for her. This way she can adjust and we are not pushing her into a larger group setting right from the start. I am very excited for her!!
I didn't get a chance to have a riding lesson this week with all that has been going on. I am kind of pissed or should I say disappointed? Anyway, things have been going well. My last lesson kicked my ass and I was sore for days. I love it though and I can't wait to have another lesson once we get back. I went to a horse show with the owners and the instructor this past weekend. It was cool... I thought it was going to be the same as a dog or cat show but it is nothing like it. They judge the horse as well as the rider. I had a really good time and appreciated them for letting me go with them. I am really learning a lot!!!
Also this past weekend we took Emily to a birthday party. One of our friend's little girl just turned two and they had a huge party for her. At first Em wanted nothing to do with any of the kids or even get off my hip... But as time went by she played. At first she only wanted Daddy to stay with her as she played on the swing set but eventually Keith took off while she was busy. As long as she could see us she was fine. She warmed up to the other kids and played for a long time. There was even a bouncy room thing and I didn't think would want anything to do with it but Keith warmed her up to the idea and she played in it for hours. I think Keith and I balance out pretty good with the parenting. I am the one who is more protective and I won't push her to do things but Keith pushes her to try new things. So, she has him to lean on and help her out with newer things and me as her safety net, I guess you could say.
Anyway, I don't know if you remember my posting about how I was looking (okay spying), at some former students of mine on Myspace. I was disappointed with a lot of them. A lot of the girls had kids, the guys looked like they hadn't changed much. Well, I finally got up the nerve to write one a quick note...LOL I had a lot of these kids on a weekly basis and they were returning customers! I formed bonds with a group of them. I got in their business, I would get in touch with their parents, I would be there for them if they needed to talk and when they fucked up in my classroom I didn't mind calling the cops on them and having them sent to JJC. While they were there I would also visit them though to let them know I still cared but I still wasn't going to put up with their shit. Several times I would have their normal teachers tell me what they did or said something during the day that was not exactly being good so I would pay them a visit during class time and we would have a little "chit chat". I would usually threaten to call their Probation Officer or call one of the judges and make sure that they had a nice little room at JJC waiting for them. If they were dumb enough to curse me out I gave them a citation for 500 bucks and in return the Judge would make them come back to me in front of a police escort and get down on their hands and knees and beg for my forgiveness. If I didn't accept they had to go to JJC. I didn't fuck around... and in return I got a lot of respect from my regulars as well as bonding with them. When you are in somebodies business you have to form bond with them or you can't help them.... anyway, I emailed this one kid and asked him why he was still throwing up gang signs at the age of 19 and asked him if I didn't teach him a damn thing!! LOL, He returned the message buy saying I was a "weirdo" and it was not a gang sign that it was the sign for TX, which I don't doubt because Texans are freaks about their state. Anyway, he went on to say that he had stopped getting into trouble. He said he knows that would be hard for me to believe but it was true. He said he realized he needed to straighten out and that getting into trouble wasn't worth it. I am not saying that I was the one that made him realize that but I would like to think I helped him go down that path. So, after these few years of wondering about some of my kidos I finally got an answer and I liked what I heard... so I am happy. I told him I wanted an update on some of my other regulars so I am waiting to hear back.
Well, I better go and do something about this trip.... Later!!!
Emily is tired, and I mean tired. Last night Keith wanted Chinese food and I didn't so I ordered Em a slice of Cheese Pizza and a Sub. for myself. I left the house around 6pm and when I came back about 20 minutes later Em was sitting on the couch in a little ball fast asleep. I layed her down thinking she would wake up soon and she didn't. I put her bed... At some point during the night she crawled into bed with us and is still sleeping in my bed at 7:30. She hasn't slept this long in ages so either she is going through a growth spurt or maybe she wasn't feeling good. Either way I am glad she is getting a good rest for the trip.
Speaking of Em... I had the meeting about her possibly going in to Preschool and she made it. I am really happy for her. I think she will really blossom there. I met her teacher and she is really nice. The classroom looks interesting and I am sure Emily is really going to learn allot there. We are starting her at two days a week once we come back from NY until the end of school year. Then is September she will go the usual 4 days a week. I think this is best for her. This way she can adjust and we are not pushing her into a larger group setting right from the start. I am very excited for her!!
I didn't get a chance to have a riding lesson this week with all that has been going on. I am kind of pissed or should I say disappointed? Anyway, things have been going well. My last lesson kicked my ass and I was sore for days. I love it though and I can't wait to have another lesson once we get back. I went to a horse show with the owners and the instructor this past weekend. It was cool... I thought it was going to be the same as a dog or cat show but it is nothing like it. They judge the horse as well as the rider. I had a really good time and appreciated them for letting me go with them. I am really learning a lot!!!
Also this past weekend we took Emily to a birthday party. One of our friend's little girl just turned two and they had a huge party for her. At first Em wanted nothing to do with any of the kids or even get off my hip... But as time went by she played. At first she only wanted Daddy to stay with her as she played on the swing set but eventually Keith took off while she was busy. As long as she could see us she was fine. She warmed up to the other kids and played for a long time. There was even a bouncy room thing and I didn't think would want anything to do with it but Keith warmed her up to the idea and she played in it for hours. I think Keith and I balance out pretty good with the parenting. I am the one who is more protective and I won't push her to do things but Keith pushes her to try new things. So, she has him to lean on and help her out with newer things and me as her safety net, I guess you could say.
Anyway, I don't know if you remember my posting about how I was looking (okay spying), at some former students of mine on Myspace. I was disappointed with a lot of them. A lot of the girls had kids, the guys looked like they hadn't changed much. Well, I finally got up the nerve to write one a quick note...LOL I had a lot of these kids on a weekly basis and they were returning customers! I formed bonds with a group of them. I got in their business, I would get in touch with their parents, I would be there for them if they needed to talk and when they fucked up in my classroom I didn't mind calling the cops on them and having them sent to JJC. While they were there I would also visit them though to let them know I still cared but I still wasn't going to put up with their shit. Several times I would have their normal teachers tell me what they did or said something during the day that was not exactly being good so I would pay them a visit during class time and we would have a little "chit chat". I would usually threaten to call their Probation Officer or call one of the judges and make sure that they had a nice little room at JJC waiting for them. If they were dumb enough to curse me out I gave them a citation for 500 bucks and in return the Judge would make them come back to me in front of a police escort and get down on their hands and knees and beg for my forgiveness. If I didn't accept they had to go to JJC. I didn't fuck around... and in return I got a lot of respect from my regulars as well as bonding with them. When you are in somebodies business you have to form bond with them or you can't help them.... anyway, I emailed this one kid and asked him why he was still throwing up gang signs at the age of 19 and asked him if I didn't teach him a damn thing!! LOL, He returned the message buy saying I was a "weirdo" and it was not a gang sign that it was the sign for TX, which I don't doubt because Texans are freaks about their state. Anyway, he went on to say that he had stopped getting into trouble. He said he knows that would be hard for me to believe but it was true. He said he realized he needed to straighten out and that getting into trouble wasn't worth it. I am not saying that I was the one that made him realize that but I would like to think I helped him go down that path. So, after these few years of wondering about some of my kidos I finally got an answer and I liked what I heard... so I am happy. I told him I wanted an update on some of my other regulars so I am waiting to hear back.
Well, I better go and do something about this trip.... Later!!!