Teaching Team Beach Trip '10

To put a fabulous end to our summer, we traveled to the coast last weekend to spend time with my teaching team and their families at Leslie's beach house in Wheeler. This meant 8 adults (6 of which are teachers), 7 children, 1 large dog, and 1 guinea pig were sharing one house for three days and two nights. Sound a little crazy? It was...just a little, though. It was also incredibly fun, mostly calm, and somewhat relaxing.

The kids kept each other busy most of the time, while the adults were able to enjoy the beautiful, sunny weather on the deck. There was rarely any conflict among the kids, because they just stayed so busy. They played ping pong and air hockey, climbed in and colored on a large box, played legos and polly pockets, watched movies, played with glow sticks, went to the park, and even erupted into a spontaneous dance party. We also took everyone down to the sand and surf for awhile on Saturday, where the clouds parted for us, and the kids dug, climbed, explored, and ran. No wonder they were all so tired!

Somehow, in the midst of it all, the guys managed to get out on the boat a few times and set some crab pots and enjoy the water. Though they only returned with two (all the big, juicy females have to be thrown back), we managed a mini-crab feed nonetheless, as well as a marine biology lesson, courtesy of Donovan.

We ended our final evening with a delicious dinner, (courtesy of everyone's culinary skills), and another gorgeous sunset. We can't wait to make this an annual tradition for the Fab 4 and our families! Thanks, Johnny and Les for an amazing time!

Update

Just to update those of you who haven't heard...

I went to my principal and pleaded my case about Camryn's first day of school, and surprisingly, he agreed(!) that it will be a very important day, and one that I should not miss. He offered to stand in for me the morning of the first day of school, and greet my new class. In my 'Back to School' letter to those kiddos, I explained the situation to them, so that hopefully they (and their parents) will understand the uniqueness of this situation, and will not consider me flaky, undependable, or anything else (until they have a chance to get to know me, anyway.)

I am so thrilled that I get to escort my girl into her first day of school. She on the other hand, could really care less. All she cares about is getting there. Today, she told me, "Ten days, Mom! Ten days!"

And when we got our letter from her teacher last week, her first question was, "Will you read it to me? The whole thing?" And her next question was, "Who is Collin's teacher?" So we called his mom to find out, and guess what? Those two peas will be in the very same pod this year!

Hmmm...I'm pretty sure Camryn will be just fine that first day... The question is: Do I warn their teacher now, or let her figure it out for herself...?

It's not fair.

My mom used to remind me all the time that I better get used to it, because that's just life. But today, I found myself saying, for the first time in a long time, "It's not fair."

As long as I've worked for this school district (11 years, to be exact), the Kindergartners have always started school one day later than the 1st-5th graders. Never having taught Kindergarten personally, my assumption has always been that the entire school in general is just slightly calmer on the second day, than on the first. The first day is fraught with many "firsts" and "brand-news." Kids that don't know how they're getting home, extra parents bustling about, lots of rules, reminders, and butterfly tummies. It only made sense to me to wait one extra day before introducing the real "deer in the headlights" group: the Kinders.

And so I assumed, blissfully ignorant, that tradition would roll on this year as always. (Cue the airhorn): WRONG! This year, the powers that be decided to change things; to stir things up. Though I don't know the reasoning (and neither does our head secretary, which is really saying something), I do know that it messes with MY life.

Because this means that Camryn's first. day. of. real. school. EVER. will be on the same first day of school as mine and as Brian's. This means that while she steps into her Kindergarten classroom for the first day of her 13 years of public education, I'm supposed to be across town in my fifth grade classroom, greeting 11 year olds who would rather be sleeping in. And Brian is supposed to be in Salem, greeting 16 year olds, who would really rather be sleeping in. And our Baby Girl is just supposed to take this day on by herself??? I don't THINK so.

When I had this realization this afternoon, I (admittedly) had a bit of a panic attack. I called Camryn's school's office to verify said information. I called my school office to complain and ask for reasoning. I called my teacher friends, my mom, my mother in law, and my principal, to beg him to give me a free pass for the first half hour of the first day of school. I was a desperate woman.

It's not so much that the idea of all of this really bothers Camryn. Because it doesn't. She's perfectly happy with the idea that Grandma or Mimi or Auntie Beth or our neighbor, for that matter, will drop her off that day. The significance of the occasion is lost on her. It's more about the fact that I don't want to miss it. I don't want to be the working mom that missed her Baby Girl's first day of school. I don't want to regret it years down the road, that I didn't stand up for myself and find a way to make it work. Plus, it's a little bit about my pride. I want to be the one that walks her in that day, holding her hand, and being so proud to say that she is my big girl. I just can't fathom missing out on that moment.

Though I realize how flaky and strange and awkward it will be for my students (and a few parents) to walk into my classroom on that first day, and find someone else in my place, I can't help but flip to the other side of the coin and say, "Yeah. But..."

There will never be another day like this. There will never be another year when she'll hold my hand willingly as we walk into her classroom, that she'll be exactly this excited about finally going to school, and that she'll be quite this wide-eyed at the whole experience. There will be many more groups of fifth graders in my classroom, but there will never be another first day of Kindergarten for Camryn.

I am truly amazed at the outpouring of support by all of those people I called in such a tizzy. I've had offers from grandparents, aunties, daycare providers, and neighbors to take her. I've had family offer to drive three hours and stay the night, just to drive her down the road. I've had encouragement from my teacher/mommy friends to push for my right to attend, and I've even had offers from coworkers who have offered to take my class for that first half hour (in addition to their own!!!) to make it work.

What became clear to me pretty quickly was that #1: I (for once) was not over-reacting (too badly, anyway); that it really is a big deal for a Mommy to attend, and #2: That there are many, many people who love Camryn enough to put aside their own busy schedules and responsibilities, to help us out. She must be a pretty special girl to be able to command so many offers of assistance from so many people who love her. And that is exactly why I want to be the one to do it. Because though I share her with a village of people, she is my special girl to introduce to the wonderful world of Kindergarten. And I will find a way to do it.

Smitten

Soon after we moved into our new neighborhood, Camryn made a friend across the street. His name is Collin, and he too, is five years old, heading into Kindergarten, and loves to ride his bike.

As the summer has rolled along, the two of them have become good buddies. They've had play dates at the park, have gone to the zoo, celebrated the 4th of July, and ridden the equivalent of miles and miles on their bikes and scooters together.

Whenever they see each other, they wave and smile, like they've been separated for months. When one family is leaving, and the other staying home, they do the same, as if they won't see each other again for a few more. Which is exactly what happened this evening.

As we drove down the the street, headed out to dinner, Camryn frantically waved and smiled at her buddy out the car window, while yelling, "Collin! Collin!" And he replied, with an equally enthusiastic, "Camryn! Camryn!"

As we rounded the corner, leaving of our neighborhood, she turned to us with a giant grin, and said with a sigh, "Collin's smile lights up the whole world!"

And with that, she rendered both of her parents speechless. Isn't five years old a little young to be smitten?

Big truck day!

Those of you who know my girls well, know that they are both very "girly." That's not to say they don't enjoy playing hard and getting dirty, but they do tend to prefer princesses to matchbox cars any day.

Since Daddy was planning on working with our neighbor to stain the new fence all day, I needed something to keep the girls busy. Not to be constrained by gender stereotypes, I decided to take the girls to "Big Truck Day" at our local rec. center. It's a free event, where they bring in every type of big rig you can imagine. If it can even be remotely misconstrued as a truck or work vehicle, for that matter, it is represented.

So off we went, in pigtails and pink shorts, to see the TRUCKS. And we weren't disappointed. There were limos, semis, emergency vehicles, cranes, ODOT work vehicles, tractors, buses, and even the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile! There was free music, tons of vendors, lots of free stuff (which we somehow managed to leave without, thank goodness), and there were kids everywhere.

Camryn especially enjoyed exploring all of the vehicles, and had to test and try just about everything. Aubrey was a little more hesitant, I think because it was so HOT! (85 degrees when we got there at 10 a.m., and 94 when we left at noon!) She was a bit of a wilting flower, and just wanted to be pushed quietly in her stroller.

About halfway through the rigs, Mommy couldn't take it anymore, and actually offered to buy snow cones for everyone. It felt so good to sit in the shade, lick up the sugared ice, and watch the Life Flight(!) helicopter land for the event. After the cool down, Camryn and Mom were ready for more, but Aubrey somehow managed to make that snow cone last until the very end of our visit. (How does she always do that?)

The most bittersweet moment of the day was watching Camryn on the school bus. She was SO excited! She even went on by herself, since Aubrey was still in the stroller, working on the never-ending snow cone. It was fun to see her get a sneak peek at what she'll experience in a few weeks when she heads off to Kindergarten on the bus! I snapped her photo, in a haze of disbelief that she's actually old enough to do it all. It just blows my mind.

Shortly after, we finally had to bail because it was just too hot. We can't wait to take Daddy, and the fancy camera with us next year to "Big Truck Day."

Water, sun, fun, and friends...

...and otter pops.

Bye, bye Binky!

The time has come to say goodbye to Aubrey's beloved binky. We've been talking about it for a few months now. Aubrey knew the Binky Fairy would be coming soon.

The Binky Fairy is, of course, a magical fairy who takes binkies from big girls and big boys who are done with them, and delivers them to sad little babies all over the world, who need binkies to make them feel better. For their contribution, the Binky Fairy always leaves behind a special gift for the child who is giving up their binky.

We decided that Thursday night was the night. I told Aubrey that the Binky Fairy had called, and said that she would be coming that night. She was so excited, she jumped and squealed, and told everyone who saw that day that, "The Binky Faiwy comin to my house, and take my binky to a baby, cuz I a big girl now!" I think it's safe to say that she was ready.

At bedtime, she chose a special ribbon to hang her binky on, and placed it on the doorknob in her room. It was a little difficult for her to go to sleep that night, and there were a few tears, but nothing too traumatic for either of us.

The next morning, the binky fairy had left her a special Disney princess baby doll. Something only a big girl could have and enjoy. And only once since then, has Aubrey asked for her binky. Then I reminded her that we don't have it anymore. That she's a big girl now. And that seems to be a good enough answer for her!

We ♥ summer

At what other time of year do we all have the time, energy, and sunlight to pack a picnic dinner, throw on our suits, and relax on a warm night at the Wilsonville fountains?