2005-02-22 7 months!

2005-02-22 Julia

She has been doing a very good job sitting up and has started to reach or things in front and on either side of her without tumbling.

She doesn't roll over much at all (she has done it but I can honestly count how many times on one hand I think). Instead, she lays on her back and scoots herself around on her feet. She can pretty much cross the entire living room that way.

She continues to talk up a storm. She babbles and babbles all day long when she is not eating or sleeping. Oh yeah, she has also mastered the art of blowing rasberries with a mouthful of food. Fun!

2005-02-22 Union break

Emily's camp thing was cancelled for today because of a problem with the electricity at the lodge. Odd...the weather certainly isn't bad enough for an outage so it must be something else.

Anyway, Ryun installed the shelves in the closet so we are putting everything together in the playroom and getting that done. So far, the kids have managed to get along and listen to my direction(I don't clean for them, just help them by directing them to where things go and keeping them on track etc.). We are on a "union" break right now, which may in fact mean we are done working altogether. Heh.

2005-02-21 ID Tags

This is disturbing on many fronts.

First and formost? It was done without parental input. Excuse me? Are you forcing my kid to wear what is essentially a tracking device without even asking me(or my kid for that matter) if it is ok. I don't fucking think so.

Second...what kind of environment does this promote exactly? If children are going to a public school, or any school for that matter, I would think that parents and children would expect that the situation is a positive one...one in which a child is free to learn in a manner which displays trust and honesty on all fronts. While this is obviously not something that can be achieved at all times(there will always be those kids who act out etc.), wearing these tags tells every student that they are not to be trusted. It's not really fair to those who have done nothing that would give the administrators reason to believe they should be "monitored."

Still, for those children who behave "badly", tracking them may just increase the bad behavior. Children that act out are usually looking for attention. The id tags won't stop those kids.

To me, it seems that by requiring that these tags be worn, the children, even the innocent ones, are being treated like common criminals. What happened to innocent until proven guilty?

The superintendent seems like a real...jerk. I highly doubt the protest is over a fashion statement. Please.

If this ever became the norm...

2005-02-21 Vacation Plans, etc.

Five - eight inches are expected, so far I would say we have about 4.

With any bit of luck, this will be the last snow we see for this winter season. Since this is New England, I seriously doubt that will happen, but heck, I can always dream.

Emily is going to Camp Wind In The Pines for three days this week...Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 10-3...to participate in "Badge Days" for Girl Scouts. She is very excited and I am very nostalgic. I went to Camp Wind In The Pines with Girl Scouts when I was a kid and I loved it. Girl Scouts was the best thing I ever did as a child, seriously.

Katherine, Julia and I have plans as well. I am going to take Katherine here which was where we had her birthday party in November. She loved it and has been asking to back ever since. I am also thinking of giving my grandmother a call and seeing if she wants to meet for lunch. I might wait until Friday to do that so Emily can join us but we will see.

At some point we will also be going here so that the girls can use their gift certificates they received for Christmas.

Today we are making bracelets and necklaces with a jewelry kit that I got them a while back.

Ryun is installing the organizer in the kids playroom which will be nice. The closet is good size, but it only had three small shelves so it was very difficult to keep organized. When all is said and done, we will have 6 shelves, the original three small ones, plus three new and larger ones that he is installing as we speak. Yay for a neat playroom!

Since I went to Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse for dinner on Saturday before Disney on Ice, and to The Texas Roadhouse last night for dinner, I have ditched my plans to cook steak tonight. Instead, I am roasting a chicken for dinner and might even make some kind of something for desert.

2005-02-21 Wake

My brother in law's grandfather died so, I made a quick appearance at the wake and then we went home.

Emily had all kinds of questions about death(Is his soul with God now? What does John's grandfather look like now that he is dead? Was Uncle John crying or was his face just sad? etc. etc. etc.). I answered all questions and I think she now has a firm grip on "what happens."

She wanted to come in with me but I think that seven is way too young...unless it was an immediate family member or something. I think I went to my first when I was about nine or ten...it was for my great grandfather.

She understands the whole concept I think, now that I explained it to her, but I wonder if seeing the actual person's body would be a weird or scary experience. Or if she would understand the somber mood and how she would react to seeing people upset.

What do you think? Is seven to young?

2005-02-21 Cadbury Mini Eggs

And that has absolutely nothing to do with anything but I just wanted you to know.

2005-02-21 Webshots

The link to the pictures has also replaced the link to Julia's Journal on the side bar thingy so you can check back as frequently as you like!