Had to get up early this morning to meet a guy at Eastern Market for a tour of LGBT sites for a story I'm working on for The Post. I had quietly gotten out of bed and showered, only to find that Rachel, while I was showering, crawled out of her bed and into the guest bedroom, her blanket with her and her Groucho Marx-like nose and glasses on.
She tried to grab onto me but I gently disengaged myself, saying that I really had to get ready.
As I was finishing up, she got out of bed, pointed her arm at me and said, "Remember. You are the best mommy in the whole world of mommies."
Nothing could dim my mood after that. The fact that it was in the mid-60s and sunny helped, but still...it was a great day because Rachel started it out that way.
Saturday, February 20, 2016
Friday night
I took Rachel to an activities fair Friday night because there are still a few weeks of summer that are unaccounted for. We are planning for two weeks (or most of two weeks, anyway) for vacation. Rachel has expressed an interest in going to...Canada, because "I've never been out of the country," to we are looking at Montreal and Quebec City because, Rachel insists, she's a city girl and likes the busyness of cities. So, probably not Nova Scotia this time.
That is, if we're not busy moving. We are crossing our fingers that our landlords spend another three years overseas so we can get Rachel through the 5th grade at McKinley, and frankly I am just not up to moving right now. But if we must, we must. Our lease expires in July.
We found a bunch of interesting-looking camps. So far, she is signed up for computer animation camp (Girls only! Woot!), music camp, PONY camp, and probably Summer Laureates, the academic enrichment program she has done the last two summers. We have two weeks left to fill, and we're thinking French-immersion camp (because Rachel has expressed an interest in learning French) and either a swim or a general outdoor activity camp. Geez, that kid is going to have a better summer than I will! Although I'm really looking forward to outdoor swimming again...
We left way late (around 7:30), and I had gotten only six hours of sleep the night before so I was really cranky. I spoke sharply to Rachel, who was shrieking with energy when we got outside (she was excited because she had picked up a bunch of free items like sunglasses and a Groucho Marx-like nose and glasses) and explained I was cranky, and she got very upset and wouldn't tell me what was wrong until we got to the restaurant. Then she unloaded, saying, "Mom this is about you, no offense," and then launched into the fact that it wasn't fair that I got to take out my crankiness on everyone but every time she's cranky, Drew says, "Just because you're cranky doesn't mean you get to be cranky and rude to other people." She was essentially upset because she thought there was one rule for us ("I know you're grownups, but it's not fair") and another for her. We talked it out, and I agreed to try not to take my crankiness out on everyone and Drew said he'd go a little easier on Rachel when she's out of sorts.
Getting some burgers, fries and chocolate cake into all of us helped, and by the time we got home Rachel was sweet and cuddly and insisted that I read with her in bed.
That is, if we're not busy moving. We are crossing our fingers that our landlords spend another three years overseas so we can get Rachel through the 5th grade at McKinley, and frankly I am just not up to moving right now. But if we must, we must. Our lease expires in July.
We found a bunch of interesting-looking camps. So far, she is signed up for computer animation camp (Girls only! Woot!), music camp, PONY camp, and probably Summer Laureates, the academic enrichment program she has done the last two summers. We have two weeks left to fill, and we're thinking French-immersion camp (because Rachel has expressed an interest in learning French) and either a swim or a general outdoor activity camp. Geez, that kid is going to have a better summer than I will! Although I'm really looking forward to outdoor swimming again...
We left way late (around 7:30), and I had gotten only six hours of sleep the night before so I was really cranky. I spoke sharply to Rachel, who was shrieking with energy when we got outside (she was excited because she had picked up a bunch of free items like sunglasses and a Groucho Marx-like nose and glasses) and explained I was cranky, and she got very upset and wouldn't tell me what was wrong until we got to the restaurant. Then she unloaded, saying, "Mom this is about you, no offense," and then launched into the fact that it wasn't fair that I got to take out my crankiness on everyone but every time she's cranky, Drew says, "Just because you're cranky doesn't mean you get to be cranky and rude to other people." She was essentially upset because she thought there was one rule for us ("I know you're grownups, but it's not fair") and another for her. We talked it out, and I agreed to try not to take my crankiness out on everyone and Drew said he'd go a little easier on Rachel when she's out of sorts.
Getting some burgers, fries and chocolate cake into all of us helped, and by the time we got home Rachel was sweet and cuddly and insisted that I read with her in bed.
2nd quarter report card
"Can I see my report card?" Rachel asked excitedly when I picked her up Friday afternoon. Report cards come in letter-size envelopes so the kids can't see them. Rachel said that some parents don't show kids their report cards, but I told her I'd be glad to show it to her. The fact that she knew it was coming and that she was eager to see her progress impressed me.
Her teacher, Ms. Burke, said: "Rachel had a wonderful second quarter. She remains to be an avid reader and take advantage of any opportunity to read. She also began working on a Navigator unit, which helps to develop close reading strategies, and she will work with her group to complete it in the coming weeks. Rachel has shown growth with her writing and successfully completed several expository pieces and friendly letters. The use of graphic organizers has helped her develop her thoughts before she begins writing and her pieces are well organized and maintain a clear focus. However, I will continue to challenge Rachel in this area next quarter and will encourage her to include more descriptive details into her pieces. I would also like for her to make a habit of checking her writing for proper use of capital letters before publishing a final draft. Rachel demonstrates a strong understanding of the math concepts we studied this quarter. A math goal for her next quarter would be to practice her fact fluency with subtraction problems. Rachel continues to do well with her iPad and is eager to learn new apps. I so appreciate her positivity and her enthusiasm for learning, and I am looking forward to a great third quarter.
From her art teacher: "Rachel is very creative, and loves anything having to do with art. It is a pleasure having Rachel in art class."
From her phys ed teacher: "Rachel continues to have a great year. She worked hard to improve her skills and it showed during our rolling and bowling unit. Her jump roping has improved throughout the quarter as well. She works well independently and with others."
Areas of difficulty: using capitalization and punctuation appropriately.
Areas of strength: reading independently and computing accurately in math.
Her teacher, Ms. Burke, said: "Rachel had a wonderful second quarter. She remains to be an avid reader and take advantage of any opportunity to read. She also began working on a Navigator unit, which helps to develop close reading strategies, and she will work with her group to complete it in the coming weeks. Rachel has shown growth with her writing and successfully completed several expository pieces and friendly letters. The use of graphic organizers has helped her develop her thoughts before she begins writing and her pieces are well organized and maintain a clear focus. However, I will continue to challenge Rachel in this area next quarter and will encourage her to include more descriptive details into her pieces. I would also like for her to make a habit of checking her writing for proper use of capital letters before publishing a final draft. Rachel demonstrates a strong understanding of the math concepts we studied this quarter. A math goal for her next quarter would be to practice her fact fluency with subtraction problems. Rachel continues to do well with her iPad and is eager to learn new apps. I so appreciate her positivity and her enthusiasm for learning, and I am looking forward to a great third quarter.
From her art teacher: "Rachel is very creative, and loves anything having to do with art. It is a pleasure having Rachel in art class."
From her phys ed teacher: "Rachel continues to have a great year. She worked hard to improve her skills and it showed during our rolling and bowling unit. Her jump roping has improved throughout the quarter as well. She works well independently and with others."
Areas of difficulty: using capitalization and punctuation appropriately.
Areas of strength: reading independently and computing accurately in math.
Science Fair, Part 2
Science Fair night was Thursday, and there were only two other kids in 2nd grade who did projects (it's required in 4th and 5th and we want to get Rachel used to the idea of doing one so that it doesn't seem overwhelming when it's not optional anymore). She got some nice compliments, apparently. The adults, apparently, were impressed that she didn't choose an experiment from a book like the other kids did.
I congratulated her by phone at work, and I said, "Aren't you glad you did a project?" "You MADE me do one," she reminded me, not very enthusiastically. Well, I'm glad we did because it was an important lesson in stick-to-itiveness. Which hopefully will serve her well in life.
I congratulated her by phone at work, and I said, "Aren't you glad you did a project?" "You MADE me do one," she reminded me, not very enthusiastically. Well, I'm glad we did because it was an important lesson in stick-to-itiveness. Which hopefully will serve her well in life.
Post-ice storm
It was raining on Tuesday -- really raining -- but, of course, Arlington Public Schools were closed because of the ice the night before that had already started melting Tuesday morning. No, school closures make no sense.
Drew went off to work and I told Rachel I'd bring her to Daddy's workplace because I had to work at 3:30. She came into our bedroom in the morning and the first thing she said was, cheerfully, "Did I miss the adults' heads exploding??"
What could I do but laugh?
I told her I had to do some work that day, but we ended up having a late breakfast and just hanging out. Nicole asked us if she could bring Sydney over for a playdate, and I asked Rachel if she wanted to do that, but she said no, she wanted to spend the day with me alone. I told her that made me feel really good and wrote Nicole back. She was very understanding.
Rachel and I walked to the station -- about a mile -- and she remarked several times that she's not used to getting that much exercise, but she never whined about it. And I encouraged her to do some puddle-jumping because the ice had melted quickly with the rain and warm temps. "I love you, Mommy!" she kept saying.
Really, I think she loved the fact that she got to spend time with me, which she hasn't this week because I've worked five days.
Drew went off to work and I told Rachel I'd bring her to Daddy's workplace because I had to work at 3:30. She came into our bedroom in the morning and the first thing she said was, cheerfully, "Did I miss the adults' heads exploding??"
What could I do but laugh?
I told her I had to do some work that day, but we ended up having a late breakfast and just hanging out. Nicole asked us if she could bring Sydney over for a playdate, and I asked Rachel if she wanted to do that, but she said no, she wanted to spend the day with me alone. I told her that made me feel really good and wrote Nicole back. She was very understanding.
Rachel and I walked to the station -- about a mile -- and she remarked several times that she's not used to getting that much exercise, but she never whined about it. And I encouraged her to do some puddle-jumping because the ice had melted quickly with the rain and warm temps. "I love you, Mommy!" she kept saying.
Really, I think she loved the fact that she got to spend time with me, which she hasn't this week because I've worked five days.
Ice storm
Drew had off President's Day. Rachel had a sleepover the night before with Sydney and from what Nicole said, they didn't get a lot of sleep (Rachel told us that Sydney wanted to play a game on her iPad when it was time to go to bed; all Rachel wanted to do was sleep, poor thing). We picked her up in the early afternoon, and they drove me in to the Ballston Metro for work.
On the way home that night -- I had decided to go in, despite the fact that my boss told us all that we could work from home because of the impeding ice storm -- it was perilous. A sheet of ice covered the bike path, so I hiked on the snow by the side of the path when I could, and crossed ice-coated bridges very very carefully. I had finally made it close to home until I reached the house across the street from ours and realized that I couldn't cross. It was too slippery. So, I slid my bags and umbrella (it had started raining on top of all of this) across the street and thought about sliding on my butt across -- but as soon as I did so, I started sliding down, not across. (I had called Drew by this point, and both he and I realized that I could go to the bottom of the hill, walk carefully across and then back up in the melting parts near the sidewalks.) I finally made it back home, with Drew carrying my bags inside, vowing NEVER EVER EVER to try to walk to the Metro station and back in an ice storm. Why risk it, when I can just as easily work from home?
On the way home that night -- I had decided to go in, despite the fact that my boss told us all that we could work from home because of the impeding ice storm -- it was perilous. A sheet of ice covered the bike path, so I hiked on the snow by the side of the path when I could, and crossed ice-coated bridges very very carefully. I had finally made it close to home until I reached the house across the street from ours and realized that I couldn't cross. It was too slippery. So, I slid my bags and umbrella (it had started raining on top of all of this) across the street and thought about sliding on my butt across -- but as soon as I did so, I started sliding down, not across. (I had called Drew by this point, and both he and I realized that I could go to the bottom of the hill, walk carefully across and then back up in the melting parts near the sidewalks.) I finally made it back home, with Drew carrying my bags inside, vowing NEVER EVER EVER to try to walk to the Metro station and back in an ice storm. Why risk it, when I can just as easily work from home?
Happy Valentine's Day!
We had a lovely Valentine's Day last Sunday, even if I did have to work. Drew made chocolate-chip pancakes and bacon and bought me a lovely bouquet of roses. We all exchanged gifts: Drew got me a beautiful sweater; I bought him a tie with a light-bulb pattern from the National Archives gift shop (at Rachel's suggestion; she thought the tie I had picked out, a red pattern, was too boring), and we both bought Rachel a Magic 8-ball which she has been mooning over for MONTHS. She was so happy when she opened it!
She made us cards and gave me a miniature rose-potting kit. Very sweet.
There was no religious school because of the President's Day holiday weekend.
She made us cards and gave me a miniature rose-potting kit. Very sweet.
There was no religious school because of the President's Day holiday weekend.
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