First Day Jitters

Zach and I had our first day of school today. To him, it was no big deal, but I was worried about him getting in trouble. After all, he DID call 911 last night!

We arrived at school at 7:25, and had to wait for the doors to open at 7:30. His teacher was running a little late, and when she got there, I took a picture of her with Zach. We found his seat, and he sat down and started looking through his pencil box at his new supplies. Darren and I kissed him, and he nonchalantly told us bye. I managed to wait until we left the building to start crying, which was a feat! He just looked so little sitting at that table, and kindergarten is so final! Up until now, he didn't have to go to school (not that I had a choice to work or not), but now, he has to be there for many years.

Anyway, I left Zach's school and drove to mine to get ready for MY first day. It was a typical first day; we collected supplies, set up binders, learned how to open lockers, passed out paperwork, took a tour of the school, and had 40 minutes in the gym with the fine arts teachers this afternoon. I seem to have a really good group of students this year, and I even have a deaf student and interpreter in my class for part of the day. The other students are really excited about learning sign language, and it will be good for them to be exposed to her.

It was a long day, not sitting down, not pausing in talking to the class. There are so many things to go over with dress code and procedures. Dismissal always takes a long time on the first day of school. The buses go to the elementary campuses first, then pick our kids up. So, they are always late on the first day, because there is usually a situation where a kindergarten student forgets where they live, and the bus has to drive them home. We were out by 4:30 today, which wasn't too bad. I don't think we have bus duty this year, which is odd. No one has mentioned it, and we didn't get a schedule for it. I'm not going to mention anything!

I was so eager to talk to Zach to find out how his day went. I didn't have time to think about him until after school, and couldn't wait to get to his school. He didn't want to leave when I got there; he was looking at one of his shoes under a microscope. Once we got in the car, and I asked him how his day went, he only wanted to talk about Mr. Robert, who is his YMCA after-school teacher. I kept asking him about his kindergarten teacher, and he was really confused about who his teacher is. I'm glad he likes the after-school program; he's been at the same daycare since before his first birthday, and I was worried about how he would handle the change.

When we got home, Zach finally opened up about his day. He told me that his teacher wanted them to go home and tell their parents they had a FABULOUS day. He also volunteered information about dancing in the classroom, and the teacher reading a book to him that I read last night. Besides that, I didn't get too much out of him. He said he liked it, and can't wait to go back tomorrow.

Tonight, I have to write student names on desk name tags, their conduct sheets, and cards for their classroom jobs. I get all four classes tomorrow, and hopefully textbooks. 179 more days to go!

Obsession

Zachary is OBSESSED with the movie Cars. His grandparents took him to see it when he visited them for a week in June, and he came back and recited the plot to Darren and me. We took him to see it again, here in Houston, and we had to keep him from telling us what was about to happen. He loved that movie so much that he can recall every last minute detail about it, and did one day when we were walking to the mailbox and back. It's scary.

Now, we are in the process of amassing a collection of Cars merchandise that is growing by the day. Like all good parents, I took him to McDonald's regularly for Happy Meals, and even ate some Happy Meals myself, to make sure we got the complete collection of eight cars. When we didn't get two of them, I ordered them off eBay. I even bought extra Lightning McQueen cars on there. In addition to the Happy Meal toys, we now own the soundtrack on CD (which he can sing to), a t-shirt, lunch kit, spiral notebook, underwear, and toothpaste. Zach's birthday is coming up August 23rd, and I bet you can't guess what kind of party we are having? He visits the website numerous times a day to play with this poster that you can magnify to see and hear details about each car.

Zach has explained exactly which Cars toys he expects to receive for his birthday. He has even woken me up at 3:00 in the morning to further describe the Mack truck that he is sure he is getting. The problem is, they don't make some of the toys that he thinks he will get. I have bought most of the toys that are available at Target and Toys R Us, and there is a Mack playset, but it doesn't talk like Zach has requested. He will also be disappointed when he does not receive the red Cars TV/DVD player combo that is in the stores. Those Pixar people are clever at placing Cars merchandise in every area of the market! There are snacks at the grocery store, as well. There are certain aisles that I have to avoid so that we don't have a battle in the store.

While I am glad that Zach has gotten attached to such a wholesome movie, I will not be sad to see this obsession end. I know it will continue for a while, because the movie, and more merchandise, will probably be released at Christmas time, forcing me to trudge through every store in search of one elusive item that Zach sees on TV. I guess it could be worse; he could be obsessed with Barney or something (I shudder as I type that name).

Frustrated

Sometimes I really can't stand my child. Today is one of those days. He has been in a rotten mood all day, has yelled at me numerous times, and refused to comply with anything I ask him to do. It's exceptionally hard to be nice to him when he is like this. Reasoning with him does not work, nor does time-out or spanking him. I just can't figure out what the solution is, and I've had it. I really feel sorry for his kindergarten teacher this year; she has her work cut out for her! I'm starting to wonder if he is ready for kindergarten; his listening skills seem non-existent at times. He'd be bored if he had to repeat preschool, though.

I just wish he'd stop yelling at me, demanding things, and ordering me to do things. The problem is, he gets his way, because it's easier than starting a war over minute things, and other people in my family (who shall remain nameless) give him what he wants and don't make him wait for anything. Consequently, he has no patience, and since I am the one who tries to break him of the instant gratification habit, I am the one who he does not listen to. I am the bad guy.

We got home about fifteen minutes ago. He screamed at me the whole way home because I wouldn't turn around and buckle his seatbelt. This is something that he can do on his own, and insists on doing most of the time. He just didn't want to this time. Once we got home, he went to play with my new vacuum cleaner, and I specifically asked him not to touch it. He did touch it, and emptied the filter all over the carpet. I tried to put him in time out, and he hit me and yelled "NO" at me. So, I spanked him, then put him in time out. After time out, I sent him to his room, and told him he has to stay there until I calm down. I am trying very hard not to cry right now, and I just hope this parenting business gets easier. It's times like this when I seriously can't imagine having two kids to deal with. I'd lose my mind!

I have two weeks from today until I go back to work, and get to spend the day with 95-100 children, aged 10 and 11. I can't wait! It will be much better than endless days with a four-year-old, and the added bonus is there will be adults to talk to.

Adventures in Dentistry

I have always had a fear of the dentist. I think it's because I have such bad teeth, and ALWAYS have cavities when I go. I've had bad experiences with a couple of dentists that I had to go to, because of my insurance. One dentist filled a large cavity, and put metal next to a nerve in my tooth. Every time I drank something hot or cold, I felt this unpleasant "jangling" feeling. I then had to go to another dentist to remove that filling and put another one in.

I have nightmares about all of my teeth falling out on a regular basis. I take Valium to go for cleanings. The smell of the drill scares me, along with having my mouth open for a long time. I always feel like I am going to drown in my own saliva if I can't swallow ( I think that comes from my bad allergies and semi-permanent congestion). I am a weenie. Therefore, I pay for the better (if you can call it that) dental insurance that my district offers. The worse insurance allows you to choose from two ghetto dentists. I went to one of them once, and while I was in the chair, with all sorts of equipment sticking out of my mouth, someone was telling me how much it would cost me that day, and asking if I could afford it. I never went back. This past year, I got on the "better" dental insurance, which means you can choose which dentist to go to, but you have to pay in full for your treatments up front. They then reimburse you for whatever amount they feel like ( I think they spin a wheel), up to $1000 a year. I think I maxed it out this year, by already having a crown put in.

I had to go to a new dentist yesterday, because a filling that I had broke off. Needless to say, I didn't sleep much Thursday night. I forgot my Valium in my rush to dress my reluctant child and get him to my neighbor's house, but figured all they were going to do yesterday was replace that filling, so it shouldn't be too bad. Right. The dentist was great, and very patient with me, and listened to all of my concerns. However, they started by digging out the old filling, which didn't feel great, then let me know that I should have a crown put on that tooth. I had about six shots, and she hit a couple of sensitive spots when she was drilling, but it wasn't horrible. I get to go back in October and pay another $800 for my permanent crown. Lucky me.

I'm going to get on my husband's insurance in January. It covers a whole lot more, which means less up front. Of course, since my open enrollment doesn't match up with his, I get to pay my premiums until next September. I think it will be less than what I have to fork out in October, though.

OK, I REALLY need to start getting ready to go to a wedding, especially since I sent Darren and Zach to the grocery store...

On a Cleaning Spree

Well, it's hit me that I go back to work in less than a month. Now, all those projects that I wanted to accomplish this summer are having to become realities, because if I don't do them now, they just won't happen. During the school year, evenings are for relaxing, and weekends are for cleaning. I don't like doing any projects if there isn't enough time to finish them. I started cleaning out our office in June. Darren and I put up some new cabinets for our office supplies and all my scrapbooking stuff, got rid of lots of books, and sold some of the surplus electronics that we had lurking in there. The one thing that I didn't finish was the filing. For the 12 years that we have been living together, neither of us has ever been able to come up with a good system to deal with the bills and mail that we get. I'm so lazy that all of our bills are now paid online, and when they come in the mail, I throw them in a plastic container under our computer desk. Other mail gets stacked on the kitchen counter. I wish we didn't get mail!!! We have also never put anything in the two filing cabinets that we have, and I am trying my hardest to remedy that. I am going to the dentist tomorrow morning, and need to find my x-rays, so I'm on a deadline.

Other exciting things I have accomplished this summer are: cleaning out my freezer, cleaning out our bathroom cabinets, (PLEASE do not give me bath products for a present! They will sit unused in our cabinet until they no longer smell like they should, and even then, I will have trouble throwing them away. Oh, and don't let me buy make-up when there is a bonus. It will sit and rot, too.) and, well, that's about it. I'm sure we'll progress to the linen closet and clothes closets someday. Until then, I'll be reading and playing on the Internet.

I just realized that this post isn't making a whole lot of sense. Oh, well. I probably should stop before I start waxing poetic about new school supplies. When we went to Target today, they were all set out, and looking so pretty and colorful. I only bought a few things, along with the organizers for my bathroom. I LOVE school supplies; I think that's why I'm a teacher. My classroom's really organized; even my filing cabinet! That's one area of my life where I do have control, and it's great!