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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Updated Pictures

It amazes me every day how much Syd's grown from my tiny Snickerdoodle to a boy with undying energy, including riding his Radio Flyer all through the house. This picture, taken after he paused for a snack, demonstrates perfectly the juxtaposition of his babyhood and boyhood. He says "Big Boy Sydney sleep in the crib" at bath time, then asks for his yi-yi in the very next breath. I cannot express how bittersweet it all is.
We had a stretch of unbelievably miserable weather in January. None of which resulted in snow days for me, but that's a topic for another day. After music class one Saturday, we took a trip to the Transportation Museum. It amazed him. He could not get enough of the trains!

Daddy and Syd check out the labyrinth of trains zooming by. This honestly is a track the size of a classroom that meanders, crosses over, and rides between levels. A sight to behold, especially for little ones who adore anything with wheels and whistles!
Sydney really enjoyed looking over the Thomas section of the train sets!
A train engine is opened for all to examine and attempt to get running! Syd loved playing with all the levers and buttons.

Well, since I was doing an update, here's a picture of the "bed" Nanny makes for Syd each morning. It is usually after breakfast while he watches Sesame Street. Ideally, he would jump in to bed, pretend to sleep, then jump up and yell "AWAKE!" This morning, however, he just laid there, without even eating breakfast. I came home early that day to a 102 temperature and a "we'll squeeze you in" doctor's appointment.



Growing so quickly.

Bittersweet.

My Big Boy Syd.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Doing Something Right, right?

I've discussed my progress with Nanowrimo this past November. I expressed my delight in actually accomplishing my goal. I still have far to go. Very far, as I sobered up instantly when I looked over my draft for the first time this evening. Some of it is good. Some of it is trite and sophomoric. Or at least, I think so. I still haven't finished finished it - meaning, the last chapter is outlined but not written. And I don't feel it is nearly the capsule of literary merit that I teach.

But I did it. And I took a student along with me for the ride. I had many students who took great joy in writing their word counts up on my board. Only one set out to beat me at my own game. Yes, I was competing against myself as well as G.W. She matched me, week for week, for the first three. Thanksgiving nearly ruined her chances, whereas I didn't travel to visit family and had a rather insistent husband cheering me on (many props to the hubs!).

By the end, we would spend a solid quarter hour in class just discussing our progress; ignoring the other students as I encouraged her to keep up, even to beat me to the finish line; expressing our frustration at not knowing what to write next. G.W. wrote a series of short stories. I wrote a novel.

G.W. beat me to the prize, though I won the word count race. For those of you who are new to the idea, one way to reward those who struggle and become 'winners' - meaning, you obtain your word count goal (reminder: anyone over the age of 18 is required to strive for 50,000), a sister company offers to mail you 5 copies of your book for free. It takes a great deal of work to format, get approval for, and submit your novel. But G.W. had the time to do this and I did not.

The bell rang to dismiss the students at the end of the day. G.W. came up to me and handed me a copy of her book. A collection of 31 short stories. It is beautiful. It is bound with cover art and a very fitting title, Ephemera. And I nearly cried when I saw that she had dedicated it to me. I cannot express how touched I am that with everything going on in her life, with AP classes and college application and extracurricular activities, she found the drive to complete this work, this testament to her own accomplishment, and she chose to honor me. I still tear up when I think about it; I am as I type this.

Her book is what caused me to revisit my own. I promised her a copy of mine. I cannot let her down. I cannot let Steve down. I need to finish this - need to, now. Research papers, essays, projects will be there. I need to do this for G.W. Oh, and I wouldn't let her leave today without at least adding her signature to the book. I have a G.W. original now, and it will forever hold a place of honor on my shelves.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Kids Say the Darndest Things

Loved that show when it used to be on. I know Heidi Klum has something similar these days, but I haven't caught it. I've got my own show going here at home...

Syd and I are playing with his trains. He looks at me with an odd look on his face.

Syd: What's that smell?

Me: I don't know, baby. What does it smell like?

Syd walks over to me, pulls the back of my pants away from my butt and looks down my pants.

Me: Did you just check Mommy's pants for poo-poo?

Syd: Yes!

Me: Rolling on the floor laughing. I never discovered what he thought the smell was, but I love the fact that he was checking all possibilities.