Something Else

To like about the Howler's teacher:

She puts the *love notes* the children give her up on the closet door. She has 5 or 6 of them up right now.

The entire classroom is about the kids--their artwork is plastered everywhere for a delightfully cluttered look. BUT those *love notes* are posted where everyone can see them every day. They are NOT circular filed. They are not stuffed, stashed, or stifled.

How wonderful!

The Howler is very lucky, and very blessed, to be in this lady's classroom.

The Pumpkin Patch

From the Big Day

The top pic is just before we start to move. The second is from when we got to where we were going to stand. As you can see, the Toad is unhappy to be anywhere, and the Howler is unhappy that she isn't playing in the sandbox with her cousin Rose (and that she's standing in front of a bunch of people).

Duh

Thursday night at supper, the Howler was telling us about the test she took that day.

Now, keeping in mind that the Howler could work for the CIA, and ANYTHING she tells us about her school day is a good thing, her mother innocently asked, "And what was the test on?"

"On a piece of paper."

*sigh* I should've just agreed to wear the kick me sign.

Ambi-Who?

The Howler is ambidextrous. I suspected, but have recently gotten confirmation.

The writes using, literally, both hands. That pencil, pen, or crayon will be swapped back and forth between her hands. She's smooth and she's quick about it--you hardly notice, unless you are sitting, and watching her. The trick is to be distracted by nothing--that's the only way you'll notice it.

She seems to have better control with her right hand for some letters (I, R, T) and with her left hand for others (E, K, S, Y). I don't understand the way it works, exactly, but I have seen it in action. It's a bit mystifying, and it does make me dizzy to watch her (Okay, it almost always makes me dizzy to watch her do anything, but that's not the point).

Either her teacher hasn't noticed, or has chosen to not say anything. I'm guessing it's the latter, and that's fine.

I think it's interesting that both my children were ambidextrous/lefties. Toadly was until he broke his arm at 3--and those experts out there who want to tell me that he was not left-handed that early can kiss my.... He's ended up, due to the broken arm, to be more of a rightie, BUT there are still some things he does better if he's using his left hand. He didn't do the switching thing, though. She's more ambi than he was.

Of course, on some level, I worry about this: What if she runs into a teacher who does try to force her to chose, especially this early? What if she can't choose, and ends up having trouble learning cursive writing because it's more difficult to switch when writing than when printing?

I didn't sweat these things with the Toad. Apparently, having a daughter brings out the worry in me.

Good Things

The Howler is absolutely my wonderful girl.

She may be a high-maintainence child, and she may be stubborn, noisy, frustrating, and boisterous, but, she's totally lovable and totally fun, too.

Here's why:

She is one of three "muskateers" at school. Three little girls who apparently adore each other. One seems to have a slight socializing skills deficit, and possibly not like not being the Alpha, but I'm sure that will adjust itself as the year goes along. Since this one is the odd-initial-out (the Howler and the one little girl share a first initial) that may be part of the problem too.

She ran around for the past two days wearing one orange flip flop and one pink gator. She has two very similar pairs. We insisted on shoes, but we weren't very specific, so I guess this qualifies as a *loophole*--my children are *loophole* oriented--it must be hereditary.

She lost her second tooth. She was excited because it didn't bleed much. And, it means she gets money from the Tooth Fairy. It also came out really easy, especially since she ate that apple with the crust still on it.

Finally, after bedtime prayers, she tells me as I'm leaving her room and saying goodnight, "Now, remember. I'm right here if you need me."

Bad Germs

The Howler has strep. She started on the antibiotic on Monday, and we kept her home from school on Tuesday, too.

She brought home a crap-load of papers to work on tonight. Daddy and the Howler got through about half of them.

She's been good about taking her medicine, which is good, because the last time she was on antibiotics, she got a tummy ache and refused to take them. It was horrifying to get her to take them.

She's apparently been dragging this around with her for at least a week. She suddenly got more energy than she's had. It's annoying.

She's also hugging and kissing the crap out of everybody that doesn't escape. I'm just glad that while she's sharing the love, she isn't tackling me anymore.

The Proverbial Wall

The Toad is now living Jerkwood and Magic The Gathering Card FREE.


The Jerkwood thing is apparently, due to the fact that I am right. Always. Ol' Jerky has been demanding rides and wherefores from the Toad. And the Toad is plenty tapped. The Money Tree has died, the Well is dry...and, the Toad is still kicking himself because Jerky helped him out of a job. (Don't get me wrong, I know that the Toad made the bad decisions and all that, but if Jerky hadn't been so demanding--remember this is the kid who got on the phone with me and started making demands--Toadly would still be working at the convenience store, making as much an hour as I am. Idiot)



What kills me the most is that the Toad has no qualms what-so-ever with looking me in the eye and lying his ass off, but he somehow, can't bring himself to lie to Jerkwood. Even if I'm the one still coughing up money (albeit in the form of continued meals and access to the electricity), and Jerky can't even pay him back properly--what do I mean? If Toad lends him money to get something to eat at McDonald's off the $1 menu, and Jerky eats $3.18 worth of food, Jerky only pays him back $3. Jerkwood, Kevin surmises, is Tax Exempt in the Reality Based Realm.


And I still get lied to.


What I need to know now, though, is this: How much can I get for a Patriotic Fuzz Nut deck of Magic the Gathering cards? I am now the proud owner of one such deck, and I need the cash. Bail money will be needed soon.

Mutually Exclusive

Seems to be something only I understand.

My mother is now encouraging the Toad to lie to us. It's "only about one thing", and he's telling us this is what's going on, but c'mon! Am I the only person who sees this encouraging him to lie so he can attend a church thing as mutually exclusive?

I don't honestly think that lying is the way to accomplish anything, but especially if the "anything" involves church.