I take pictures of Madeline every morning before we leave for school....and by every morning I mean just the last four days. She really likes to sit there, it's funny....she's funny. She could be totally upset but when we take her outside and set her there, she just smiles and squeals at the cats.


It is our first Friday off from school. Not a bad first week for me considering. The fun teachers are gone. There still are fun kids but I can't exactly hang out and drink beers with them on Fridays. Well I could but I probably would lose my job pretty quickly if that got around! I at least still have Frank and Errin there but other than them, it's pretty dull. Everyone is new and it just feels so different. I pretty much stick to my room and hang out with Madeline and the daycare ladies and that's about it. I know, I need to get over it but whatever. I'm more focused this year, I can honestly say that. I have big ideas but I really don't like the first couple of weeks. It's just too much figuring things out and figuring the kids out and figuring routines out. I just long to be in the groove and working with them! Not spewing this boring crap about how to properly measure flour. Come next Friday when we do our first lunch, things will be moving right along.
I know it doesn't sound like it but I really am excited for this year. Last year I saw what we are capable of and it just makes me excited for this year. We are planning another trip to NYC. Two of the kids went last year but I have 12 people total in my class and they all want to go. It could be a much bigger group this year. I will probably still take 4 chaperones, especially with the bigger group. Hank? :) Well, I better get off and get to work. I have a wedding cake to do for Sunday. It is going to be an interesting but fun one. I will post pictures of it later.

I have found a new fabulous band called Rogue Wave. Okay, maybe they aren't new but I have just heard of them. And Spoon too. They are both great.

WE'VE GOT A WALKER!

So, yes, Madeline has started walking as of last week! It's hard to believe but true. I think that she actually already knew how to walk and was practicing when we were not looking...she's crafty that way. She just stood up at Grandma's house and walked across the kitchen. It's funny though, when she wakes up, she doesn't really remember that she can do it. Then around mid afternoon, she remembers and starts truckin' around all over again. She is hesitant to walk at our house just because we have like the most unsafe house for a baby apparently. Tile and hardwood floors don't feel very good when you fall down. Tonight she actually did fall and got a bloody lip...that did not go over well with Madeline!

School started yesterday. I have full classes and it seems like a pretty good group of kids so far. Hard to know too much on the second day but nobody really stands out as a distraction just yet so that is a definite plus. I have one class with all returning students. That is the first time that has happened. This is my sixth year teaching...I never would have imagined that I would be on this path. Never.
Madeline is fitting right back in at school. All of her little buddies are growing up now too. It's fun to watch them all play together. They are finally at the age where they interact with each other on purpose. There is one kid there that is a little heavy handed. He likes to hit other kids with hard toys and he pushes and pulls a bit. Apparently this is normal behavior. I wish he would go have his normal behavior somewhere else. I'm kinda tired of seeing him manhandle Madeline. It's just a matter of time though before she just pushes him back...that sounds awful, I know, but the kids are going to learn how to tell him no in a way that he understands all on their own.
Every morning and evening, she just likes to sit on our porch while we are loading or unloading the car. Van Gogh is a nice cat and rubs on her thank goodness. The other two just run when they see her. She loves to sit there and squeal at Van Gogh and she just LOVES being outside. She is such a funny little thing! She is always so happy.

Before school started, we took one last trip down to Santa Rosa. This is a picture of Mike and Madeline outside of one of the wineries that we went to. She was such a trooper! We went over to Glen Ellen and did a little bit of wine tasting. It is SO cute over there, I had never been before. And if you ever make it to Rohnert Park, you have to try the restaurant Hana. It was the most amazing Japanese restaurant that I think I have ever eaten in. Everything was so tasty and SO decadent. It's making my mouth water right now just thinking about it.

Madeline has officially grown out of her baby bathtub. We find ourselves in a pickle because she's too young for a shower on her own and to big for her tub! We don't have a big bathtub in our house...so, we decided to get really backwoods and hillbilly and get her a new tub! She now has her own little galvanized tub that will sit in front of the wood stove. Here is a picture of her enjoying her new tub.


Okay, I should definitely be going to bed. I have to get up early to make copies for those lovely kids tomorrow.
I will try and blog at least once a week. It's really hard right now because of school and because I have a job every weekend up through the first week of October!

Oh, and I know this is totally corny and all but if you want a good book to read that will totally suck you in read Twilight. Seriously. I am embarrassed to admit it because it's a teenage book about teenagers but for some reason, it SUCKS YOU IN! So, if you want to read it, let me know, I have it...and the second one and the third one...

The hardest part of raising a child is teaching them to ride bicycles. A shaky child on a bicycle for the first time needs both support and freedom. The realization that this is what the child will always need can hit hard. ~Sloan Wilson