Whistle (or sing) while you work.

I went into Zander's class on Friday to teach them "If you're happy and you know it" The kids LOVED this song but it was impressive to me how difficult it was for them to learn the words - they have lots of trouble with 'h's and r's. The word 'really' was super tricky for them - it came out more like 'wheelie'. I got them all making the 'rrrrrr' sound I wanted by pretending to be dogs growling - but then they couldn't transfer the sound over to the word. 'rrrr' rrrrrr' rrrrrrrrrrr' wheelie! The teacher was speaking to the class as I was doing it - and at the end she made a little speech to them saying something along the lines of "See how hard this is for you - this is how hard it is for Zander all the time." I thought that was very nice. Zander was worried about me being in class but enjoyed it in the end. He seems right at home in class, just one of the kids. Strange to not go shopping for Black Friday....

But, of course, we still made time for good old fasioned purchasing on the weekend. The fashion here for women's and little girls' shoes seems to be either flat or heeled lined boots that zipper up the side. (So you can still wear skirts in the cold, I think) We found a pair on 50% off for Callie at one of the stores we were visiting. I showed her the shoes (not sure if she will like them) and say - "Feel the lining Callie" (fake fur) Her reaction was "OOH, dead animal! I love dead animal!" We find this particularly amusing since the reason she knows fur is dead animals is because we have taught her so - doesn't seem to turn her off from the idea one bit to know her little fuzzy friends are making her feet toasty. They also love meat and will often say - I love pig (instead of bacon or pork). Children are so sensitive.


Recently, as Zander and Callie have been sprinting home from school with their buddies, I have been taking a stroller along for Griffin - running with him on my shoulders just started to get a little too hard.... Callie has been mad about this from day one and every day complains of how it is so unfair. Well, today she launched into a whole lecture on how Griffin was not going to be healthy and strong if I didn't let him walk more. And for that matter, if I didn't make sure he was healthy and strong, he would grow up not knowing how to be healthy and strong and then his kids some day wouldn't be healthy and strong and then their kids wouldn't be healthy and strong and it would go on forever until (and I quote) "the end of the earth". "But Callie," I said (when she was taking a breath), "you don't really care about Griffin." "I know" she says "but I know you do!" Gotta love that level of genius.

Speaking of genius, I have a new devious mom-trick I am currently playing on the kids. As we all know, getting them out the door in the morning is a time honored pain in the ass. We bought an advent calandar and I have decreed that whomever is the 'best' (which DOES NOT mean fastest, knocking down and beating up or screaming at siblings that may be in your way) at getting ready in the morning will get to open the door to that day and eat the (miniscule) piece of chocolate. Here is how Zander set the table for breakfast this morning in anticipation of the reward.... hope this trick lasts until Christmas!

Today I finally got my opportunity to be make my own record. Hey, it hasn't ever been a personal dream of mine - but one has to take these chances when they come along. Trying to live in the moment. The kids and I went into Callie's class during lunch to record "5 little hot dogs" (Hope I am not breaking any copyright laws) Zander, Callie and I sang it loud and clear (Griffin had stage fright) and I guess Valerie must have liked it since we then spent about another 15 minutes recording various things in my authentic american accent. ABC's in english, days of the week in english, colors, numbers, lots of christmas words and "we wish you a merry christmas" (chorus only). I imagine her playing it to some class 10 years from now - neat. May all little Bisontins speak English in a Philly accent (is that what I have?) from this day forth.