About Preschool

To answer some questions-
There was one other episode where they were sent to their cubbies to get their coats and bags where Gabriel shoved another boy because he wouldn't move so that G could get to his stuff. I was brought into the room immediately (it was pick up time) and we talked about it and apologized to a boy. (I am 80% that she got the kids mixed up and we apologized to the wrong kids),
There is one teacher, one parent helper and 15 kids, (1 was absent that day though).
It is a nearly even ratio of girls to boys.
I was unable to reach Teacher Lorraine today.
I have not had a single helper day yet because it's all stupid that way, but I have one coming up on Dec. 10th.
It's true he is 4. He is a boy. He is having issues (what they are I don't exactly know).
Someone not reading said that I am probably over-reacting and not to worry.
Over time I have decided that I am not as worried about Gabriel and his behaviour as I am about how she teaches and how she runs the class.
I knew going into this via substantial talking with any and all parents I could find that she is known for being strict/firm. From other parents that have had helper days I hear that she is to be listened to at circle time and doesn't really involve the kiddies by asking for in-put or taking turns telling everyone something. My same source says when they get gym time instead of outdoor time she doesn't allow running in the gym. Her 3 class rules are Be safe, Be neat and Be kind. The make sense right?
Probably I am over-reacting on some points and at the same time this is sooooo different than last year (and a half) where I was in the room twice a month and had a relationship with the teacher and a very open line of communication (my husband signed her cheques).
I agree the note is unprofessional in it's address of me... I have a name and you can use it... on the other hand I bet she doesn't even know what it is....aaarrrggghhh.

The issues of G are

• Growing...no PJ's that fit suddenly etc.
• Brother toileting
• best friend talking about moving away
• nightmares
• not liking the top bunk so much
• me saying 'I'm busy' or 'in a minute' etc.

Kids pick up on everything and there is a good chance the stress around here is tangible for him.

In with the honey and out with the bees now.

No more afternoons of me blogging/facebooking/phone talking while he has a matinee.

Note

I interrupt the previous post due to a more urgent matter.
The note reads:
Dear Gabriel's Mommy,
Gabriel did not listen at preschool, he would not play quietly or gently with the toys. Gabriel threw the magnetic letters at another little boy. This is not OK. Gabriel needs to listen or stay at home.
Thank you Teacher Lorraine

Help. I thought I had a good little boy who listens and loves school. Up until today I thought he was having a mostly good time, generally well behaved and really thriving in the experience. He was doing better at home because of it. Help. I don't know how he got this way and I don't know how to fix it before it's too late.

From the list - Neighbours

Where to start... from the beginning I suppose. We live in a basement suite of a home owned by lovely fabulous amazingly wonderful brown people (East Indians). There aren't too many brown people in our immediate neighbourhood and they do have a certain stereotype when it comes to being landlords and that is simply not the case with our people. Anyhow some of you may not know that when you live in a basement suite, you are not part of the 'hood. You are almost invisible to lots of people, this neighbourhood isn't like that, when we moved in the LL (land lord) brought beers for the boys (it was July), the next door people were outside in their pool with Family and they said hello and introduced themselves and their children, nice, very nice.
A short time later I noticed that they had a trailer beside the house with rubbish in it and that they never seem to put out their garbage on garbage day. The man had said that he takes the trailer to the dump about once a week, I thought they must be doing spring/fall cleaning or renovations or something in order to generate that much crap. (how is it that I can do a lovely little story and when it comes to the punch line there is no other way bit to BLUNT) They threw out their garbage (2bags) when the workers in nearby towns were on strike because the dumpline was too long. Here it is.... They don't recycle, or re-use ANYTHING. They don't fix or repair ANYTHING, they just chuck it out. I am disgusted and appalled. It is just awful for me to see.
For those of you not from here we have recycling pick up with garbage every week for paper, plastics #1,2,4,5. and cans.
Water and pop bottles and cans carry a 5cent deposit larger ones a larger deposit, alcohol ones a bigger deposit too.
This and so much more is in the trash next door. Broken or dirty, used kids toys, clothing, baby hats, bicycles (we took them to CBP). EVERYTHING.
They have 4 boys, they don't think of the future? They thinks it's other people not them? I want to go through it every time, I want to teach them how it works, they told me they don't have time to sort recycling... there is no sorting required... really put it in the blue bin and voila the world is a better place!
hold here going out finish later

hmmm...

Wow I get annoyed when people don't blog everyday for me to be entertained and here I am it's been nearly a whole week. Is it that I am at a loss for words? No not really, I have stuff to say, just seems like none of it is catchy and witty. Ha it never was before so why is it stopping me?
I am baffled daily by the blogs of others, I have no idea why I read them and I barely comment but there are things that I wish I had the guts to address about them. I just read them that's why I'm on this tangent.
Ok new topic.... I have been having some somewhat successful book events lately which is nice and I hope to have another success on Thursday when everyone and their dog is invited over to buy books from 10-12 or 3-8pm. I have asked every preschool mom I could find and some other people too. I would love to see you here! Bring your cheque books! LOL. Just teasing!
I have this great song stuck in my head from the Meet the Robinson's movie and I can't seem to buy it for the ipod! I am annoyed. The movie is a rental and we have seen it no less than 4 times. It's fun and the song is that guy, from that band...you know. Whatever anyways, I love it and it makes me want to cry with love and happiness mush and stuff....but it's not a sappy song, it's all me.
I have pictures of stuff too....just they're on the camera.
Blah
Something of substance later maybe?

Castle Fun Park

I did not go. I stayed home with Michael but here are some pictures of Gabriel and Chris at Gabriel's new favorite place to go. I quote "Go Bananas is for babies I like Castle Fun Park"

They went for the mini-golf. G has been asking for mini-golf since he saw it in Bellis-Fair Mall months ago. The asking just increased when we were there the other week.

Vacuuming

I want pictures for this post but I don't want to take them or put them on the computer. So I guess that means I will be dis-satisfied and write a post without pictures yet again.
Some of you may have heard this story already and some of you were almost here for it.
oh man it's so fresh still that I hardly know where to begin.
If you don't mind a mess, or try to have nice things, you probably won't understand my RAGE.
I had surrendered to the fact that I had to vacuum yesterday around 3:30pm.
I own a decent vacuum, it does the job, it even used to do the job well.
I even got the kids to help with a bit of getting the toys off the floor so I could vacuum.
I began vacuuming, Gabriel was being his usual rowdy self running around and screaming excitedly at the vacuum cleaner, Michael was following suit but from a safe location of the couch.
Gabriel threw a long 'strap' down in front of the vacuum cleaner, it was too late, I knew it was going in, (the button on the handle of my VC is broken due to other small children episodes with a husband so it works by plugging in is ON and unplugging is OFF) I turned around to go unplug and in the time of 3 steps, it's in and wrapped around the head. I know how to unscrew the head to get hair off it (I shed) and keep going. I unscrewed the head, the strap was further than simply wrapped, it went into some hole and I can't seem to tug it out. I can tell by the remaining length that there can't be more than 3inches of strap in there, in some hole on the way to the canister thingy, I should be able to tug it out... but nope.
I started this hours ago and have since lost my thought train, also I am terrible at conclusions. The ending is-- my floor is not all the way clean, the vacuum cleaner needs a repair person, and I nearly ate him alive because of it.

When the lights go out

So, On Monday it was a statutory Holiday here and since that means nothing to me and less to my working husband he went to work. We had already had a wonderful weekend of family togetherness, so I let him go to work (read: he was driving me insane I was glad to see him go). Around 9am the power went out due to a fantastic wind storm. Last year there were huge wind storms here and many people near me were powerless for days, we were fortunate to be on an unaffected grid. Monday we were not as fortunate. My dad was on his way over so I knew we would have lunch at a restaurant (read: White Spot) taken care of, and no need to worry about what to make that can be not-cooked. The boys and I played together, I was very engaged with them, my dad got here, we went for lunch, WS had a 45min wait and we all know how small children wait, especially mine when it comes to food. So we crossed the street and went to Wendy's. Much better for them what with a toy and all. Came home and had naps. Gabriel came to bed with me and slept too. When I woke up I was cold. Michael woke up and wasn't very warm either, I called friends to see if their power was on, no it wasn't but we could come over anyways. After thinking about it for a short while I decided that I wasn't going to their house. I was going somewhere with power and hopefully even TV for the kids. According to the Internet (by telephone from Chris at work) our power wasn't due to come back on until Wednesday the 14th at 11am. It was Monday at 4pm. I was deflated to say the least.
We went to the office, Chris was the only sucker working so we weren't in any ones way but his. We had the projector and DVD set up in the boardroom and I had brought Peter Pan. Finally a moment to relax. We had some Chicken for dinner picnic style in the lunchroom, watched the rest of the movie, and played hide and seek, while Chris was able to work. Hide and seek at the office is GREAT, there are cubicles and desks and offices to hide in, plus it's fairly large so it takes a while to get found by a 4 year old. At 7ish I decided to put them in their Jammies (which I had packed in a bag with toys, colouring books and DVDs) and get ready to go home and face the darkness. We left around 8 and the power was ON when we got here! Hooray!
Pictures still on camera but I will add them soon.

Little known fact

In the same way that you can't get your favorite things where you are, my favorite chocolate bar is where you are and not here. Weird eh? Almond Joy can only be found at outrageous prices in specialty candy shops in Kitsalano, not in the dollar store for fifty cents each. Irony anyone?




Obviously I got some minis when I was there last week but already I fear my supply is dwindling.
(I should file this under Pathetic PMS moments) lmao.

Sweet

I am sure I have more to say than just this but I have really taken to napping every afternoon possible since Michael is going to be quitting soon enough... ok that's a whole other story.
It is really sweet to hear Michael whisper to me while playing hide and seek in daddy's office (also another story) 'I love baybo'. Baybo is my best phonetics for how he says Gabriel. He is whispering other sweet stuff too but mostly I love that after a day of wrestling to be apart this is what I got to hear.

Going shopping

With the most amazing Canadian dollar in well over 30 years I am going to do a little states-side shopping today. I keep thinking how I don't really have the money to go shopping but, for nearly a dollar and 8 cents I think I can handle going to get a couple of things on my must have list right?
In other news there is a HUGE Holiday Shoppers expo happening at Shannon Hall on Saturday, from 10-3 and I will be there with books!! So tell your friends I will give a discount to bloggers. This is not just stuff for kids it's all your holiday shopping needs, all of those great home based businesses that you need to have a party to get stuff from will be there, no need to have a party yourself. If you're interested let me know I can give you more info.

Pathetic

The fact that there are no comments on my previous post just proves my point. Boring. Lame and truthfully pathetic. Oh well, despite what it sounds like I am feeling pretty good today. In case you care what we have been up to...here it is