I'm Baaaa-aaak!

Wow, I haven't been here in what feels like forever! I can't wait to read all of your blogs to see what you've been up to! We were really busy this past week, and the kids got a lot of great games for Christmas, so we literally spent the entire week either going somewhere fun or playing games. It was nice, and the kids got along well (I asked Santa for better-behaved children, but I didn't think he'd actually BRING THEM!!!! Thanks, Santa!!! I will never doubt you again!), and things were mellow for the first holiday I can remember.

I have heard not word one from my SIL Kathy about those carseat buntings. DH dropped those and a $50 B&N gift card for our college-age niece off last week, and for all I know, they threw them straight in the trash. Kathy didn't open the box while DH was there, because she had a sleeping baby on her chest (actually, she and her husband didn't even answer the door when he knocked, so he walked right in rather than wait), and the box could still be sitting on the floor. Also, at 18, our niece is too old to not say thank-you herself. I am not one to expect thank-you cards from people in general, but if you've gotten a gift and haven't seen or talked to the person, a call or card or email is in order. I will never, repeat, NEVER go to any trouble for them again. Period. From now on, they will be getting notes saying, '$X has been donated in your name to Heifer International, thank you for your support.' At least that way, I will feel like my money and time have been spent wisely. I'm not kidding. The babies will get presents from us because they're children. Actually, I feel better already knowing that I have a solution.

This morning I was going through Josie's backpack (I know, bad mom, I should have done that, oh, 12 days ago) and noticed that 1) her grades went down again, probably pre-holiday excitement, and 2) that her teacher knocked her down a full letter grade on her oral presentation for her book report because she talked to someone during someone else's report. There was a total of 17 points, and she took away two for talking, which knocked her from an A to a low B. WHAT?!?! I was *pissed*! So, I wrote: 'This is ridiculous. Her work is her work, and deserves the grade she earns. If she needs to be punished, then punish her.' I may regret having written this tomorrow, when I have to see her in person. Or, NOT. I do not believe in taking away from someone's earned grades, allowance, or priviledges because of other behavior. Things can be denied in the future, but not taken away from the past. You cannot negate the past. If that was the case, the school should be allowed to dock Mrs. Teacher's pay by the cost of the aide she needs in order to manage the classroom, since she's not enough of a professional to do it herself. (I didn't say that part. But I wanted to.) If that happens again, I will go straight to the principal's office. In fact, I may anyway, depending on the response I get, since it affects her grades.

I made a decision over break - I allowed Josie to quit the violin. She really wasn't enjoying the lessons, because the entire group had to be at the same point in order to move forward, and she's already about a semester ahead of everyone else because she can read music and picks up things pretty quickly. He wasn't even letting them use the bow, for heaven's sake - they had to pluck a the strings, which didn't sound like music at all, and for a child who is used to making actual music, it was maddening. So, since she's already doing piano and will soon be adding the organ, and it was taking away from classroom time anyway, I let her quit, and am saving myself the aggravation of having to nag her to practice, not to mention the $35 a month. I have never had to nag her to play the piano (in fact, I sometimes have to ask her to stop), so I figured, she really doesn't like it, and there's no point in forcing the issue. My SIL Jen has a flute somewhere, and I told Josie that next year she can maybe do that, if she wants.

Patrick's 6th birthday is on the 14th. SIX. That, my friends, is the end of little kid-dom. He is a Big Kid. Holy crapola. I told him that I'll take him and some of his friends to the movies, and for his present we'll take him to a place here in town that lets you build remote-control cars from the ground up using little 'bays' in the store and a choice of bodies, tires, sounds, and extras like flashing lights, tow hitches, etc. Having his birthday so close to Xmas is tough because he doesn't really have time to think of other things that he wants, so I'm going to tell people to get him gift cards if they can't think of anything else. He loves to shop, and we can save it for later on when he sees something he would really like. Maybe one to Game Stop, so he can get a few used games for his DS or something.

Finally, here are a few Patrick quotes for the past week:

On opening a Children's Place box under the tree:
"WHAT?!?! You got me CLOTHES?? FOR CHRISTMAS?!?! What are you, CRAZY?!"

On taking Children's Musinex:
"That. Tasted. Like. LEAVES." (this leaves me wondering, how many leaves has the boy eaten?)