for only a moment

Yay for Columbus. It means no work for me today. I’m just chillin’ at home with the girls today. It’s like stepping back into summer cause it’s so warm. Although none of us is in that routine anymore. Clara’s got something again…runny nose, warmish, stinky poos, cranky.

She’s had another bout of throwing up in bed in the last couple weeks–a couple nights here and there where she cries and throws up. It seems to help to limit her milk intake before sleep. Also having to re-teach sleep routines and good sleep habits. One night I was putting her to bed and tired of going in and out and so I stayed in and rocked her to sleep. My foot fell asleep. I was exhausted and fell asleep in the rocking chair too… Then woke and stood to put her in her crib. My leg dropped out from under me and I almost dropped her. My foot hurt really badly and I was trying to be quiet while I leaned on her crib and laid her down. Then I hobbled to my bed and cried while my foot turned purple. I thought maybe I broke it but the ER trip the next day revealed no broken bones. I guess it’s only sprained. It still hurts to walk on, but what can I do? Can’t lay around all the time. Last night was another bad night of sleep. Not sure if she’s got an ear infection, teething, or just doesn’t want to fall asleep alone.

What else? Went to the dentist and got my trays again. I hate invisilign. I remember now why I quit wearing them. They hurt. They are a pain. Glad I only have 5 months of them this time. Then never again.

Took the girls to the apple festival in Long Grove a week ago. Fun times. Then yesterday we went to the petting zoo and pumpkin patch. Afterwards we went to a little airport by us to eat lunch. The girls were entertained with the planes taking off and landing while we waited for our food and ate. My dad has flown into this airport a few times when my parents have visited, so we’d been there before. Was strange to be there without meeting anyone. I have pictures on my smugmug, but it’s password protected now. I have been feeling like it’s time to limit who can see what because the girls are getting older. I still want pics out there so family and friends  can see but don’t want total strangers perusing. Send me an email or message to view. I did put them on Facebook because it’s more private than here.

Clara is talking so much. I’m so bad about recording what she says. She picks up a lot from Hannah. I’m going to watch her this afternoon with a notebook and pen in hand to record what she says. Will share later.

Well, I’m exhausted. I was up with Clara from 2:30-5 am, and then Hannah got up at 5:15 to pee and ask for milk. I think now that they are asleep for nap, I better rest myself.

I’ve felt the need to reflect for a few days now… I’m into the fourth week of school.

I would have expected to be working with students more. I had a meeting all afternoon Monday, most of the morning Tuesday, and one more all morning tomorrow. This RtI thing–it’s complicated and requires a lot of training. I am a little frustrated about losing so much time with students. I have two students at one school who are in third grade and brand new to the county. I only see them 2 days a week, half days. The other bilingual teacher sees them when I’m not there. And I’ll be getting one student straight from Mexico in first grade at my main school. I’m not sure how to teach a student English from ground zero. I feel like I should know–isn’t that what I do? But I don’t.

I had one student before who had no English when she came in 2nd grade. I don’t know if I taught her anything or not. She’s in 5th grade now. I see her the two afternoons I’m at my other school. She had a rough year last year and because of issues beyond her control, didn’t make as much progress as I would hope. Worse, she almost completely refuses to speak Spanish with me. I am worried the same thing could happen to my other brand new three. I don’t know where to start with teaching them English. School is such an ordeal for them now that they’ll soon develop the ability to tune out like other ELLs in the regular classroom.

I wish our district had a T.B.E. program that included sheltered instruction so that new arrivals are actually out of the regular classroom for a good chunk or all of their day. But it is not so. A colleague sent me some questions to reflect on and answer for one of her ELL endorsement classes. It made me think about the weaknesses and strengths of the program structure.

Since then, I have felt a little hopeless regarding the difference I hoped to make. Things at home are…okay…I guess. The girls have adjusted pretty well to their school. It is definitely Hannah’s cup of tea–the Montessori school they go to. Clara usually cries at drop off, but she is a very busy girl once she gets over her separation anxiety. Clint is taking them around between 9 and 9:30, and I pick them up between 3 and 4, so their day isn’t as long as many kids in daycare. Plus it’s the right type of environment for them. Even Clint says he notices that they are learning things they weren’t getting at their sitters’ before.

Nights are so busy. I’m so tired. It’s just a state of being. I barely do any work after arriving home so I’m kind of behind on the paperwork and quite disorganized. But I’m maintaining. And I’m not as tired or exhausted as I was last year. Nor as overwhelmed. I haven’t taken any new pictures of the girls. Need to do that. Clara’s hair is getting longer, and less dry like baby fuzz/hair and more like toddler hair. She’s hit a language boom. She went from two word utterances to complete sentences. Her pronunciation is very toddler-ish and she is sometimes hard to understand. She does say three and four word sentences. It’s pretty amazing. I often forget that she is not even 2 yet.