The Writing Was on the Wall

A few nights ago before bed, Connor and Helen decided they would perform puppet shows. Before beginning, Helen announced she would perform two.

First, she took her beloved toy cat that she pilfered from Grandma Lynn and covered her with a little cloth. She then removed the cloth in a very mysterious way (mimicking how Connor does this, which is how each puppet show at his school begins).

“Once, there was a cat.”
Cat walks out.
“It said ‘meow, meow, meow;”.

Not much on plot, but she is only two.

Next, she repeated the ritual with her “crying bunny”. Crying bunny is an adorable soft toy that my friend Kerri gave Connor when he was born. The eyes are little blue stitches. Connor steadfastly referred to the bunny as sleeping bunny, but Helen has decided it’s crying bunny.

“Once, there was a crying bunny.”
Bunny comes out.
“It said” and then Helen looked a little confused “hop, hop, hop”.

Now it was Connor’s turn. Helen sidled up next to him so she could have a very close viewing spot for the upcoming performance. Connor wanted her to sit in more of an audience spot as opposed to practically on stage, but he finally decided he could start the show without her moving.

Connor covered his dog Pugsley.

“Once there was a dog named Pugsley. He liked to eat cats and bunnies.”

At this point, Helen a very worried look washed over Helen’s face. She tried to conceal cat in her palm and shove bunny under her legs, but it was no use. Puglsey came over and started going “chomp, chomp, chomp”.

Helen: “No Connor, Puglsey CANNOT chomp baby kitty and crying bunny”.

Eventually, Ed ended the torture, only to have Connor repeat it instantly as his second show.

I’m not sure Helen will sit quite so close to the action next time.

Elaine

Snow...

It's very hard not to obsess about the snow when you have approximately one Helen's worth surrounding you.



On the other hand, we weren't all that sad to see our street wasn't plowed. After all, until it's plowed, we can take the kids out to ski without worrying about traffic! In case it wasn't obvious, I'm looking on the bright side here.

Helen's first time up on skis. She's annoyed because Ed won't let her just ski by herself.

Connor actually has the balance down pretty well. The stopping? Not so much.

The kids also enjoyed some time on sleds.

In answer to your question...

My dad called from Kansas tonight to see if the reports were right, that we had snow.

I missed the call because I was out cross-country skiing with Ed. But in answer to your question Dad, yes we do have snow.

Who knew recycling was so valuable?

"Mommy, I looked in the recycling pile tonight and I thought to myself 'man, I would really like these in my kitchen'".

I attended Kindergarten Information Night on Monday, and all I got was this migraine

I live a few blocks away from a well-loved elementary school that has just recently been renovated to the nines. People with children there love it. They love the principal, they love the teachers, they love the facilities. And did I mention this well-loved elementary school is free? Well, not exactly, but at least already paid for by my property taxes?

I feel bombarded with information about how children need to be outside. They need to be free from the television, computer, movies, etc. They need to explore and create. They do not need to memorize, sit in lines, and repeat back.

Neither Ed nor I were impressed by the image of a Kindergartener sitting at a computer. We were also not impressed that the event started late.

The gist of Ed's and my conversation?

Me: Well...I guess we both know the endgame here. You tell me how everyone loves our neighborhood school, that Connor would get to go to school with friends who lived close by, and that he's an exceptionally smart kid who will thrive in whatever environment we subject him to.

I tell you that he loves Potomac Crescent Waldorf School, that he's having the best year of his life, that he's with the nicest group of 15 similarly aged children I have ever witnessed, and that they actually understand just how important interacting with the natural world is - something that every piece of research quoted in the NYTimes supports.

You tell me public school is free and that Waldorf school is expensive, and that since our school only goes to grade 3, his joining of the public school factory is inevitable. You also point out that logistically, it would be fabulous to have a child who could walk to school.

I cry.

We send Connor to Waldorf school.

And then Ed adds that possibly, I might want to actually visit the local school. And he reminds me that I did have a really nice exchange with the principal over email and the assistant principal in person.

That, my friends, is the clear cost of marrying someone who is utterly rational.

And then Ed admits that he told his coworkers that day he was gearing up for the inevitable argument about where to send Connor to next year.

Why can Arlington County have a public Montessori program and not a public Waldorf program? It seems so unfair.

Driving Lessons

"You know, Mom, if you're in a hurry you could just keep driving instead of stopping at the stop signs if you don't see any cars there."

"Thanks for that advice, Connor. I'm sure it will serve me well in times to come."

Hardest Working Men in the Business

First we call them for a playdate. Then we let 'em do our yard work. Thanks, David!