Confessions of a Blogaholic

Before I share my most recent good news, let me reiterate that I love teaching freshmen. I think 9th graders are such a rare breed of human being, and I love getting to be my immature self when I teach. There is still a slight innocence to kids when they just enter high school; they haven't been as tainted by relationships, sex, drugs, responsibilities (or lack thereof), driving, work, etc. Freshmen still need you to tell them what to think, but they are just starting to figure out how to think for themselves. They are wonderful.

That being said, I am moving to teach sophomores next year. Our junior teacher is moving back to his hometown, so the 10th grade teacher (and a good friend of mine) is moving to the 11th grade, I am moving to the 10th grade, and there will be a 9th grade opening at our school next year. Some positive notes about this move...I will have the exact same kids I had this year= they know me and my expectations, and I KNOW what I taught them the previous year; these kids are a really great class--I only had 1 behavior-related write-up this year; I don't have to switch classrooms, which makes for a lot less moving during the summer; I will be teaching Honors II, which is the AMERICAN LIT class AND I HAVE WAITED MY WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE TO TEACH AN AMERICAN LITERATURE CLASS!!!!!!!!!!!

The only real negative, though it is quite a huge one, is that I will have to redo ALL of my lessons, read and prepare to teach brand new novels, create new quizzes, prepare new semester exams, read, read, read, make new Power Points, find new resources, prepare new lectures, etc., etc., etc. And with a new baby at home, it is going to be a rough year in terms of transition. I was JUST getting used to having all of my units/calendars/lesson plans ready each day without having to do much preparation, lol.

As much as I love being home with Rylee, I can't wait to be back in my classroom in the fall. I know I will regret saying that as the start date grows closer, but I love teaching and I can't wait to return. I love Rylee also, but there has to be a balance for me between being Mrs. H and Mommy...I can't live my life being just one; I would get soooo bored!!!

Ry (no, I don't call her that in real life, it's just shorthand) had her 1-month appointment today and she's doing well. She's having some pooping issues--going days at a time without pooping at all, but the dr. isn't concerned about it unless she goes longer than a week. She is in the 90th percentile for her height and 50th percentile for her weight, so it looks like she'll be a long and lean baby. Dr. said as she continues to get taller, it may look like she is actually losing weight, but that's probably not the case. No need to supplement my BM with formula or rice cereal to fatten her up. Ry is still working out that wonky eye she has (right eye still looks a little bulldog cross-eyed at times), and the "rash" that comes and goes throughout the day on her face and back is just from heat and we only need to worry if it starts to itch.

What else....what else....OH. I figured out the pumping issue a bit. I pump one side while she eats off the other, then I switch sides at the next feeding. That seems to get me about 5 ounces of milk a day and I'm finally growing a little supply for when I go back to work.

Nate's grandparents are coming to stay with us this weekend, which I am excited about because he hardly ever gets to see them and we finally have the space for his family to stay in our house! Cookout tomorrow with his parents, grandparents, and Mom & Bill; again, we finally have the space at our house to invite people over like this!