Yesterday was yet another snow day, which meant a very long day for Mommy. Aidan and I met Jason for lunch and then we spent the rest of the day at the Explorium. It was a bit more fun than I expected it to be. I hadn't been there in years and they had updated many of the exhibits and added a few things. They seem to have a whole lot more activities for learning through play than they used to.
They have a large Kentucky River exhibit that's basically a very large water table where you can experiment with the water levels (drought versus flood), take the boats through a lock, build settlements along the banks, or construct dams that interact with a miniature power plant. The river also has a ferry that crosses the river from one road to the other. He asked me all about it and I told him how ferries work and all about the ferry at Rochester. He asked if it was fun but I had to be honest that it's terrifying. He says he wants to go on it.
Aidan did a great job of discovering many activities that I would have overlooked. He found a picnic basket with a feast of fake food, so we sat down together and had ourselves a nice lunch on a red and white checked table cloth in the middle of the forest. We also had a nice meal in an African hut dressed in African garb and baked bread in a clay oven, which I mistook for a wigwam.
All in all, I'd say we had a really good time right up until he had a meltdown and started screaming, "I need milk!" all the way home. And I was still able, with Jason's help, to get some work done last night.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
A School For Aidan
Jason is doing a great job of taking care of this move to Lubbock. Honestly, I never knew he could plan. Although I have to say that this morning, when I reminded him that he needed to check on the summer program we've chosen for Aidan, he checked on everything except the peanut policy. He still needs some practice.
Anyway, he's constantly working toward getting our house on the market, he's planning trips to house hunt in Lubbock, and he single handedly found a great private school for Aidan. When I first looked into it and was told by various credible sources that it's an elite school, I was scared that we'd have to buy a house in the ghetto in order to afford it. Given the $12,000 per year people around here shell out for private school, I was sure that it would be out of our price range. Even with two incomes we're still in a whole lot of debt, so we have to watch our budget.
When Jason told me that he and Nana were planning our trip down to Lubbock for Aidan's interview at his potential school and to look for a house, I was concerned that without knowing the tuition cost of this fabulous school, that we could not predict our housing budget. Jason emailed the school and sent me the tuition schedule as an email attachment. The text in the email just said, "OMG!" For you computer illiterates, that means "Oh My God!" My heart sank and then I opened the attachment.
And then I was confused because the school in Lubbock is...get this...LESS expensive than what we are paying now for preschool! The tuition goes up significantly at the 5th grade level, but Aidan's current preschool will be raising their rates next year-- which will make this new school $150 less per month than Aidan's current preschool! I'm flabbergasted.
I may not be able to hold it over his head, but I'll at least be able to claim that I was willing to live in a smaller house in order to give Aidan a better educational opportunity. I think my friend Paul Rosen (who says I'd make the perfect Jewish mother) would say it's fitting to hold it over his head anyway-- just the idea that we could have sacrificed for his education is enough to warrant the guilt.
But in all seriousness, now I just hope he's able to get in. Having a school all set where we know he'll get a good education is more important to me than finding a house at this point. Plus I know they already have a peanut policy and that he will be safe there. I have no idea how they will interview a 3-year-old, but that ought to be interesting!
Anyway, he's constantly working toward getting our house on the market, he's planning trips to house hunt in Lubbock, and he single handedly found a great private school for Aidan. When I first looked into it and was told by various credible sources that it's an elite school, I was scared that we'd have to buy a house in the ghetto in order to afford it. Given the $12,000 per year people around here shell out for private school, I was sure that it would be out of our price range. Even with two incomes we're still in a whole lot of debt, so we have to watch our budget.
When Jason told me that he and Nana were planning our trip down to Lubbock for Aidan's interview at his potential school and to look for a house, I was concerned that without knowing the tuition cost of this fabulous school, that we could not predict our housing budget. Jason emailed the school and sent me the tuition schedule as an email attachment. The text in the email just said, "OMG!" For you computer illiterates, that means "Oh My God!" My heart sank and then I opened the attachment.
And then I was confused because the school in Lubbock is...get this...LESS expensive than what we are paying now for preschool! The tuition goes up significantly at the 5th grade level, but Aidan's current preschool will be raising their rates next year-- which will make this new school $150 less per month than Aidan's current preschool! I'm flabbergasted.
I may not be able to hold it over his head, but I'll at least be able to claim that I was willing to live in a smaller house in order to give Aidan a better educational opportunity. I think my friend Paul Rosen (who says I'd make the perfect Jewish mother) would say it's fitting to hold it over his head anyway-- just the idea that we could have sacrificed for his education is enough to warrant the guilt.
But in all seriousness, now I just hope he's able to get in. Having a school all set where we know he'll get a good education is more important to me than finding a house at this point. Plus I know they already have a peanut policy and that he will be safe there. I have no idea how they will interview a 3-year-old, but that ought to be interesting!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Dollars, Phones, and Movies
Yesterday Aidan's great grandmother, Norma, mailed him a presidential dollar to go in his collection book that she gave him over the holidays. Jason and I find this to be a great hobby for them to share together and Jason says that she may be the only person actually showing Aidan the importance of saving. She'd called earlier in the week to let us know it was coming, so I pulled his book out and explained that the next coin would be put in the next slot of the book. When the package came, he tore it open and we put it in the book together. Then he had to count how many coins he already has, then he had to count the empty slots. He gets to 13 and then starts over at 7. We're still working on counting higher than 13. When we correct him he says, "That's just the way I count." Hmmm, do I detect a little independent thinking?
A lot of people complain that Aidan never likes to talk on the phone. Whenever we hold the phone up to him, he gets all shy and won't say a word. So we were very surprised last night when he very plainly and happily said, "Thank you" to Memaw Norma over the phone for his dollar. He must be practicing this new skill because today he called to tell me all about his plan to see the Spiderwick Chronicles with his Daddy. He's asked to see it a million times and we've repeatedly said no because it looks scary. When he called me this morning he insisted that if he got scared he would look away from the screen and let Daddy hold him. We'll see how it goes!
A lot of people complain that Aidan never likes to talk on the phone. Whenever we hold the phone up to him, he gets all shy and won't say a word. So we were very surprised last night when he very plainly and happily said, "Thank you" to Memaw Norma over the phone for his dollar. He must be practicing this new skill because today he called to tell me all about his plan to see the Spiderwick Chronicles with his Daddy. He's asked to see it a million times and we've repeatedly said no because it looks scary. When he called me this morning he insisted that if he got scared he would look away from the screen and let Daddy hold him. We'll see how it goes!
Friday, February 22, 2008
A Few Pictures to Get You Through
Aidan is home today, so I took some pictures of him playing with a toy Aunt Cassie sent for Christmas. I also posted a picture from the snow last week. Enjoy!
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Thank God for Nana!
We've been a little stressed around here and I suspect it will continue or maybe get worse. I've added a weekly meditation class to the yoga class I take twice a week and I even signed Jason up for a seven week yoga seminar too. We're watching too much television and eating less healthy than usual. And we're just tired. So, we all sighed with relief today when the Nana came for a visit. Jason was able to finish the bathroom, I was able to get some work done, and Aidan was in heaven playing with his Nana. Just after she got here I heard him say, "Nana! Can you believe how many toys I have?" He's too cute with her!
So, the Nana came to help out since Aidan is out of school tomorrow. She'll take him for his haircut and might even take him to get some building blocks, which he desperately wants. And the best part is that I don't have to worry or feel guilty about going to work and not being home with him.
So, the Nana came to help out since Aidan is out of school tomorrow. She'll take him for his haircut and might even take him to get some building blocks, which he desperately wants. And the best part is that I don't have to worry or feel guilty about going to work and not being home with him.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Gotta Love That Boy!
Aidan was goofing off the other day as we were walking to our car. This stressed me out since there was lots of traffic and we were trying to cross the street in a busy intersection at rush hour. When I got him to the car he said that he didn't feel good. I sternly made the comment that I didn't feel good either, that he had made me very angry by not cooperating, and that we would fix our problems when we got home. He then said, "No, Mommy! My tummy hurts and you are angry. We have different problems!" These are the comments that make me think we are doomed!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Snow Days Here Again
Aidan had two snow days this week and what a good time we had! On Tuesday he came into work with me and he was such a great boy! He colored and watched movies while I met with a co-author and edited our paper for almost 3 hours! He was so good that he earned a new special toy. He chose this one, even though he said he wanted a doll house. I actually think the toy he chose is sort of like a "boy toy house." Not that I have any issues with getting him girl toys-- especially since lately he's been all about figuring out the gender differences-- but he chose what he chose.
On Wednesday we played in the snow and hung out together all day. I decided to just blow off work since I hadn't had a day off in a while. Besides, I didn't want to push my luck with Aidan by making him come into the office with me again. And he did say that if he was out today, he wanted my co-author to come to the house rather than meeting her at the office. He even instructed me on where we would work at the house!
On Wednesday we played in the snow and hung out together all day. I decided to just blow off work since I hadn't had a day off in a while. Besides, I didn't want to push my luck with Aidan by making him come into the office with me again. And he did say that if he was out today, he wanted my co-author to come to the house rather than meeting her at the office. He even instructed me on where we would work at the house!
Thursday, February 07, 2008
A New Day
We worked harder last night at playing and feeling Aidan out. With everything that's going on, it's no wonder that he's having a hard time right now. We played with play-doh together and pretended that he was a doctor who was working with worms. The worms had a funny name but I can't remember now what they were called. They only like cold and eat bugs but they don't really get along with other worms, so we had to keep them away from all the other worms on the table. Sometimes the leader worm got cut and needed a band-aid and sometimes he just needed his blood checked. Boy, does that child have a lot going on in his little head!
Because we'd played together so much and he was having such a great time, we had a very difficult bedtime. We ended up putting him in bed with me until he fell asleep and then Jason took him into his own bed. Jason was up sealing the bathroom tile anyway. I'm trying to help facilitate the sealing and the painting so that we can get back in there by the end of the weekend. The plumber should be here tomorrow (we hope).
Aidan asked if he could take cupcakes to school tomorrow to celebrate his half birthday (it was Monday). I agreed and spoke with his teacher about it. She felt that it would be a good way to help him feel special and maybe will help him feel better about school. I'm going to wrap up early today so I can go out to get stuff to make and decorate the cupcakes. He wants to help make them tonight.
Because we'd played together so much and he was having such a great time, we had a very difficult bedtime. We ended up putting him in bed with me until he fell asleep and then Jason took him into his own bed. Jason was up sealing the bathroom tile anyway. I'm trying to help facilitate the sealing and the painting so that we can get back in there by the end of the weekend. The plumber should be here tomorrow (we hope).
Aidan asked if he could take cupcakes to school tomorrow to celebrate his half birthday (it was Monday). I agreed and spoke with his teacher about it. She felt that it would be a good way to help him feel special and maybe will help him feel better about school. I'm going to wrap up early today so I can go out to get stuff to make and decorate the cupcakes. He wants to help make them tonight.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
It's Always Something
When I walked into the classroom to pick Aidan up yesterday afternoon he was standing at a table all alone coloring a picture. One teacher was reading a book to some kids across the room and the other teacher was talking to a child's parent on the other side of the room. Then I hear the child say, "Aidan bit me on the arm right here!"
Shocked, I looked at Aidan and he looked at me and I yelled, "What?! What happened?" I must have looked at him with sheer fury because he immediately burst into tears and hid his face from me. He obviously felt really bad about what had happened. I tried to comfort him in his fear/guilt/empathy/whatever it was while still communicating that I was furious. He immediately had to go to the bathroom and when I took him, we chatted a little about what had happened. He's told me at least 30 times in the last 24 hours that he never wants me to look at him like that again. But I digress.
Long story short, Aidan is playing too rough at school. It's a combination of issues ranging from trying to hang tough with older kids who know how to handle themselves better, to being frustrated about certain internal issues that he's having regarding some other children he goes to school with. I've been trying to help him deal with some of these issues for a while. Jason has been taking a different route that I've disagreed with from the start.
Jason feels that allowing the rough play but setting boundaries (although I've never been able to figure out Jason's boundaries or how those boundaries would be fine for school) will teach Aidan to be more responsible with rough play. I feel that cracking down on rough play altogether will not stop it, but it will make him question it to a point that he might feel pressure to avoid going too far with it. In the past my methods have worked. Jason's don't seem to be working, he has continued to tell me that Aidan's behavioral problems are because I'm obviously not making the child behave. After two conversations with teachers, Jason has decided that his strategy is ineffective and that maybe the behavioral problems are not due to my discipline methods. It sounds like Jason is ready to try it a different way. I sure hope so because I'm a little tired of doing it his way.
In family news, the bathroom is still not finished. We are continuing to wait for the plumber who had some major problems come up with a sewer line at an apartment complex. In the meantime, Jason is sealing the tile and I'm picking out paint colors. In other news, Jason's boss is figuring out what is going to happen with Jason's job. It's gone from termination to staying full time and now to at least half time. Although the full time option would be more money, the half time option is fine too because sometimes time is worth more than money. It also serves as an opportunity for Jason to figure out what he wants to do next. By the way, anyone out there who is interested in helping Jason get the house ready to go on the market, feel free to drop in for a visit!
Shocked, I looked at Aidan and he looked at me and I yelled, "What?! What happened?" I must have looked at him with sheer fury because he immediately burst into tears and hid his face from me. He obviously felt really bad about what had happened. I tried to comfort him in his fear/guilt/empathy/whatever it was while still communicating that I was furious. He immediately had to go to the bathroom and when I took him, we chatted a little about what had happened. He's told me at least 30 times in the last 24 hours that he never wants me to look at him like that again. But I digress.
Long story short, Aidan is playing too rough at school. It's a combination of issues ranging from trying to hang tough with older kids who know how to handle themselves better, to being frustrated about certain internal issues that he's having regarding some other children he goes to school with. I've been trying to help him deal with some of these issues for a while. Jason has been taking a different route that I've disagreed with from the start.
Jason feels that allowing the rough play but setting boundaries (although I've never been able to figure out Jason's boundaries or how those boundaries would be fine for school) will teach Aidan to be more responsible with rough play. I feel that cracking down on rough play altogether will not stop it, but it will make him question it to a point that he might feel pressure to avoid going too far with it. In the past my methods have worked. Jason's don't seem to be working, he has continued to tell me that Aidan's behavioral problems are because I'm obviously not making the child behave. After two conversations with teachers, Jason has decided that his strategy is ineffective and that maybe the behavioral problems are not due to my discipline methods. It sounds like Jason is ready to try it a different way. I sure hope so because I'm a little tired of doing it his way.
In family news, the bathroom is still not finished. We are continuing to wait for the plumber who had some major problems come up with a sewer line at an apartment complex. In the meantime, Jason is sealing the tile and I'm picking out paint colors. In other news, Jason's boss is figuring out what is going to happen with Jason's job. It's gone from termination to staying full time and now to at least half time. Although the full time option would be more money, the half time option is fine too because sometimes time is worth more than money. It also serves as an opportunity for Jason to figure out what he wants to do next. By the way, anyone out there who is interested in helping Jason get the house ready to go on the market, feel free to drop in for a visit!
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Aidan's Mountain
A little while ago Aidan came to me, smiling this devilish little grin and said, "Can you turn the light on for me?" Suspecting that something was up, I asked which light. He said, "The light in your room," as he tried to hide his expression. When I asked him why he responded, "It's a secret. A big secret."
Jason turned the light on for him and a little while later we saw Aidan carrying pillows, one at a time, into the livingroom. When we entered the livingroom to see what he was up to, we saw a mountain of pillows piled up on the couch! After much discussion, it was made clear that he is not to jump on top of the pillows. So now he's running around the edges of the pillows on the couch. I think it's not as much fun as he intended, but he's not taking a chance of getting a time out!
In family news, our bathroom is still not complete. We're waiting on the plumber to come by and hook up the toilet/sink/tub. We're still hightailing it upstairs for all of our needs. We're all starting to get a little bored with that. Also, we should know this week the final verdict on whether Jason will still be gainfully employed after our move. Initial responses were favorable.
Jason turned the light on for him and a little while later we saw Aidan carrying pillows, one at a time, into the livingroom. When we entered the livingroom to see what he was up to, we saw a mountain of pillows piled up on the couch! After much discussion, it was made clear that he is not to jump on top of the pillows. So now he's running around the edges of the pillows on the couch. I think it's not as much fun as he intended, but he's not taking a chance of getting a time out!
In family news, our bathroom is still not complete. We're waiting on the plumber to come by and hook up the toilet/sink/tub. We're still hightailing it upstairs for all of our needs. We're all starting to get a little bored with that. Also, we should know this week the final verdict on whether Jason will still be gainfully employed after our move. Initial responses were favorable.
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