Looks to Be a Late Night

He's only two months old, but already Ben has my number. For 20 minutes, Dave and I tried to put Ben to bed (because, you know, it's bedtime) and he cried and screamed through it. After 20 minutes, I looked at him with a sigh, saying, "You're supposed to be in bed, you know." His response? A big sly grin. End result: I give in, Ben gets more playtime, I don't get to sleep yet.

I will go back in time to post some May and June happenings... Someday.

**Update: Ben slept from 11:30 p.m. until 7:00 a.m., and then again from 7:30 until 10:00 a.m. That would be sleeping through the night, during nighttime hours, for the first time. So 20 minutes of screaming was totally worth it!

Pressure

I have been told to stay home now- my blood pressure hasn't been crazy high, but high for me. So I am scrambling to get things together to be done with school a week earlier than I thought.

I will have to finish some grading, but it will be good for me to be home and relax. As long as I don't go a week overdue.

The End of April!

Oops- as far as blogging goes, I just noticed that I almost neglected April...

New since the last post:

• Three very nice baby showers. We have everything I think we need at this point- though I'm sure I have a lot to learn.
• I was laid off on Monday night, so I don't have a job for next school year. At this point. I should be called back before the school year actually ends.

I have eleven days to work until due date. Everything is still looking good at this point, despite the panic I work myself into between doctor's appointments.

I may add more later... but at least I got a post in for April.

I don't know what to think

There are so many problems with education, I don't even know where to begin. I'm extremely frustrated where I am right now, and am trying to figure out how to make a difference in the wider world of education.

So I read the transcript of the speech that Obama made about education yesterday.

And I don't know if he has the solutions or not.

And I read this analysis of it. I agree with most of what is said in the article.

Confusing the matter is the fact that I am in serious jeopardy of losing my job. Frustrating, that with 7 years in and good performance that could happen. Where are my options right now? Private and charter schools... sigh.

Three Years

The anniversary of living in this house for three years passed me by this year... Mostly due to relief at being done with just about everything, and actually enjoying the house!

Here is this year's list of things completed:

• Landscaping out back- tearing up grass, putting in a few plants and bushes
• Putting in the hardwood floors in the main room, stairs, and landing upstairs
• painting the basement
• trim on the main floor and in the basement
• carpeting the basement
• paying to have the basement waterproofed
• moving the office downstairs to clear the room for a baby room
• basement drapes
• tiling the bathroom downstairs, by the fireplace, and basement door
  
• drywalling & painting the bathroom downstairs
• new toilet in the basement
  

No pictures just yet... I have to get one of the cameras out and charged up.

The projects for this year include:
putting in the thresholds between rooms
crown molding in the basement
finishing touches on the bathroom in the basement
New kitchen countertops?
Fixing the electrical running into the house like the inspector told us to do three years ago

Other major improvements for very future planning if we're here long enough:
new windows
a garage
new driveway
a deck out back
drywalling/new flooring in the laundry room?

Confused Crocuses

It's almost 60 degrees today... and when I got home, the snow was melted and my crocuses were popping up.

Will they come back again later when winter is really over?

Slowing Down

My life has slowed down considerably... looking at my calendar from October/November vs. December/January it's very obvious. Then I look back at October/November of '07 vs. '08! For one who does like to make progress, it's been a transition.

I'm also trying to slow down a pregnancy. I keep wondering when I'll look pregnant, looking forward to all of the new outfits I got (cheaply!) and when I'll get to wear them... but trying to temper that with the fact that I'll be uncomfortable when I'm big and soon it will feel like I can't wait to get out of those clothes. A balancing act.