A break from homework

As the title states, I'm taking a break from my homework. My brain is fried and I need to vent a little. Today I decided to take the bottle away from Samantha cold turkey. She was doing great all day until it came time for bed. She usually goes to sleep by 7:30, but tonight it was more like 9:30. Here's what happened: I gave her a cup of milk after her bath and she wanted nothing to do with it and I struggled with her for about an hour. Then I gave her a different cup with Elmo on it and she sucked that down pretty fast, but sleep had evaded her. So I bust out with the pacifier. She has never liked it and tonight was no exception. She kept laughing and trying to stick it in my mouth. Ha ha. So I turned off the lights and laid down in bed with her. She tossed and turned for another hour and pulled my hair. I had a ton of homework and I couldn't take it anymore so I got her a bottle and stuck her in her crib and she was fast asleep. So I think I decided to let her have her bottle at night, I need my sanity. I swear she's going to be in kindergarten with a bottle tucked under her arm.

Back to homework. I HATE IT!!!!!! My mind does not want to focus anymore. I have so many other things going on that school work is kinda low on the totem pole.

Outside Fun

It was pretty nice outside today, like 70, so we decided to spend some time in the sun.






She would do this all day if I let her. I think it's time I invest in a jungle gym.
(I wish I could rotate the video, but I don't know how).

Pictures

These are just some pictures I had on my phone. I'll post better ones later.


The "Chandler" smile. She always does this cheese ball smile when I tell her to say cheese.



He does eat junk food...here's proof.



Reading to her baby.




In the bath. She always tries to drink water from that cup. It's soooo gross.

I did it!!!

I got my scores last night...I passed the content exam! I'm officially certified to teach (in TX). I had to add that detail because I think I"m moving back to California in May. Sam can't find a reserve position in fire fighting anywhere, so it looks like we're staying at Travis AFB (he'll be a reservist there). However, I think we're going to try to find a house in Sacramento because he will have to go to Sacramento State for nursing school. I'm okay with this decision because at least I get to see my friends again and we'll be out of El Paso. It will only be for two years, then we can decide where we want to go from there.

I'm just ready to be done with all this school stuff. Just 2 more months.... But on top of worrying about school, I have to order my cap and gown (and my honors chords... I can brag... it took a lot of hard work to get to this point), announcements, and not to mention getting things ready for the big move back to CA.

I want my stupid hair to grow back out. I am sick of it Just thought I'd throw that in there.

Samantha is doing good. She is getting to be more of a handful every day. She's cutting both "vampire" teeth, or eye teeth (whatever they're called) and I think those are the worst ones :( Oh, she also likes to go through her dresser drawers and pull out all kinds of clothes and bring them into the den where she proceeds to put everything on. And she won't let us help; she's independent and it makes her frustrated because she's not quite coordinated yet.

I promise to post pictures this weekend. It will be my mission to get some good ones!

Terrible day teaching

So the lesson totally flopped! I kinda knew it would. The concept was very abstract and half of the classes were gone giving presentations to the incoming 7th graders. In short, all the outgoing, opinionated kids who would have started a good discussion, were gone :( I had a little luck with the Pre-AP class (7 students). My teacher had to jump in and help me a lot, but that's ok, we ended up working together. I have another lesson to teach tomorrow and I'm showing some Schoolhouse Rock videos about the branches of government and the ever-so-popular "How a Bill Becomes a Law." I'm thinking about having the Asst. principal come observe. We'll so how I feel come tomorrow morning.

Other news: there was a freakin' blizzard here! Okay, so no snow actually stuck, but it was really snowing and the wind was blowing really hard. I had to go to UTEP today and I couldn't even breathe when I walked to my class because snow was getting up my nose and the wind was freezing my eyeballs.

Samantha and I took a nap today from noon to 2:45. Apparently we were both exhausted.

New Pictures!!!!

I feel so accomplished. I finally got around to adding new pictures. I took some updated Valentines pictures. We have been so busy around here. Time is really flying by! I start teaching tomorrow. I'm so nervous. I have the whole class to myself and we're doing some weird project about the three branches of government and how laws are made. I really hope I get it right. My teacher will still be in the classroom so that makes it all the more nervewracking. We were going to take Samantha to a petting zoo today because the weather has been really nice (mid 70s) but this morning we woke up and it was windy and cold...It's supposed to snow tomorrow! So I think we're just going to hang out inside today, boring :(



My little model.




Cheese!





This is Samantha in Lacy's boyfriend's hat. I think he's in the Navy JROTC.




This is an overgrown baby if I've ever seen one.




Look at the mouthful of molars. Ouch!

Just more blabbing

I really need to post some pictures soon...sorry. I have been so stressed this week. I'm excited about the government lesson I will be teaching on Monday, but I'm stressing. My teacher really guided me on what to do, but I still don't feel prepared. I'm sure I'll be working on it for the better part of my weekend. Occasionally I take over for the teacher for one class period, but I really just repeat whatever he had said. Oh and to make matters more anxiety-inducing, I ran into the Asst. Principal today after school and he asked when I'm going to teach a lesson. Dumb me said "Monday." AAAhhhhh! I'm definitely not ready to be evaluated.

Samantha news: Not much to report here. She's not eating...maybe it's a phase...I hope. She still loves her daycare. Lately she's been going to bed by 7:30. WOW! I think waking up early has finally caught up with her. It's great for me though because now I have time for myself and I can actually start homework at a decent time instead of 11pm. She still takes a bottle. I'm so frustrated with this, but I think I just have to come to terms that I have lost this battle and she'll be done with it when she's ready.

That's all for now. I'll try to post pictures soon! Oh and Sam will be in El Paso on the 13th!!!! I can't wait!!!!!