Firsts...

It was a terribly gloomy, dark and rainy morning when we ventured out of the house at 6:20 a.m.

Today was the beginning of the school year for students. This means that Mommy actually had kids in the classroom! The day went well. I got to play dress up (high heel boots always make me happy). I got dozens of hugs and "hi"s from former students. I had a newbie tell me my class (last period, after five and a half hours of school had passed) was the most interesting he'd had all day. Not bad for a required course, and even if it was his attempt at getting in good with the teacher, it worked wonders for an ego bruised last week. My favorite part of the day was seeing a few students who, though they had an unsuccessful first experience, were ready and willing to work hard this year to prove to me they could succeed. I've no doubt they'll excel, and that's a great way to start a school term.

Now my sweet Chi came home with mixed reviews. Upon picking her up from second grade, I was told the day was "terrible. I don't want to talk about it." She then sulked all the way to the car. Now it seemed like the thousand or so other kids streaming out of the building were all smiles and happiness, so what the heck happened to my kid? In typical Chi fashion I learned in periodic confessions that

1. They left lunch early to watch the President's speech to school students.
2. President said to help friends and classmates.
3. Chi feels like she forgot everything from last year and struggled with some class assignment.
4. Following Obama's directive, she sought the help of a friend.
   
5. The friend was unwilling to assist (and Chi subsequently decided the child "hates" her).
6. The teacher was "fun." "She's a nice teacher."
   
7. The kids liked her hair (thank goodness, because I fought really hard to get her to let me do it before the first day of school and she was determined to wear a scarf to cover it... I won).
8. Obama also said, according to Chi, "Each time you do bad in school, you keep trying and you get better." I can only hope she remembers this next time she "forgets" how to do something and struggles a bit.

And this evening, the following appeared on the closed door of her room:

I'm told that more rules are to follow...

What's up with Ya? He's walking everywhere, relying on crawling only when he feels like warp speed mobility is needed. He claps his hands (sometimes while walking, which is not easy for a newbie). He is always smiling. He knows how to say "no," "hot," "eat," "hi" and "bye" - though you really have to pay attention to his behaviors and the context of activities around him to realize those are the things he's saying. But what articulation is expected of a 12 month old, really? His Grams says he recognizes the word "ball" and will "toss" it if you ask... he'll chuck it at you if you say "hike," which was my contribution. Oh, and he ♥s music with strong beats... countless times he's been caught tapping a foot while in his car seat, he sings along with some songs, and if in the house, he'll stand and bounce to the music with a huge smile on his face.