Friday nite after work, T and I headed out to Merrick Park for dinner and strolling the mall. T was particularly thrilled to be given an adult glass to drink out of. Kept saying how she was a big girl now, a first grader, and very responsible.
Mama was thrilled with her big girl glass as well.
T was curious about the limon rind floating in my cocktail.
"What's that in your drink, mama? A french fry?"
After dinner we trolled the mall and spent alot of time in poor Borders bookstore...that was having a big final sale as the store is closing. So sad. That was one of our favorite stores in the place.
Poor T. In hindsight, I'm not sure that attending summer camp in the same classroom as first grade was such a good idea. Standards of conduct for camp are much looser than school.
Day 1: reprimanded for screaming like a banshee at the boys
Day 2: reprimanded for some type of pushing incident with Amanda
Day 3: T refused to talk about what happened in school, which clearly indicates that some type of incident did occur!
Day 4: reprimanded for classroom conduct, causing the teach to make Amanda (who sits in the middle next to T) switch seats with Rene (the other child in T's row), to separate the girls.
I was quite surprised that we woke up relatively early this morning, given we've both been waking up late over the summer and strolling into work and camp between 900 and 930.
No more. We were marching into class at 740 this morning!
Here's my big girl!
Sitting at a big girl desk already filled with her books.
I think the teach was quite wise putting T on an end, vs in the middle. Less chance of getting in trouble!
If everyone showed up today, there will be approximately 24 kids in her class. The room is really big and spacious. I was actually quite surprised at how big it is.
Turns out this photo is quite prophetic. T screaming across the room at one of her friends before class. I asked if she got in trouble today, and she confessed to two incidents.
Both involving boys.
Isn't that always the case?
The first time she got in trouble for screaming Daniel's name across the cafeteria. He's her love who is in the 2nd grade. Cross examination reveals he was apparently ignoring her, since there is no way on God's green earth he could not have heard her.
2nd incident involved Anthony. Recall that 1/2 of her old class is now "the other class". Apparently she spied him while both classes were in line outside in the hallways. T reports that she started screaming his name. Also, apparently, to no avail.
Little jerks.
I'm just glad she didn't haul off and punch one of them for ignoring her!
Introducing....our official First Grader.....Taylor!!! Hip Hip Hooray!!!! Here we are posing for the obligatory picture on the porch before heading out to school. Her book bag looks almost as big as she is. And its a good thing its so big...
Get a load of these books she came home with today! There are just 1/2 of her books. Luckily rolling backpacks are not banned at T's school like in many schools. Otherwise I doubt T could carry her books. They weigh almost as much as she does! She'd be falling over backwards without those wheels! Luckily, I understand that most of these books...like the math book, stays at school. Only the workbook comes home. We shall see. Apparently, I was supposed to cover these books in some type of see-thru contact paper. Stores are all sold out. So, they're going back to school in the same condition from which they came.
If I can get my iphone photos downloaded, I'll post the pics from in the classroom.
We're still here and surviving. No big problems, just busy. My van finally dried out...without any lingering odor. I took it to get thoroughly cleaned, which included rugs and seats shampooed. Am I glad that's over!
Otherwise, not much to report. Camp is over and school starts on monday. We met T's new teacher today, and she seems really nice. Her name is Miss Morffi. For the first time, the kids have been mixed up between the new classes, so T will be missing lots of her old friends, but making new friends as well. T went with me to the orientation meeting tonight. It was really odd to see her sitting in a big girl classroom at a big girl desk. Wow is all I can say!
So, our uniforms are purchased, our supplies are bought, our pencils are sharpened and we are ready for a new school year.
Since we have my mom's car over here, we've been driving it occasionnally to keep the batteries up. We took off to a far away mall yesterday morning. And we returned in a torrential rainstorm. Tropical torrential rainstorm. the only kind of awful rainstorm you get in Florida and all regions south. Rain blowing sideways.
As I approach the house, I spy that the rear sliding door on the van (T's door) is OPEN. Yes, it was open. How it was left open, I'm not quite sure although I have my suspicions. T has a nasty habit of failing to close her door. Although in her defense, its possible that my finger hit the button to open it while handling my keys, although I think that unlikely.
Whereever the blame lies really is irrelevant at this point. I now have a fully soaked van. T's carseat? soaked. The cup holders on it? full of water. The front passenger seat? soaked. The cereal and chip remnants, the likes of which could feed a 3rd world family for a week? a soaked congealing mess.
I'm off today to take it to be thoroughly cleaned, then leave the windows open so that it can dry without creating mildew and mold. Can't park and leave the windows open at work, as some may know I work within 200 feet of the main county jail. I don't relish a recent releasee or one of the bevy of poor homeless souls that inhabit the area, taking advantage of my open windows.
Hopefully, it will dry out before the pm rains come today.
and finally, the last video from the 2011 Summer camp show. Posted here for all eternity!
Meanwhile, I'm sure that there has to be a better way to upload to youtube, but I'm damned if I know it what it is. These paltry 2 minute videos took about 200 minutes to upload...that's over 3 hours each. Luckily, I could set them all to upload, and then step away from the computer.
Hmmm, is anybody else annoyed with these videos like I am? I've found that I must have patience to play them twice. The first time, it starts and stops the whole time. But if you click REPLAY, it will play smoothly after that.
Tonight was the end of year camp show. and what a show it was! We used all kids of gel and spray, to get T's hair to stay in a bun. Dot worked very hard on it and did agreat job.
A friend lent us the red shirt and skirt you see here. T wore this for the modeling portion of the show. Then, changed into a black leotard with that same skirt for the dancing. The bun was required for the flamenco portion of the show. Before heading out to the show, we paused for a few pics. T was particularly thrilled with getting to wear mama's hoop earrings and necklace. The camp suggested that all the little girls really do it up with the accessories. But for the fact that we were afraid her hair would come down, she would have been sporting a hat as well. Here's T in one of the dance numbers. For some reason I can no longer download my videos from my camera. Not sure why. If I ever figure it out, I'll post the dance and cheerleading numbers.
....and speaking of cheerleading. Everyone in the camp calls her the captain, and she won the "Top of the Pyramid" award for being the best cheerleader in the camp!
A marvelous plan was made in the stars, to create a miracle across the ocean so far.... Then entwine and weave all the hopes and labor, it would take to bring us this joy called "Taylor".... Now three lives are blessed and somewhere in the stars, the planners are smiling, as we all are. -Anon.
Taylor's Gal Pals
How Long We've Been a Family:
Mischief & Mermaids
...the diary of a single mom, who's attempting to raise one sassy little girl!
Friday nite after work, T and I headed out to Merrick Park for dinner and strolling the mall. T was particularly thrilled to be given an adult glass to drink out of. Kept saying how she was a big girl now, a first grader, and very responsible.
Mama was thrilled with her big girl glass as well.
