Little Miss Manners

So occasionally some things come back to bite me in the butt and this was one day in point.  I had picked Makaela up from school and was asking about her day. She told me that the other kids talk to her too much and sometimes she doesn't want to talk back. "It's frustrating," she says, "Sometimes I just want to walk away."  I told her to be polite and remember that she should treat others as she wants to be treated, so I told her to try saying, "Excuse me, but I need to go to the bathroom" as a way to get out of the conversation.  She told me, "I can't do that mom because that's lying.  It's not polite to lie."  Oh yeah.  So then I tell her, "Try saying, 'Excuse me, but going to go play in a different learning center, so I'll talk to you later."  She then tells me, "But that would be interrupting and interrupting is not polite."  At this point, I was stumped, I just told her to think of a way she could politely excuse herself from the conversation. She sat there quietly for a bit and then said, "I got it mom!  I am going to say, 'Excuse me but I have to go to the bathroom' and then I'll stand in there for a minute and then come out. THat way I'm not really lying and I'd be interrupting them for the bathroom and that would be okay."  Okay- at least she has a plan.  Not the most honest one, but a plan.

Back to School

Summer went by too quickly.  I think the combination of my morning sickness (that lasted all day) and the heat prevented me from getting to all the little projects I was planning on doing.  I had grand schemes, but alas, they were not realized.  Oh well.
      I have to admit, I wasn't ready to go back to work but when I returned to school, I found out my classroom was changed.  Normally this would have been horrid, but since I had only been there for 6 months, I didn't have much to pack, plus, when admin changes your room, the custodians do all the packing and moving for you!  I had asked for  a new room because my old room had no windows, left me totally isolated from other teachers, was freezing and it was close to the gym so on occasion, it smelled a little ripe.  I seriously think my old classroom was depressing me.  I asked, but was not promised anything.  I now have a new cheerful room with windows and am in a pod, so have lots of teachers around me.  I'm already more sociable and with a new classroom, I finally feel like I have my own space and place at Ponte Vedra. Hopefully this is a good start.

      Makaela is quite excited about starting VPK (Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten). We met her teachers at orientation and Makaela didn't want to leave.  The first day she came home with a picture of her family.  The new baby already has a spot in her pictures (the baby is in the center).  Makaela spent a lot of this summer practicing her letters, sounds, math, etc to prep for VPK so on the first day she came home to tell me, "They didn't ask me about my numbers and everything was so easy.  I don't know if this class is smart enough for me."  My, what a snob!
     Mia got moved into a different toddler class, but still sees her old teacher in the afternoons during aftercare.

Germophobes

Just recently, Matt found out that I am a bit of a "germophobe" (as he calls it).  It started with a conversation about what occurs when he takes Makaela into the men's room when she has to go.  I was basically checking to see if he put down toilet paper and what not and it got into how I skeeve public toilet areas, how  most women hover over the toilets instead of sitting down and how I avoid touching the door handle after I wash my hands.  I'm not sure, what I think many women do this, so I don't think I'm OCD or anything.  Anyway, that became an topic that Matt started poking fun at me about.  He asked if I hover over the toilets in my home and I had to admit that when he has poker tournaments, I don't use the small restroom until I have had a chance to clean it thoroughly (and I usually clean it before Makaela can use it too).

Anyway, we were in church, and Makaela noticed that people were drinking the wine from the same cup.  Out loud, she said, "Why are people sharing all their germs. Don't they know that drinking out of the same cup as strangers is re-susting (her version of disgusting)?"  With that, Matt looked at me and said, "Oh man, she is so your daughter.  I see you passed along the germophobe gene."  Hey...never can be too careful.

Dance Lessons

Makaela started dance lessons this week.  She is taking a combo class which is a half hour of tap and then half hour of ballet.  There is a closed circuit TV in the waiting room so I can watch her and her classmates twirl around the room.  Makaela loves it because her teacher seems to be quite fun and they practice their steps to the Disney music (which Makaela knows by heart).  She did tell me she has a tough time getting her leg up in a certain pose, but she has been practicing all week.

Dentist Time

 Before school started and I would have NO time to take the kids to any appointments, I decided to schedule a dentist appointment.  Makaela was very excited to meet her new dentist.  I had an appointment scheduled for Mia too, but since it was her first time seeing a dentist, I was unsure of how it would go.  Makaela was so brave and Mia sat there and watched her (and pointed out all the animals that decorated the fun exam area).

Makaela got to rock some sunglasses during the examination

 I didn't get any pictures of Mia because I had to hold her as the DDS checked her teeth.  Mia was NOT happy.  Luckily her teeth are fine and her jaw has not been affected by her thumb sucking, which was our main concern for getting her in to see a dentist.

hydrated chica

 In efforts to get rid of the muffin top I have newly acquired, I have been taking the girls out on long walks, usually making the rounds at the varying playgrounds in our neighborhood.  While I bring water bottles for the girls, Mia insists the water that comes from my water bottle is far more exciting than hers.  It's hysterical to see her try to drink out of it because she can barely lift it up to drink from it and it's much larger than her little head, however, she manages.

JAX Beach

I have been meaning to get to JAX beach all summer long.  Well, I had actually planned on making it a bi-weekly ritual, but between morning sickness, much needed nap times and daily household chores, I hadn't made it there yet.  Matt was off this past Friday so we packed the car and headed to the beach.  We had been to St. Augustine beach a few times, but JAX is less touristy since it stretches for miles.  We had so much fun.  There were little sandbars the girls could stand on and also pools of water that stretched up the beach so Matt and I got to relax just a bit while the girls splashed in the makeshift pools.  Makaela spent hours collecting shells and getting Dad's approval on ALL of them.  Mia had fun digging in the sand and dumping it all over the place.  She even loved chasing all the sea gulls.  It was noted that we have to do this more often.  It's odd moving from Hawaii where we went to the beach all the time, to FL, where there is a beach, but we rarely go.  I think the difference is that we don't have our friends to go along with.

OB visit with the family

Matt and I went to our first OB appointment while my mom was in town.  We both like the new doctor; she seems really laid back (in a good way).  While waiting to be seen however, Matt and I noticed an interesting light fixture.  I was amused, so I had to take a picture of it.  This past Thursday, the whole family went in to my initial ultrasound screening to get a peek at the newest Hoffman member.  Makaela, almost immediately, pointed out the "fun" light and said she wanted one in our house just like it (not so sure about that kid).

I should have gotten a close up, but the colored hanging lights are eggs and there are sperm hanging from them.

 Baby Hoffman #3 seems to be doing well, however, Makaela was horrified when she saw the ultrasound.  She wanted to know why our new baby was grey.  The ultrasound tech was wonderful and answered many of Makaela's questions (even though we were desperately trying to shush her).  When the tech asked if we wanted to find out if the baby was a boy or a girl, Makaela jumped right to it and answered, "Yes, we do!"  I told the tech I wasn't sure I wanted to know, but it was just as well because the baby was in a fetal position and at only 12 1/2 weeks, wasn't in a position that the tech could easily see a gender.  Better not guess.  Both girls got their own picture of the baby though.

Baby Hoffman #3

The girls and I headed to a new library today. Even though Makaela picked out some books (and an Avatar graphic novel), she was more interested in the computer games.  She taught Mia how to work them and I found Mia watching an animated book.  Too cute.

Time with Baba

The girls had a great time with their Grandma and sadly, she had to fly home yesterday.  Mia has become quite attached to her and for the last two nights, has woken up crying for her Baba.  Normally I would think she was asking for a bottle (which she no longer takes), but she has affectionatly dubbed my mom as "Baba".  I guess her version of "Gram-ma" comes out as Baba, and any effort we made to correct her, was not successful.  Here are some pictures of a hair design session and some Elmo watching. We miss you Mom!!