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Pre-School, Year 2

The twins are in pre-school right now, and we’ve just received the pre-registration for next year. (Seriously? I have no idea what we’re doing next month let alone next year πŸ˜› )

And of course, there’s a dilemma. (when is there not? πŸ˜‰ )

They recommend a T,W,TH class.Β  Right now the kids are in school M,W,F – which works for us because Mike’s with them on Mondays and I work from home on W,F which means I can shuttle them around then. (Are you sensing the problem now? πŸ™‚ )

How on earth do families with both parents working full-time get their kids to and from school??

They do offer a class that is age-appropriate M,W,F – but it’s fewer hours (bonus: also less $$)…I’m also guessing that most of their class this year will be going to this recommended session. What I need to find out is if this session is recommended because they’ve been at the school for a year, or for some other reason…and if there’s any reason they shouldn’t be in the other session.

I *might* be able to swing something with work to make it so that they can do the recommended session, but I’m not sure. It would also mean requesting different hours for my nanny when the fall comes around.

What would you do? Do I do everything I can to ensure that my kids get the most out of school? Do a few hours less make THAT much of a difference? Is it a huge thing to be in a classroom with kids you’re used to at this age? Is it a huge thing to be in a classroom full of kids who may not have had any pre-school experience before?

Too many decisions!

The Search is Over!

…no, I’m not going to break out into a Survivor song … and no, she wasn’t with me all along … but…

WE HAVE A NANNY!!!!!!!

She doesn’t start until the 20th, so Mike and I will have some creative work schedules for the next two weeks…but there is an end in sight!

WOO HOO!!! πŸ™‚

References – Part 2

Just to let you know…of course I check references πŸ™‚ Even though it’s sometimes tempting not to – you think you should go with your gut, or figure you won’t get anything out of it, etc…it’s still good to check just in case. It’s also good to get confirmation of that gut feeling.

As for background checks, one of the sites I put an ad up on offers free ones. The person you’re hiring must approve it first, but it is available. Feels kind of funny doing one, but you can never be too careful.

Those background checks don’t indicate “never shows up on time” or “sometimes doesn’t show at all” though. (I suppose that’s where the references come in πŸ˜‰ )

Wish I had more nanny news, but I don’t yet…

References

We’ve been looking for a new nanny, which means that we’ve been getting lots of answers to the ad I put out there, and to the queries I’ve put out to the various moms groups I belong to.

Along the way, we – of course – request references.

Have you ever really thought about references? I have. It’s always good to hear nice things about the person you’re looking to hire, but …

Who the heck in their right mind would provide a reference that would say bad things? (And if they do, they obviously shouldn’t be hired…) But seriously…if you’ve ever had to give names for someone who would provide a reference for you – did you give a name for someone you knew would provide a terrible one?? Don’t you know at least two people who would say all the right things? Therefore, how accurate can references actually be?

This is why I have mixed feelings about references.

Kiddo Books

I just posted a page that “houses” lists of the books the kids have.

There’s always so much confusion about what books we have or don’t have that we sometimes get duplicates (not often though – very impressive!) or we sometimes don’t receive “favorites” because everyone thinks we already have them (If You Give a Mouse a Cookie comes to mind…)

The page includes a link to our Amazon Wish list … anything we should add to our list?

We’ve also just discovered that some authors post their books on YouTube! The kids received We’re Going on a Bear Hunt for Christmas … and I knew that there were hand movements and such, so I did a search. Wouldn’t you know it, the author – Michael Rosen – video taped himself reading it with all the fun stuff.

Friday’s Foto Finish Fiesta

Candid Carrie sponsors this one – head over to her blog and find LOTS of links for bloggers who’ve joined in! (You can join in too!)

This edition of Fx4 is brought to you by Maggie’s new digital camera.

Pictures taken by Maggie:

Cousin Grey

Cousin Grey

Nana

Nana

Burke

Burke

Nana Lou

Nana Lou

(You can put scenes on the pictures!)

Don’t get me wrong…there are a whole bunch that are black, or really fuzzy cuz she moved the camera while taking the picture…there are a lot of butt and chest shots as well. (What do you expect when that’s pretty much what she actually sees…)

Burke uses the camera as well, and I’m SUPER impressed with his artistic eye. I may have to dedicate a post to Burke’s creativity, but for now, here are a few he took:

Mommy and Maggie

Mommy and Maggie

Daddy

Daddy

Self Portrait

Self Portrait

Logan

Logan

And…Christmas night, the adults got into the Porron (an Italian wine decanter that has a spout on it…so you can pour it directly into your mouth) – fast becoming a Christmas tradition at our house. Remember that whole “you can add scenes to pictures” thing? Needless to say, there were a few pictures taken:

Aunt Cathy

Aunt Cathy

Aunt Meghan

Aunt Meghan

Mommy

Mommy

Aunt Sharon

Aunt Sharon

Aunt Meghan and Grandpa had an entire session at the end of the table that no one was aware of until massive giggles were heard…

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Hope Dad wasn’t thinking of having a political career…

The Secret to a Successful Relationship – Part 2

When I posted The Secret to a Successful Relationship, Mike told me that I forgot something:

Make sure you both always have an equal number of socks and underwear.

Happy New Year!

I can’t believe that it’s 2009. That’s just crazy.

A kindergarten teacher once told me that if you said “Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit” on the first day of the month, before talking with anyone, you’d have good luck all month. This always posed a problem for me on New Year’s Eve because at midnight, you’re supposed to yell “Happy New Year!” … which means that you’re talking to people before the whole rabbit thing. When I was much younger, I used to say the rabbit thing under my breath REALLY fast and then yell…so I was always a second or so behind everyone else – but I don’t think anyone really noticed. I haven’t done the rabbit thing in years, but I always think of it.

I suppose this is the time to talk about New Year’s resolutions. Mike and I made a family resolution last year to start going to church. And, for the most part, we stuck to it. There were, of course, some Sundays that we didn’t go…but we did it, and we’ll keep going this year as well.

This year, we’re going to make a conscious effort to keep in touch/get back in touch with friends. We’re going to try to get together more often and stop being the hermits that parenthood sometimes forces you into (this might be just perception on our part πŸ˜‰ )

The Secret to a Successful Relationship

If she eats garlic, he eats garlic.
If he eats onions, she eats onions.
(You get the idea.)

Makes for equal kissing ground later on.

Various Wonderings

I’ve had various thoughts float through my head over the past few days:

Is it bad that the kids like Hot Pockets? And worse that I know Logan can eat two of them?

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Why did the new sheets only work at keeping Burke in bed for one night?

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Why is it that Logan can play by himself for long periods of time if I’m out of sight, but as soon as he sees me, he starts crying?

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How the heck did one little girl (with only a few shots taken by others) take over 1500 pictures in the span of 3 days??

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What the heck song is Burke singing, anyway??

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Is Logan ready for potty training?

Not Quite.

Not Quite.

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Why is Burke guarding the potty from Logan?

Who Knows.

Who Knows.

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Why does Maggie sing everything?
(Oh ya. Mommy and Granny Frani have done that their whole lives too…)

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Why is it that boxes are so fascinating to kids? And why, then, do we purchase actual toys?

Because you can play peek-a-boo with Mommy

Even Toy Boxes

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Am I scarring Burke for life by putting some of Maggie’s undies on him because all of his are dirty?