(on Thursday)
"Piper, what did you do at school today?"
"Sat in the green chair."
She has talked about a green chair since she left school yesterday. This morning she wanted to return to school and sit in the green chair. She talked about it on the drive up.
We walked into the front door and saw that there were children sitting in a large circle on the floor. Piper walked into the middle of the circle as Ms. Marie greeted her. I heard Piper ask about the green chair, and Ms. Marie responded that they were sitting on the floor today.
And we left. Left it for the instructor and Piper to work out. And that's perhaps the toughest part. I know Piper. I know she's either look a little disappointed, and then go sit right down and not worry about it. Or she'll stamp her foot, and insist on the green chair with increasing urgency. But its between her and her instructor. Right now its not my job to rush in there and mediate or try to reason with her or distract her. Someone else is taking care of that. And man its tough.
Yesterday evening after I got home from work I took Piper and Griffin and our lab, Yazhi, on a walk around the park. We were swarmed by groups of kids, some of whom remember who Piper is, but almost all of them are older than her, at least 7 or so. But the kids were fascinated with Yazhi, and kept asking how I didn't drop Griffin (who I had in a football hold). Piper quietly asked kids their names, and when they didn't hear or notice her, she said "Excuse me, what's your name?". At one point there were almost a dozen kids around us, petting Yazhi and peppering me with questions, so I only kept one eye on Piper. Usually I am like a hawk, closely watching her social interaction. I want her to be bold enough to speak to people, and polite when she does. Sometimes I translate ("She asked suchandsuch") when an older kid doesn't understand her. I also like to try to make sure that she is being treated fairly. And that's the toughest part for me - because I can't do that forever (and shouldn't, of course). But that's what breaks my heart. Piper will meet mean people who will be downright nasty to her. And she won't understand at first. Months ago a girl at the playground had a shoebox with a doll or something in it and had set it down. Piper was curious and looked into it without touching it, and the girl ran over and snatched it up without a word. Her prerogative of course, but Piper asked why the girl had some and taken the box. "It's her box, Piper, and she doesn't have to let people play with it or look at it if she doesn't want to." The kids yesterday were all pleasant. One was a little girl from the other side of our neighborhood who gave Piper a freeze-pop a few weeks back. Piper asked her about the beads in her hair, and what color her eyes were. I noticed that P was either shaking kids hands, or holding their hands. The shaking hands thing is something that we've done a little, but they also do at school. Last night at bedtime she asked me why one of the kids had pulled her hand away. "Some people may not like to shake hands. And that's okay." I told her.
Sigh.
Today was a great day. Her first "week" at Montessori. Apparently the green chair thing was no big deal. When she left she asked why she didn't get to bring her art home with her. We explained that perhaps they wanted to keep it in the class so she could see it there. We milled around there with a few of the other parents and their kids. Much of the nervousness I felt earlier in the week was gone, and we had a friendly chat. Piper told us that she'd enjoyed painting and coloring, and that was that. For a treat, we went and rode the trolley in a huge loop around downtown Memphis. She loved it. And so did I.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Montessori Day 2!
Some friends of mine sent their daughter to Montessori, and I was very impressed with how the Primary education impacted her. I read up on it some and was further impressed with the philosophy of the system.
So when Krissi and I discussed education, it was quickly a no-brainer that we'd send Piper off to Montessori. We started looking at local Montessori schools before Piper was even born, and even called to find out about waiting lists and such. So earlier this year we got our ducks in a row, and shook the money tree in the back yard and enrolled her in the Primary program at the school that we'd fallen in love with.
We went to a Parent Meeting the other evening which was informative and helpful. We were a touch nervous. It seems silly, but aside from work and our immediate friends and family, we don't get out and socialize a whole lot. So I get nervous when it comes time to meet & greet. It was very nice and easygoing though.
So Piper's first day was yesterday. For new students they do three days of coming one hour - next week she will be going for three hours per day. We weren't sure how Piper would do. She's often shy when meeting people - but we think that "being shy" is a game for her, because she warms up quickly and then has little fear of talking to people. We'd been talking her a great deal about school and trying to get her ready in a no-pressure sort of way. So we rolled in there Wednesday morning, and when we got to the door where some people were standing, Piper started to hold onto me, but about two seconds later she saw that there were people sitting inside on the floor, children and adults, and let go of me, heading for them. She didn't even look back or say good-bye. We went next door to the middle school classroom where some of the instructors were hosting new parents to sit around and talk (since middle school is not in until next week). There were perhaps 10 parents and pair of instructors. Everyone was very pleasant and we chatted about the Montessori philosophy, about our children, about the instructors experiences in Montessori, and about what the kids would be doing. The hour seemed to fly by for me, but Krissi said that she watched the clock the whole time. We split up after an hour to go back and get our children, all of whom seemed to be doing just fine. One of the primary instructors shook Piper's hand and they sang a little goodbye song as she (and each child) walked out to hook back up with parents.
We walked back to the car. Piper was quiet and a little sleepy looking. We asked her how school was and so forth, and got some typical Piper responses ("Piper, what did you do in school today?", "Everything.") But we asked her about the mat, and her instructors, and the other children. That afternoon when she woke from her nap she said that she was ready to go back to school. We explained that we only went to school in the morning, and that she'd get to go again the next day. She said she missed her teacher. No tears, though Krissi got a little watery eyed after we'd gotten Piper and were headed to the car.
So today was day 2. Again, Piper was eager to head to school (she was mostly dressed and announcing that she was ready to go to school more than 30 minutes before we needed to leave). We got there and she walked right in, turned and gave us a wave and was gone. We went again next door and hung out with a smaller group of parents, but again had a pleasant conversation. We headed to the car, and again Piper was not exactly a font of information. But that's okay, she processes information differently than we do. Mostly we are afire with curiosity because we want to know what she's learning and doing and experiencing. I told people that I'd gladly give a kidney to be able to just be a fly on the wall. You can bet that we'll be getting in some observation time.
Tomorrow she goes for an hour, but all of the rest of the Primary class will be there, so it will be a busy room. And next week, she'll be there three hours a day!
Very exciting.
So when Krissi and I discussed education, it was quickly a no-brainer that we'd send Piper off to Montessori. We started looking at local Montessori schools before Piper was even born, and even called to find out about waiting lists and such. So earlier this year we got our ducks in a row, and shook the money tree in the back yard and enrolled her in the Primary program at the school that we'd fallen in love with.
We went to a Parent Meeting the other evening which was informative and helpful. We were a touch nervous. It seems silly, but aside from work and our immediate friends and family, we don't get out and socialize a whole lot. So I get nervous when it comes time to meet & greet. It was very nice and easygoing though.
So Piper's first day was yesterday. For new students they do three days of coming one hour - next week she will be going for three hours per day. We weren't sure how Piper would do. She's often shy when meeting people - but we think that "being shy" is a game for her, because she warms up quickly and then has little fear of talking to people. We'd been talking her a great deal about school and trying to get her ready in a no-pressure sort of way. So we rolled in there Wednesday morning, and when we got to the door where some people were standing, Piper started to hold onto me, but about two seconds later she saw that there were people sitting inside on the floor, children and adults, and let go of me, heading for them. She didn't even look back or say good-bye. We went next door to the middle school classroom where some of the instructors were hosting new parents to sit around and talk (since middle school is not in until next week). There were perhaps 10 parents and pair of instructors. Everyone was very pleasant and we chatted about the Montessori philosophy, about our children, about the instructors experiences in Montessori, and about what the kids would be doing. The hour seemed to fly by for me, but Krissi said that she watched the clock the whole time. We split up after an hour to go back and get our children, all of whom seemed to be doing just fine. One of the primary instructors shook Piper's hand and they sang a little goodbye song as she (and each child) walked out to hook back up with parents.
We walked back to the car. Piper was quiet and a little sleepy looking. We asked her how school was and so forth, and got some typical Piper responses ("Piper, what did you do in school today?", "Everything.") But we asked her about the mat, and her instructors, and the other children. That afternoon when she woke from her nap she said that she was ready to go back to school. We explained that we only went to school in the morning, and that she'd get to go again the next day. She said she missed her teacher. No tears, though Krissi got a little watery eyed after we'd gotten Piper and were headed to the car.
So today was day 2. Again, Piper was eager to head to school (she was mostly dressed and announcing that she was ready to go to school more than 30 minutes before we needed to leave). We got there and she walked right in, turned and gave us a wave and was gone. We went again next door and hung out with a smaller group of parents, but again had a pleasant conversation. We headed to the car, and again Piper was not exactly a font of information. But that's okay, she processes information differently than we do. Mostly we are afire with curiosity because we want to know what she's learning and doing and experiencing. I told people that I'd gladly give a kidney to be able to just be a fly on the wall. You can bet that we'll be getting in some observation time.
Tomorrow she goes for an hour, but all of the rest of the Primary class will be there, so it will be a busy room. And next week, she'll be there three hours a day!
Very exciting.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
A little catchup work
Hello world!
We've been busy.
Griffin Maxwell was born by C Section at Baptist Desoto Hospital on June 28. He and Krissi both did great! Here's more or less what went down, and hence what we've been up to.
Its funny the second time around. When we had Piper, we didn't know what to expect - from anything really. This time, we were focused on getting Krissi in good shape and getting the hell out of the hospital. It was much quieter this time. With Piper, there was a celebratory atmosphere - lots of flowers and balloons and visitors. This time around we had family and some close friends, and I think a thing of flowers made it its way in the door, but it was altogether different. It was no slight to Griffin I'm sure. People just responded to #2 differently.
So the hospital stay, which was fairly short, was mostly uneventful. We had a little bit of lazy nursing, which was unfortunate, but otherwise things went just fine. We had the baby Thursday evening and I think we went home Saturday morning.
I gotta tell you, if Griffin and Krissi were the stars of this show, then Piper was Best Supporting Actress. That kid has been nothing but sweet and affectionate to her brother. Still, six weeks later, she showers him with kisses, and likes to talk to him and just loves him to death.
So we made it home. We had a very busy house with Krissi's parents staying with us for a few days, and I'd taken two weeks off from work.
Griffin has been altogether different than Piper. While Piper was content to hang out when she was not hungry or needing to be changed or whatnot, Griffin has been... a little more high maintenance. Sometimes he eats every hour. That's a poor way to phrase it. A better way to phrase it is that sometimes there is less than an hour between the end of a feeding and the beginning of another. So its sometimes worn Krissi down. Griffin has had no fear of sharing his thoughts with us on the frequency of feedings and so forth. With him there is no quiet baby crying, winding its way up into something major. No, he goes directly to Screaming Bloody Murder.
But we're all still alive, and doing just fine. This past week has been better - he's been checking out his surroundings and hanging out with us, listening to us talk to him or sing to him. When I come home from work in the evenings, I've begun taking Piper and Griffin for a walk around the park out front, and giving Krissi a few minutes of quiet.
Lets see!
We've all been peed on, more than a few times. We try to be smart and prepared about it, but we still get peed on. Sometimes ninja-like, often at night: we go to change him, remove the diaper, wipe him up good, turn around to get a new diaper, and then discover that at some point he has managed to pee all over his clothing and the changing table. Fun! He went through three outfits in one single night.
He's growing fast. At his 1 month checkup he was already 9 pounds 10 ounces (when he was born he was 8 pounds).
And that's just about it for Griffin at the moment. Piper starts Montessori tomorrow. I am absolutely thrilled, and absolutely terrified. I am terrifically excited about her meeting new friends, and learning all sorts of things. But my baby girl is growing right up. She's going to be doing things without me!
We've been busy.
Griffin Maxwell was born by C Section at Baptist Desoto Hospital on June 28. He and Krissi both did great! Here's more or less what went down, and hence what we've been up to.
Its funny the second time around. When we had Piper, we didn't know what to expect - from anything really. This time, we were focused on getting Krissi in good shape and getting the hell out of the hospital. It was much quieter this time. With Piper, there was a celebratory atmosphere - lots of flowers and balloons and visitors. This time around we had family and some close friends, and I think a thing of flowers made it its way in the door, but it was altogether different. It was no slight to Griffin I'm sure. People just responded to #2 differently.
So the hospital stay, which was fairly short, was mostly uneventful. We had a little bit of lazy nursing, which was unfortunate, but otherwise things went just fine. We had the baby Thursday evening and I think we went home Saturday morning.
I gotta tell you, if Griffin and Krissi were the stars of this show, then Piper was Best Supporting Actress. That kid has been nothing but sweet and affectionate to her brother. Still, six weeks later, she showers him with kisses, and likes to talk to him and just loves him to death.
So we made it home. We had a very busy house with Krissi's parents staying with us for a few days, and I'd taken two weeks off from work.
Griffin has been altogether different than Piper. While Piper was content to hang out when she was not hungry or needing to be changed or whatnot, Griffin has been... a little more high maintenance. Sometimes he eats every hour. That's a poor way to phrase it. A better way to phrase it is that sometimes there is less than an hour between the end of a feeding and the beginning of another. So its sometimes worn Krissi down. Griffin has had no fear of sharing his thoughts with us on the frequency of feedings and so forth. With him there is no quiet baby crying, winding its way up into something major. No, he goes directly to Screaming Bloody Murder.
But we're all still alive, and doing just fine. This past week has been better - he's been checking out his surroundings and hanging out with us, listening to us talk to him or sing to him. When I come home from work in the evenings, I've begun taking Piper and Griffin for a walk around the park out front, and giving Krissi a few minutes of quiet.
Lets see!
We've all been peed on, more than a few times. We try to be smart and prepared about it, but we still get peed on. Sometimes ninja-like, often at night: we go to change him, remove the diaper, wipe him up good, turn around to get a new diaper, and then discover that at some point he has managed to pee all over his clothing and the changing table. Fun! He went through three outfits in one single night.
He's growing fast. At his 1 month checkup he was already 9 pounds 10 ounces (when he was born he was 8 pounds).
And that's just about it for Griffin at the moment. Piper starts Montessori tomorrow. I am absolutely thrilled, and absolutely terrified. I am terrifically excited about her meeting new friends, and learning all sorts of things. But my baby girl is growing right up. She's going to be doing things without me!
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
3 Years
"They grow up so fast."
I've been repeating this like a mantra, and I am sure that other parents understand the sentiment. Every moment is so fleeting. I just want to preserve every moment (well, most) in perfect clarity in my head.
Piper is healthy, smart, usually kind and often happy and well mannered. I suppose I couldn't ask for more. She can type her name on the computer keyboard. Her vocabulary, comprehension and ability to carry on a conversation grows daily. She's been completely potty trained for months and months now. She'll be starting Montessori school this fall, and the teacher echoed our thoughts: "She's so ready."
We struggle with the normal 3 year old difficulties. Sometimes we have attitude problems, or melt downs over the tiniest things - more frequently of course when we're tired. Some times the melt down comes after we're told "no" and she tells us that we've hurt her feelings. Food is also sometimes difficult. For a long time she was brave about foods, and would eat nearly anything placed in front of her, now she's only interested in french fries, chips, macaroni & cheese, the occasional hot dog, peanut butter & honey, and green beans. That's right, green beans. She'll eat a plate full of them.
She is very musically inclined. She sings songs that she's heard or learned, and occasionally makes up her own. She loves playing with musical instruments.
She loves youtube surfing on our iPhones, which generally is okay. She stays on Diego or Pocoyo or similar. There are lots of Dora/Diego video game reviews on youtube, and for some reason she loves these. She's also taken to watching commercials on youtube, which is odd.
She loves the old cartoon movie Peter Pan, which I have found that I despise - its an awful story. Female characters in the movie exist only to fawn on Peter and fight with each other for his affections.
My little girl is growing right up! Its so exciting and so terrifying.
I've been repeating this like a mantra, and I am sure that other parents understand the sentiment. Every moment is so fleeting. I just want to preserve every moment (well, most) in perfect clarity in my head.
Piper is healthy, smart, usually kind and often happy and well mannered. I suppose I couldn't ask for more. She can type her name on the computer keyboard. Her vocabulary, comprehension and ability to carry on a conversation grows daily. She's been completely potty trained for months and months now. She'll be starting Montessori school this fall, and the teacher echoed our thoughts: "She's so ready."
We struggle with the normal 3 year old difficulties. Sometimes we have attitude problems, or melt downs over the tiniest things - more frequently of course when we're tired. Some times the melt down comes after we're told "no" and she tells us that we've hurt her feelings. Food is also sometimes difficult. For a long time she was brave about foods, and would eat nearly anything placed in front of her, now she's only interested in french fries, chips, macaroni & cheese, the occasional hot dog, peanut butter & honey, and green beans. That's right, green beans. She'll eat a plate full of them.
She is very musically inclined. She sings songs that she's heard or learned, and occasionally makes up her own. She loves playing with musical instruments.
She loves youtube surfing on our iPhones, which generally is okay. She stays on Diego or Pocoyo or similar. There are lots of Dora/Diego video game reviews on youtube, and for some reason she loves these. She's also taken to watching commercials on youtube, which is odd.
She loves the old cartoon movie Peter Pan, which I have found that I despise - its an awful story. Female characters in the movie exist only to fawn on Peter and fight with each other for his affections.
My little girl is growing right up! Its so exciting and so terrifying.
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