Fabulous Miss S.

It's all a little snotty

I have been a terrible blogger lately and I've almost completely ignored my sites for almost twenty weeks now.  How do I know it's been that long?  I'm twenty weeks pregnant and my daily goals are simple: 1) eat and sleep and drink some water, 2) keep the child fed, clean and content when possible.  There isn't room for achieving a third goal when you are asleep by 930PM each night.

For a quick roundup and run-down here's the latest in our household:

1.  The fetus that caused me four fucking months of morning sickness, two months of migraines and acne worse than a pubescent male has been confirmed to be a SHETUS.  We're having a GIRL!  Much more on this topic to come as I negotiate my fears of raising a confident and strong yet gentle and capable woman and also, probably some pictures of cute pink things.

2.  I have a cold.  It's a death cold.  Pregnant colds are one of the worst natural inflictions upon womankind.  I would cut off my small toe with a dirty kitchen knife right now if it meant I could sleep for the next two days in the blissful Nyquil haze only allotted for the non-gestating parts of society. 

3.  Noah is doing really well.  After months of feeling guilty and not getting out much (See Point The First), we have had some good play dates recently.  Some days  I even take him grocery shopping and to the playground.  He is a real joy and also a real ball buster because he knows what he wants but isn't quite able to communicate it to me yet.  I feel for him, really, I do.  I know the words are coming, because his gibberish is increasing each day.

4.  On top of my cold and misery, my in-laws arrive tomorrow for the Rosh Hashanna holiday. 

5.  To see what I have managed to eek out of this keyboard, see below:
        a. A review for Safeway's new line, Eating Right Kids
        b. A great book review about Phillip Done's second book, Close Encounters of the Third Grade Kind

Book Review: Close Encounters of the Third-Grade Kind

Once again, Phillip Done goes directly to the head of the class with his latest year-long memoir about teaching third graders.  A veteran teacher with over twenty years of experience in the classroom understands children on a level unparalleled by most.  A heart-warming, hilarious and touching book, it should be required reading for all new teachers and parents. 

Close Encounters of the Third-Grade Kind  takes the reader back to the elementary classroom, complete with bulletin boards covered in colored paper and scalloped borders to the mysteries of what kids keep and lose in their desks to the wonders of recess and spelling errors -- be careful when you spell o-r-g-a-n-i-s-m. 

I relived my own elementary days, my favorite teachers, the special dress-up days, picture day when they handed out those little combs!, the celebrations of half-birthdays and lost teeth.  I laughed out loud about spelling errors!  (Don't read that chapter in bed while your husband is sleeping!) Done writes so glowingly and magically of his experiences with children that it makes me jealous that I won't experience all those crazy, annoying, special, and priceless moments with my own children -- but, those moments are meant for teachers, they are not meant for parents.  Perhaps I need to go back and get a Masters in Education and become a teacher? Done is clearly a master teacher and this books shows he is also a master of the written word.

I think one of the many things that makes Done so successful as a teacher and a writer is that he is fully invested and committed to his work. In a world where you often hear more negative than positive this is a refreshing read, it makes you believe in teachers, our American school system, the wonder and joy of third grade and it makes you believe that with teachers like Phillip Done, every kid does have a chance at a lifetime of success. 

I wish every kid at least one Mr. Done in their school years.  Done, it rhymes with Phone.

This book is available from Amazon.com

Click here to read more about Phillip Done and his first book, 32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny.