Too tired to think of a title

This week is TAKS week at school courtesy of No Child Left Standing Behind. I have yet to meet a teacher or student in Texas that doesn’t cringe and groan when they hear the word TAKS. I just feel fried right now and I’m not the poor kid taking the test. No, I just walk around the room for hours on end without sitting down once because heaven forbid if you should sit down or read a book or glance at a newspaper!

Anyway, on to Ellie. She was going through a little phase where she kind of hated me. Mostly if Tom was around. I’d try to hug her and she’d push me away with a “No, Mommy!” or I’d try to push her stroller and she’d say, “No, Daddy do it” or I’d try to read her a bedtime story and she’d say, “No, Daddy read it.” You get the idea. I couldn’t even bribe her with treats or promises of Elmo marathons. Yeah, it totally broke my heart and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t make me cry. But, thankfully, she loves me once again. There’s nothing like the happy yells of “Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!” and feeling small arms wrapped around your neck. I don’t know how my tender heart will handle the teenage years when she is slamming doors and yelling, “I hate you! You’re ruining my life!”

Meet Mickey

My parents adopted a puppy while they were in Aruba. They flew him home this weekend since you can't fly dogs overseas in the summer when they come home permanently. We went over there today for a family dinner and Ellie fell in love with Mickey. I don't understand why everyone's dogs are better behaved than mine. My brother says it is the owner, but I know that can't be right.

Saturday evening news

Tonight we drove out to Pearland to hang out at Alex's house and enjoy some yummy grilled steaks. I put Ellie's hair up in full pigtails for the first time and she looked so adorable that I just wanted to lick her (I actually said that to Tom and he said I was scaring him).Anyway, it was nice just hanging out and visiting with Alex and his parents. Ellie enjoyed her first taste of corn on the cob. She also loved having free reign of Alex's yard. We can't let her play in our backyard because of the huge holes and piles of poo courtesy of the devil-dogs.Why are toddlers always attracted to giant boots? And is there anything more adorable?

Loss

My heart is heavy today because I have to attend the memorial service for the father of one of my best friends. I wonder at the fragility of life, that such a large, vibrant person could be taken in a blink of an eye. I think of my dear friend and her family and my heart aches for them. No words can make their sorrow any less. But still, I pray that they will be comforted.

Update on the daycare sitch

I was nervous all day about talking to Ellie's teacher. I just don't like those sort of things, y'know? I normally gloss over uncomfortable situations. When I went to pick her up, her teacher was in the back of the room changing diapers. She seemed a little distant at first, but I explained my feelings and she apologized for her reaction. We worked it all out. She did ask me at the end if I could have as little talk with Ellie about her behavior at naptime, asking me to explain to her to talk quietly while the others were sleeping. I simply said yes, but in my mind I was like, how old do you think my child is? I can't really imagine sitting Ellie down and explaining to her that she needs to lower her voice when she recites her ABCs while the other children sleep. I think Ellie would just look at me like, what on earth are you talking about, Mom? Eh, whatever, I mentioned it to her on the way home from school (she was watching Elmo's Potty Time so I am not sure she even heard me, but you see how committed I was?).

I appreciated everybody's comments from before. It gave me the confidence I needed to go talk to Ellie's teacher and know that I am not just being an overprotective mama (although I am that, too).