Kindergarten has been good. I don’t know what to truly say about it because I know so little about what happens during the day compared to the mushy, lovey-dovey, religious-based preschool that Annabel attended. I do know that I have to drag my five year-old out of bed in the morning, that she’s more tired than she’s ever been (except for those first 4 colicky months) after a six-hour school day, and that she loves P.E.
Public School Prayer
Read the full article...| Posted by: Melanie Diamond | No Comments » | September 3rd, 2010 | |
| Labels: K-5, Motherhood / Parenthood |
Vacation Battle Plan
Objective: Prevent parents from going soft while relaxing at the beach.
Strategy #1: Maintain whiney voice. Even if we’ve spent the entire day happily playing with new toys and games, revert to whiney voice at the slightest provocation. Do not allow parents to pretend you’re merely speaking in a funny accent. Refuse any cheese they offer you to go with “your whine.”
| Posted by: Mary Beth McNulty | 2 Comments » | September 1st, 2010 | |
| Labels: Motherhood / Parenthood |
U is for Underwear
One of our favorite book series is the Frances series by Russell Hoban. Frances is a young badger, and her escapades with bedtime battles, friend troubles, picky eating, new babies in the house, and birthday jealousies are accompanied by Frances’s lovely little made-up songs.
| Posted by: Melanie Diamond | No Comments » | August 25th, 2010 | |
| Labels: Books, Family Life, K-5 |
Kindergarten
My baby girl started kindergarten last week. To be frank, I’m too close to it, too emotional about her growing up, too scared by my own fears about the big elementary school to even write much about it right now. I need some distance, which is strange for me.
| Posted by: Melanie Diamond | No Comments » | August 22nd, 2010 | |
| Labels: K-5, Motherhood / Parenthood |
Baby Raccoon
Sometime in the last two months, I’ve lost my sweet baby. While she’s a complete charmer out and about in the world, when in our own home, I’m convinced that my husband and I are struggling on a daily basis, beginning most days at 5 am, to raise a feral raccoon. Allow me and my friends at Raccoon Tracker and Wikipedia to demonstrate:
| Posted by: Mary Beth McNulty | 1 Comment » | August 19th, 2010 | |
| Labels: Motherhood / Parenthood |
What did you get for YOUR birthday?
Yesterday was my birthday, along with my best friend from growing up, Sara, Madonna, Kathie Lee AND Frank Gifford, and Timothy Hutton. We Leos can never be indifferent about our birthdays, as we love to show off, be the center of attention, and greet everyone we meet with an “it’s my birthday” smile.
My day was no less auspicious than let’s say, my 21st birthday, except that yesterday I realized that I am just as close to age 50 as to age 20. Oh, and there were no jagermeister shots bought for me by my frat boy boyfriend and his cronies.
| Posted by: Melanie Diamond | 1 Comment » | August 17th, 2010 | |
| Labels: Family Life, Motherhood / Parenthood, Relationships |
A Missed Opportunity for Parenting 101
Which is worse, do tell me?
| Posted by: Melanie Diamond | No Comments » | August 15th, 2010 | |
| Labels: Family Life, Preschoolers |
Toys Your Children Will Love!
A friend of mine told me the other night that your child’s pleasure in a toy is inversely proportional to how much you spent on it. Clearly my kids got the memo because here are their new favorites.
What are your kids’ favorite toys?
| Posted by: Mary Beth McNulty | No Comments » | August 14th, 2010 | |
| Labels: Motherhood / Parenthood, Shopping |
Plays Well with Others
When the salesclerk at the AT&T store greeted us, Addy ducked her head against my leg. The clerk smiled at my “shy” toddler and showed me some over-priced phones. While I debated the merits of ending my plan entirely or going for some Cadillac phone that could cook dinner for us, Addy danced happily to [...]
| Posted by: Mary Beth McNulty | 1 Comment » | August 10th, 2010 | |
| Labels: Motherhood / Parenthood |
Disappointment
My four year-old niece met me halfway down the stairs, wearing a purple and green Tinkebell nightgown and a frown.
“What’s wrong, sweetie?” I asked her, expecting to hear that one of my children had done something wrong.
“Auntie Mel,” she told me sadly, “I’m just trying to fly and I can’t and I really want to.
| Posted by: Melanie Diamond | 1 Comment » | August 8th, 2010 | |
| Labels: Family Life, Preschoolers |
