Back In The Swing of Things

So far so good at Helen's school, everything seems to be falling into place. She spends her mornings included with her new teachers, and the afternoons in the special ed. classroom with her teacher from last year. She is helping her with math, Helen's worst subject. There have been a few issues with her behavior, but nothing where I have received a phone call. I just hope the whole year is like this. The other kids have adjusted nicely to being back at school. Ted had his first practice for cross country and loved it. Every time a letter was sent home about different sports, and sport clinics, I would ask Ted if he wanted to do it. The answer was always the same, NO. When the letter came home about cross country, I read it, and then proceeded to put it in the recycle pile. Ted walked in as I was doing this and said, "Oh yeah, I want to join that Mom, okay?" I was shocked, I never see him run, so I asked, "Do you know what cross country is?" I then went on to explain all about it. He told me, "Yes, I know, I like to run, I can run fast, are you going to sign me up!?!" How could I argue, this kid is not very active, this would be the perfect opportunity to get him moving! I'm glad he likes it, he is starting to find his niche. Robbie on the other hand is still trying to figure it out. He begged me to sign him up for football, so I did. He didn't realize just how physical the sport is, he doesn't like to get pushed around. He wants to play wide receiver, but instead plays defensive tackle. He thinks if he plays offense he won't get tackled. I told him it doesn't matter what position you play, you're going to get tackled, that's what the game is about. He told me he doesn't want to play next year, but he still wants to be a professional football player someday. I told him nothing is going to change with the sport whether it's now or later. He told me he knows that, but at least later he'll be bigger! Katie is going to start playing basketball, hopefully she will like it better than softball. When playing softball this past summer, she said the ball didn't like her because she kept getting hit by it!

Ted turned 11 on Monday, where does the time go? He is getting so tall, I couldn't believe it when he was standing next to me one day. He had a good day, I was a bit sad. I was telling him about the day he was born, it brought back many memories. Peter was so excited and was such a big help with Ted, not only in the hospital, but once we brought him home. Peter had put Ted's crib together in the living room, and when we tried to move it into the bedroom, it couldn't fit through the door. We had to leave it in the living room for awhile because Peter didn't have the patience to take it apart and put it back together. He slept on the floor right beside Ted's crib every night until we moved him into his bedroom, which was across the hall from us. Life can be so unfair!

We had our parish festival this past week-end, it was fun. My plan was to go on Friday night for the brat fest, five different flavors of brats. Work the meat raffle on Saturday night, and then take Sunday to relax and get a few things done around the house. It didn't work that way...Friday night they had nothing up for the kids. They saw the bouncy house and wanted to come back the next day to jump in it. That wouldn't work, Saturday was a busy day, and I had already committed to the meat raffle. I found myself back at the festival on Sunday, I really didn't want to go. The kids had a blast, that's all that counts! There wasn't that good of a turn out. Helen was able to stay in the bouncy house most of the time we were there, which is exactly where she wanted to be! The rest of the kids met up with a friend or two and only came to me for tickets, or money. It was actually quite nice to be able to sit and talk with other adults while the kids went about their business. I did spend more money than I had wanted, but it went to a good place.

I need to get back to taking the pool down. I was hoping the kids would be able to swim one more time, but the weather isn't going to let that happen. I wish someone would have warned me about the smell, my goodness! It's all emptied, I just need to wipe it down, that should get rid of that terrible smell.

Until next time-
Take Care,
Sue