"Trust Me"

Ethan:  Mom, we need go store.

Mom: Why, Ethan?

Ethan:  Need chips.

Mom: No, no chips.  We don't need chips.

Ethan: Please, mom, need chips.  Trust me, mom.  Trust me.  Need chips.

Mom:  No, we don't need chips.

Ethan:  Trust me, mom, pleeeease.  Trust me.  Need chips.  Pleeeeease mom, trust me.

PS: We are still chipless :-)

Mr. Independent

Yes, this is another Ethan blog.  But honestly, nothing much happens in my life but work so I take the little bit of joy where I can get it.

Ethan, the "Mush Boy", the boy who eats oatmeal every. single. day.  Not the yucky instant oats, but real rolled oats.  Fiber, baby.

This morning I got in the shower while Ethan was outside feeding the cat.  That is one of his jobs now, feeding the animals. 

When I got out of the shower I saw that Ethan couldn't wait for me to cook his breakfast and had cooked his own.  The cooked oats were in the bowl.  The toast was in the toaster.  The milk was on the counter.  The dirty pot was soaking in the sink.

All - by - himself.

AWESOME!!!!

This week we had to go to Children's Hospital for a check up with the CPAP.  Ethan has been taking care of his CPAP himself.  He drains the water in the morning and can get it back together in the evening and puts it on without help.  He loves it!  He even carried the bag to the hospital and set it up for nurses.  They were amazed :-)  They asked me how I did it.  What?!?!    I don't do anything - that is all Ethan.  I just feel grateful the transition was smooth and we aren't fighting for him to wear it every night.  The nurses asked him why he likes to wear it and he signed "it helps me breathe."  I think he is just old enough to know what will help him.

 

And another thing, he is becoming expert at texting his "bro" (Bryan).  They have late night and early morning conversations.  Bryan had to call me yesterday to see what was going on because Ethan has been texting in the middle of day when he is supposed to be in school.  Spring Break!  Ethan loves texting his brother.  They are "bros"!!!!

Pete the Cat

The special education classes at my school, for the first time ever, put on a production with their students.  It was fabulous!  I was so proud of the kids.  They acted out two "Pete the Cat" stories and did an amazing job.  I was so proud of the teachers (the top row are the paras and the bottom row are the teachers) and the paras for encouraging the students and giving them the opportunity to shine.  The students ate it up and the place was packed with family and friends.  I hope they decide to do it every year because it was so much fun.  They also displayed their students' art work and writing.  After, everyone enjoyed pizza and cookies.  Ethan and Jordan went with me and we all had a great time.

"Because it's all good!"

Signs of Aging?

Um.....yesterday afternoon Ethan brought me one of my several thousand pairs of reading glasses.  I spent several minutes looking for them after I closed up the bike shop because I wanted to make sure I had them to take them to school.  Being the sage that I am, I try to keep a pair anywhere of the million places I might need them.  Alas, I couldn't find them so I locked up and went.....to Walmart.  Yep, that's right.  I went to the place where people (at least in my part of Arkansas) are not afraid to wear their pjs and slippers.  I met several people there I knew and chatted up a storm....not realizing at the time I was looking like my own kind of goofball:

Yep, right there.  Two pair.  What is even worse is I didn't realize it until almost 9:00 pm when I walked into the bathroom to get ready for bed.

That is right up there with me kicking myself for leaving my phone at home as I walked into my office at school only to realize I was talking to Phil on it at that moment.

Pity me.  Just pity me.

Fiesta!!

Every year our school holds a family Math, Science and Literacy Night.  The last few years, while we have been in leadership transition, it has been rough - stressful, uncoordinated, and not well attended.  This year, however, we rocked.  Turnout was awesome and the teachers had amazing workstations.  I really love the ladies I work with.  Below is a picture of our "intervention" team.  We cover kinders through 3rd grade, math and literacy.  They are super knowledgeable ladies.   We are all older except for the new teacher this year, you can probably guess who she is :-)    I love that four of us share a closet-like room because we consult with one another every day.  My roomies are the three gals in the back row.  They crack me up.

Phil was out of town during the week and Jordan had dress rehearsals so Ethan was my bud during the Fiesta.  He stayed in my room and wrote test questions on the board (I know, he is so strange), but when I went to check on him I informed him there were nachos in the cafeteria.  He made a beeline for the food and left me in his dust. He was muy rapido.

It was a buena fiesta!

And a short time later......

Sugar high after-effects. I can so relate. 

Taking a Few Liberties

What is a snow day without an afternoon nap?  Well, It didn't take long for Ethan to realize the advantages of me taking one. I woke up to find this:

Bless him, he hasn't learned how to destroy the evidence.