Pizza, Work and The Name Game

I should probably be sleeping right now, but who can sleep when there is blogging to be done? I am so exhausted, this working thing, well, it sure is taking some getting used to. It's a different type of work. Now I have work things to accomplish each week, then I have to accomplish the normal home and kid tasks as well, only in a shorter amount of time. It's no secret I've always struggled to get everything done in a 24 hour day, now I'm trying to do even MORE in the same amount of time. Sometimes I think Ryan thinks I'm not working, and he'll come tell me needs to leave, or get ready for school, and I have to remind him - I am working! It doesn't always seem like I am working since I am home a lot, talking on the phone, entering information in the computer, cleaning, organizing, picking out (and playing with) toys ... Yes! That's what I do a lot for my job right now. My job title is Parent Educator, and in the coming weeks I will be doing home visits more and more - for babies 0-3 and their parents. So far I love everything, it doesn't get much better than this, who doesn't love babies!

Chelsea is continuing with her exploration of language. Just over the past couple of days I've been signing her name to her, letter by letter. At first I just did it once, and she was so engaged, I did it again and again. She watches my hands and listens to each letter as I say it aloud, and then best she can she repeats the letters after me. After only a couple of days of having fun with this, she's pretty good at signing her name - all by herself! I can say the letters and she'll sign the letters and repeat for me! How she can do the signs and differentiate between such similar letters is amazing to me. At first I was really just trying to get her to verbally attempt the letters, but not only is she repeating the letters, but I can see her signing the letters, s, a, and e, correctly, which are all very similar letters (for those of you who know a little sign)! Now if I could only get it on video. I've tried, but I'm going to have to get sneaky. Whenever she sees a video camera she stops whatever she is doing, drops to the floor, and says, "nahhhh" (no) in her whiniest voice.

She must have learned this from her brother, because he NEVER cooperates when I try to video him reading aloud. I would love to send a video of him reading to my cousin (his Godfather) who lives in another state, but the little stinker just gets goofy. After only a couple of weeks of him starting the AR (accelerated reader) program at school, he's already becoming a challenge. He really doesn't like doing anything I ask him to do, especially if it means reading a book. Tomorrow he doesn't have school because the 4 year olds have Kindergarten round up and need the classroom. Chelsea still has school though, so I told Logan he could come to work with me. Tonight he told me he was so excited he just couldn't wait until tomorrow. When I asked him why, he said because he gets to see my office. Poor thing, I hate to disappoint. Lots of colored paper, parenting books, consumable products for teachers and a great big copy machine - can you picture the reaction I'm going to get when he realizes it's not a child's playground as he has imagined. I hope he behaves well, if so he gets to go use his Book-It coupon for a free pizza, which is super exciting as well.

By the way ... does anyone else wish someplace other than Pizza Hut would participate in Book It? Yuck, I hate Pizza Hut. Why not a Subway sandwich or something?