Skipping oh-my-goodness-so-much (everybody is OK, right? Despite weather going crazy?) and after missing oh-so-many days and important dates (though my very brief skimming showed how well y'all got my back, and thanks!), in order to post that, according to flea "If the Apocalypse Comes, Beep Me" Aug 30, 2003 7:37:26 am PDT , today is Casper's birthday.

Happy birthday, Casper! I can't believe you're such a big girl by now! With lots of wishes for your mom, your brother, and all your family, as well!

And cereal, because Casper and apologies deserve their own post, but PiToddler started going to a kindergarten (that's how you call it when there are three grwonups in charge of ten or eleven infants, ranging from babies to toddlers-older-than-PiToddler? Here we also have a different name for such a small group with such young children, but I have no idea how English deals with the variety). And since I'm the sap geek that I am, I couldn't help but take a few pictures before he left home, and one when he came back: [link]

We'd call it daycare if the group is multi-aged. Nilly, he is gorgeous!

And cereal, because Casper and apologies deserve their own post, but PiToddler started going to a kindergarten (that's how you call it when there are three grwonups in charge of ten or eleven infants, ranging from babies to toddlers-older-than-PiToddler? Here we also have a different name for such a small group with such young children, but I have no idea how English deals with the variety).

Ryan's childcare has three rooms separated by age. The oldest room, from age three or so, they call kindergarten; the rest of it just gets called childcare (or daycare). Those are lovely photos, Nilly. He looks like he's very helpful!

Daycare! Thanks.

he is gorgeous!

Oh, thanks! I never argue with any compliments that he gets, though I do realize my objectivity regarding him is maybe a bit far from what it could be (or as my mom says, "I know I'm not objective. But there really is something special about him!").

How are you doing, Kat? Are you up way too late or way too early? How did the schoolyear start for you (all of you, I mean, of course)?

(Wow, will you look at that - I get to type two consecutive lines, and no little hand tries to smash the keyboard or unplug the computer or throw a toy at it. I may be even actually find myself being abe to respond to posts!)

billytea! It's a lovely opportunity to tell you how much I enjoy the pictures you post, especially of Ryan, but also of all your family and how happy and - in the lack of a better word - together you seem in them.

He looks like he's very helpful!

Oh, he actually really tries!

Last Friday, 15 minutes before shabbat started (i.e. the most in-a-hurry part of the week), he managed to reach the kitchen counter and toss over the bowl of food I prepared for his dinner (yes, it was shoved as deeply inside the counter as possible, and no, I had no idea he could reach that far inside).

So in the middle of all the finishing-the-preparations, I had to wash the floor. In the short moment it took me to collect the bowl from said floor, he managed to get to all the vegetables smashed all over - clearly, in an honest attempt to help me clean up - and splashed in all the spilled stuff, to make sure not just the floor but all of himself would need to be freshly cleaned up.

I managed not to burst into laughter in front of him, but just barely.

Also, it's amazing, how the things we do around him are reflected in what he later does. For example, he takes a papertissue or a wipe and goes over the floor, because he sees me doing it so much (like, after every single meal, or so - he never neglects feeding his chair and floor and clothes while eating, the generous soul that he is).

Oh, I really do know to talk about things that are not PiBaby Loves Carrots. I really do. Try me.

I'm good. I'm up too early and a little tired and miserable. My classes sizes are bad -- each class except for one has close to 50 and I am currently teaching 307 students. Other than that, we're all good. Noah and Grace are in kindergarten now and enjoying it, I hope.

each class except for one has close to 50

Wow, that's huge!

They speak a lot here about the sizes of the classes, but here the complaints are that classes are around 40 (there are places where it's down to even 25-30, and that's considered wonderful), but I've never heard of around 50. Wow.

Noah and Grace are in kindergarten now and enjoying it, I hope.

Oh, that's good to read.

Yeah, 50 is beyond ridiculous. People always cite research that shows there is little difference in class size and education, but most of the studies seem to address the difference between 25 and 30 or so. But I think there has to be strong negative correlations at 50.

Goodness, PiToddler looks adorable! I love the photo where he's pointing at something out of frame. He looks so lively and engaged.

Storm~ma to the Gulf Coast-istas!