Saturday, June 19, 2004
Space camp is over!!! :( The kids gave a little performance on the last day (yesterday). The video camera somehow UNCHARGED itself rather than charging (?!@?!) when I plugged it in, so I didn't get it on camera. Benny had a very good time in the performance, although he was a bit... outside the programme. The class consisted of (what looked like to me) a quiet, perfect, well behaved gaggle of little six-year-old girls and then two little four-year-old boys, Benny and Sawyer. Benny and Sawyer were both improvising quite a lot while the girls regurgitated the absolute perfect answer in the absolute perfect tone, remembering all the words and singing in perfect unison.
Let me give you one example of how things were. During one part of the show, the lights were turned down low and a bubble machine was running while "Moonlight Sonata" played on the stereo. The kids were supposed to be doing an astronaut dance, demonstrating low gravity on the moon -- just like the bubbles. All of the girls were leaping around in slow motion in a very astronauty way, solemnly floating around with the bubbles. What was Benny doing? Well, at one point I was laughing so hard I was wetting myself, and by way of explanation I leaned over to the parent on my left and said, "My child is the one that's ululating and eating the bubbles." And that's how that particular performance went. Spectacularly. I wish I'd had my video camera, OH HOW I WISH IT. I did take pictures, though, and a couple of video clips. So, I have to post pictures from Benny and Gabe at the playground, beach, and boat. Also pictures of the violin recital. Also pictures of space camp. Plenty for me to do! But I am off to watch Star Wars!
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Let me give you one example of how things were. During one part of the show, the lights were turned down low and a bubble machine was running while "Moonlight Sonata" played on the stereo. The kids were supposed to be doing an astronaut dance, demonstrating low gravity on the moon -- just like the bubbles. All of the girls were leaping around in slow motion in a very astronauty way, solemnly floating around with the bubbles. What was Benny doing? Well, at one point I was laughing so hard I was wetting myself, and by way of explanation I leaned over to the parent on my left and said, "My child is the one that's ululating and eating the bubbles." And that's how that particular performance went. Spectacularly. I wish I'd had my video camera, OH HOW I WISH IT. I did take pictures, though, and a couple of video clips. So, I have to post pictures from Benny and Gabe at the playground, beach, and boat. Also pictures of the violin recital. Also pictures of space camp. Plenty for me to do! But I am off to watch Star Wars!
Wednesday, June 16, 2004
Could I have a headache just because my glasses are dirty?
Regarding Nemo game for PS2: It is HARD. Who beta-tested this? Hint: Not 4 year olds. That's who's trying to play it.
Regarding Dinner Kit Seasoning Mix: Open at notch? WHAT NOTCH?
Tonight: Gorditas with celery, monterey jack, sour cream, avocados.
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Regarding Nemo game for PS2: It is HARD. Who beta-tested this? Hint: Not 4 year olds. That's who's trying to play it.
Regarding Dinner Kit Seasoning Mix: Open at notch? WHAT NOTCH?
Tonight: Gorditas with celery, monterey jack, sour cream, avocados.
SO! Benny is on his third day of space camp and he also went to Suzanne's house for "Mrs. Moss's Reading Club" on Monday. Long story short, Benny is ecstatic over both experiences and is loving them tremendously. Here are some details:
SPACE CAMP: Space camp is operated by Ms. Joanne assisted by Henry and Virginia. Benny was QUITE TAKEN with Henry and on the morning of day 2 created a drawing called "Henry and the Solar Sistum" which had (Benny said) all the planets orbiting the sun along with a planet and an asteroid belt. It's lost to posterity since of course it was given to Henry! Benny had OODLES of fun and was very tired and happy. On the first day he made a rocket, on the second day a galaxy in a jar, and on the third day he made a foil moon with stuff stuck under the foil to create texture and bumps and lumps -- very cool!
Today he apparently threw up after snack. Ms. Joanne was not at all fussed about it -- she's used to preschoolers I guess! Anyway I said, "Benny, did you throw up?!?" and he said the following, "Oh yes! Because the cheese was not yummy for me! So I swallowed, and I swallowed again, and then I PUKED!" And then he made a horrible puking sound. Ms. Joanne thought he just gagged rather than that he was sick. I know -- this child can vomit over the fact that he got a little shred of strawberry in a spoonful of yogurt. So, whatever. He still had a fun day!
On Friday they're going to put on a little performance -- I can't wait! Ms. Joanne is a very sprightly and vivacious person, very very positive and cheery and marvelous. Today when I dropped Benny off she hollered, "HELLO FRIEND!" as Benny ran to give her a hug. He turned to look at me like... did you forget to leave? and said, "Goodbye Mommy!" Hehehe. Good boy. Two more days of it and then next week is boat camp with Mrs. Ford. It's all music camp, really, but they have these themes.
READING CLUB: I went to pick Benny up early from reading club and the kids were playing on the swingset and playground stuff. A couple of the girls were making fun of Benny and Gabe and saying some rather unkind things, and also some probably true things but in an unkind way. Like for example, Benny and Gabe are naughty! They don't listen to Mrs. Moss! We don't like boys! Benny is a baby! He's stinky! This said as the girls are pumping away happily on the swings. Benny I THINK was totally oblivious. This is one reason why I'm so glad Gabe is there because without Gabe, Benny would be the lone male in this pack of apparently fairly fierce females. I think Suzanne is on top of the situation -- she told the girls to say something positive about Benny instead, and Lorelei came up with "I love Benny" which sounded JUST A TEENSY WEENSY BIT disingenuous, but okay. :) :) What are you doing to do? I think little girls are farther along in gender-identity development than boys.
Anyway, so having heard these things, I asked Suzanne how it went and she said that Benny and Gabe were the hardest, and they were wiggly, but that it was okay. The girls are much better behaved than the boys. Suzanne is such a gracious and sweet person -- she is just the epitome of graciousness -- I hope that Benny and Gabe aren't behaving like little punks. I know that she can keep them in line, she is a teacher after all, but I don't want her having to constantly sit on them and have it ruined for the other kids. I also don't want Benny to get the impression that he's "the bad one" or "naughty" or whatever... I don't think Suzanne is giving these feelings to him but hearing Lorelei say this might make him think about it. I don't know.
I guess what really matters is that he wanted desperately to go back again and play at "Mrs. Moss's house" and at the end of the day after everything new and exciting including Henry and space camp, he told me that his "best thing" of the day was reading for Mrs. Moss. So that tells me that he had a wonderful time. I'm very thankful to Suzanne for doing this for the kids -- I think it will be very good for Benny, but I'm just wary of course, being me, that something will make him sad.
He's been asking when he can go back to Mrs. Moss's house and he listed Ms. Joanne and Mrs. Moss as his favorite things about his day... I'm very grateful to have wonderful teachers for Benny -- we seem to be so lucky in that department.
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SPACE CAMP: Space camp is operated by Ms. Joanne assisted by Henry and Virginia. Benny was QUITE TAKEN with Henry and on the morning of day 2 created a drawing called "Henry and the Solar Sistum" which had (Benny said) all the planets orbiting the sun along with a planet and an asteroid belt. It's lost to posterity since of course it was given to Henry! Benny had OODLES of fun and was very tired and happy. On the first day he made a rocket, on the second day a galaxy in a jar, and on the third day he made a foil moon with stuff stuck under the foil to create texture and bumps and lumps -- very cool!
Today he apparently threw up after snack. Ms. Joanne was not at all fussed about it -- she's used to preschoolers I guess! Anyway I said, "Benny, did you throw up?!?" and he said the following, "Oh yes! Because the cheese was not yummy for me! So I swallowed, and I swallowed again, and then I PUKED!" And then he made a horrible puking sound. Ms. Joanne thought he just gagged rather than that he was sick. I know -- this child can vomit over the fact that he got a little shred of strawberry in a spoonful of yogurt. So, whatever. He still had a fun day!
On Friday they're going to put on a little performance -- I can't wait! Ms. Joanne is a very sprightly and vivacious person, very very positive and cheery and marvelous. Today when I dropped Benny off she hollered, "HELLO FRIEND!" as Benny ran to give her a hug. He turned to look at me like... did you forget to leave? and said, "Goodbye Mommy!" Hehehe. Good boy. Two more days of it and then next week is boat camp with Mrs. Ford. It's all music camp, really, but they have these themes.
READING CLUB: I went to pick Benny up early from reading club and the kids were playing on the swingset and playground stuff. A couple of the girls were making fun of Benny and Gabe and saying some rather unkind things, and also some probably true things but in an unkind way. Like for example, Benny and Gabe are naughty! They don't listen to Mrs. Moss! We don't like boys! Benny is a baby! He's stinky! This said as the girls are pumping away happily on the swings. Benny I THINK was totally oblivious. This is one reason why I'm so glad Gabe is there because without Gabe, Benny would be the lone male in this pack of apparently fairly fierce females. I think Suzanne is on top of the situation -- she told the girls to say something positive about Benny instead, and Lorelei came up with "I love Benny" which sounded JUST A TEENSY WEENSY BIT disingenuous, but okay. :) :) What are you doing to do? I think little girls are farther along in gender-identity development than boys.
Anyway, so having heard these things, I asked Suzanne how it went and she said that Benny and Gabe were the hardest, and they were wiggly, but that it was okay. The girls are much better behaved than the boys. Suzanne is such a gracious and sweet person -- she is just the epitome of graciousness -- I hope that Benny and Gabe aren't behaving like little punks. I know that she can keep them in line, she is a teacher after all, but I don't want her having to constantly sit on them and have it ruined for the other kids. I also don't want Benny to get the impression that he's "the bad one" or "naughty" or whatever... I don't think Suzanne is giving these feelings to him but hearing Lorelei say this might make him think about it. I don't know.
I guess what really matters is that he wanted desperately to go back again and play at "Mrs. Moss's house" and at the end of the day after everything new and exciting including Henry and space camp, he told me that his "best thing" of the day was reading for Mrs. Moss. So that tells me that he had a wonderful time. I'm very thankful to Suzanne for doing this for the kids -- I think it will be very good for Benny, but I'm just wary of course, being me, that something will make him sad.
He's been asking when he can go back to Mrs. Moss's house and he listed Ms. Joanne and Mrs. Moss as his favorite things about his day... I'm very grateful to have wonderful teachers for Benny -- we seem to be so lucky in that department.
Tuesday, June 15, 2004
Benny's going insane for blueberries. He has a big bowl of them every day. I'm expecting him to start turning blue around the ears.
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