36 Weeks and Counting

We had a doctor's appointment today. This started our weekly visits. I was checked to see how I was progressing. The doctor said I was effaced 50% and dilated to a 1. I hope this is good. I've definitely been feeling my body "getting ready" for labor. This was apparent when I didn't sleep very well at all on Sunday. Clint said I tossed and turned all night. :(
We got to have another ultrasound today in which we found out that the baby weighs 7.5 lbs ALREADY! The ultrasound tech said that the measurement was give or take 1 lb. I can't believe he weighs 8.5 lbs already, so I think it's 7.5 or less. At this point, babies gain about 1/2 lb a week. So if I make it to the 40 week mark, I could potential give birth to a GIANT. It's all Clint's fault! I was a nice size of less then 7lbs when I entered the world, but Clint was 8.5lbs! YUCK! Thank goodness for pain meds right?
So the doctor left us with the impression that he could come any time in the next couple of weeks. Told us if my water broke or if my contractions were 5 minutes apart and I couldn't talk through them I had to go to the hospital. Pretty excited.
Despite the fact that I've been saying that I'm ready for the last month, I'M NOT! We still have things to buy, the house to finish getting ready and I need to get things at work ready for maternity leave. Plus there's the fact that my doctor is on vacation next week! So he either needs to be born this week or not for 2 more weeks. :)

So we'll keep you posted on our progress. Looks like I might not get to wear my Halloween costume on Halloween this year. My friend Jeanette makes these shirts. She also sells them on her blog under October's posts. http://jeanettesmommymusings.blogspot.com/

Enjoy the pictures.

Getting ready for Clark's Arrival

Last weekend we had a couple baby showers in which we received MANY wonderful items much needed for Clint and I to successfully raise our child. :) We also went to the local thrift store and found a dresser that we both liked. It originally was white, but we wanted it to match the crib. So we painted it. The dresser is actually a changing table also, but that piece is still being painted. We got a really good deal on the dresser, 25 bucks, because it was used and the track on the middle draw was broken. Clint had the fun job of fixing the draw. He did a great job and that draw is the only one that works perfectly.
While doing the piles and piles of laundry, and putting away all the baby clothes, I now have noticed that the bottom draw is going to need the same fixing. Clint will be so happy when he gets home and I get to tell him! NOT. Actually it wasn't that difficult for him to fix, it's just that Clint HATES spending money. He's Scrooge! Draw tracks are expensive, but we'll work something out.
I also had to include a couple of pictures of Wesley helping. :) All the animals were in the room with us "helping" in some way or another. It was either laying in the draw that was on the floor, getting into the dresser where the draw was suppose to go, or keeping watch. They did all perfectly.
I have about 4 weeks of pregnancy after Monday. He could come early, or he could be stubborn, like his parents and come late. Either way, we'll keep you posted. :) I hope to take belly pictures later today and put that post up soon, or I'll wait until Tuesday and include the latest ultrasound pictures.

New Chair, New Blog Look

Clint's Grandma took us shopping and bought us this VERY comfortable gliding, reclining, wonderful place to put your butt. It glides, while reclining and has a gliding ottoman! It is the only comfortable place to sit in the house. Only problem is that the cat thinks it's just as comfortable. Wesley, our black cat, jumps up on the couch the moment I leave and when I check on the cats in the middle of the night, Wes is laying on the chair and O.C. on the couch. Very funny!

Hope you enjoy the "FALL" look. Thought since it was the first day of fall I would change things while I glide and reline in our new comfy chair. :)

Crib bedding

Clint, Grandma and I went to Topeka to get some things for the baby. We bought the bedding set and a car seat. As you can see, the cat is taking his part. O.C. is also laying under the crib after repeatedly getting chased out of the crib. The squirt bottle seems to have worked now. Maybe I should start a "where's the cat" game for my blog readers. Kind of like Where's Waldo?

Grandma bought us a rocking chair, which will be here as soon as it gets to the store and we can pick it up!

Enjoy the pictures!

Animal "Help"

So this morning I had the "bright" idea to inventory the clothes that people have given us. This meant laying them all out on the floor and separating them into piles. A bit overwhelming! I separated them by age and then by what they were. As you can see the animals wanted to help. I love that my pets want to "help" and bless my life with their presence. I guess also I don't have to worry about the animals freaking out with the arrival of the baby, but more of them smothering the little guy. I don't worry too much because they do the same to the laundry when I'm folding them on the couch and don't smother Clint and I, too much. The cats love to cuddle up into a warm pile of clothes on the couch. They also snuggle up into blankets or most other things that are soft and comfy looking. Reiner just likes to be in the same room as me, so he had his part too. Enjoy the pictures.

State Assessments

So it's not even close to state assessment time, but a friend sent me a link about a book a man is writing about if Standardized Test are hurting our students. It's more news from Michigan State University announcing the publishing of this book to be released in late September.
As an educator this is a big issue for everyone. I've still not made up my mind. Ask me during "testing season" (Feb. - Apr.) and I'll tell you they are the stupidest thing in the world. I mostly think they are stupid because they ask unrealistic questions of our students that they can only answer if we teachers "teach to the test." For example, my first year teaching I had to give a Social Studies assessment. The majority of the assessment was on material students had learned in 3rd through 5th grade. Hardly any of the questions were on Ancient Civilizations. Yes, our "standards" for 6th grade aren't all on Ancient Civilizations, but for the amount the curriculum has us cover there was not an equal amount of questions. It made my fellow 6th grade teacher and I feel blind sided. We felt that the only way that our students would pass this test was if we "taught to the test." We felt that it it wasn't fair to expect students to remember material they learned up to 4 years ago. Yes, I just said that. Students forget things. While I think that it is important that our students learn about our history they do forget it because what elementary age student goes around discussing the Boston Tea Party or the Revolutionary War on a daily basis? NONE and neither do most of you! Must be why they have postponed the Social Studies assessment for another 2 years. Someone finally got their point across, I hope, that this test isn't doing it's job.
How do we do a good job with testing our students? Is testing our students the best? Who are we really testing, our students or the teacher's ability to teach? Is it fair to have so many different tests in this country and so many teaching standards?

I am particularly sensitive to the issue of state standards opposed to national standards because some 40% of the population of my school is military. Meaning that these kids don't stay in the same school let alone same state for very long. This creates gaps in our childrens' education. What CA might think is important to teach, KS doesn't. 4th graders, for example, focus on CA history in CA, but KS doesn't teach about the Gold Rush or CA becoming a state. (Not that I know of any ways.) So if a student moves from KS to CA in the middle of the 4th grade, they are expected to pass the CA Social Studies assessment which focuses on CA history. Is this right or fair? NO!

Do I think testing our kids is the most horrible thing in the world. Not necessary, but we need to find a way to assess school achievement but not punish schools that have kids that struggle because of home life. How can you expect a student to demonstrate the schools good teaching habits if that child didn't get any sleep because he sleeps on the couch in his/her mom's mobile home and the parents stay up fighting or dealing drugs? Did the teacher not do her/his job as well because that child failed, but the child who went home to a secure house with a mom and dad, and their own room and got an solid 8 hours of restful sleep passed with flying colors?

As for "are we hurting our kids?" Well yes and no. Yes when schools are shut down or have funds taken from them for not passing state assessments. Some schools have wonderful teacher at it and do everything they can, but have a difficult time overcoming the outside influences of the neighborhood that the kids grow up in.

No because I think it makes schools/teachers accountable for their teaching. Not that I'm motivated to be a good teacher because I want my students to pass a test, but because I want my students to be successful and leave my classroom with the skills necessary to continue their lives.

So tell me what you think. Do you feel state assessments hurt our kids? Who teaches their kids the right way? Why do you feel it's the right way. I will tell you that while I visited Japan and spoke to many teachers and parents, they asked US what we did to make our kids so successful. Is this just a case of the grass is greener on the other side?

I'm going to explode...

So last week I posted pictures of me. Yes, I know that I don't look "GIGANTIC" just yet, but I sure feel that way. Particularly today! I read somewhere that I should be getting ready for a growth spurt from my little wee one, but I feel more like Violet Beauregarde from Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Where are the Umpa Lumpas to roll me to the hospital and deliver this kid?!
Yes, I still have 2 whole months left. That's like 60 days of feeling like a person sized balloon. So basically I'm screwed. I know I don't look like the giant round blue girl in the picture, but I feel like it. Any tips from anyone? Swimming? Massages? Who'd like to fund the massage, or pedicures that I'm sure would make me feel better, right?