Braving the Shave

Yesterday was our day! The day to take furball Adam and buzz him into a more presentable young man. Thanks to all our nice friends, he raised over $200 for pediatric cancer research - every little bit counts, and it was good to feel like we were making lemonade out of lemons (my own hair remains a mess, but I don't see shaving my head in my future.)

Before!

After!

And what this family is really like:

Yesterday was rather up and down. Adam has taken to being a real pill when asked to do any writing for school - that's what he got all het up about on Friday, and then yesterday I told him he had to free write for fifteen minutes, about whatever he wanted. He sat there for fifteen minutes, told me he was still thinking, and then when I said he was going to get a consequence for not doing the work, he started screaming, stormed off to his room and told me I was the meanest person ever and that he hated me. I'm not even mad about what he said, because I know he doesn't mean it, I'm just mad because GET YOURSELF TOGETHER AND DO THE WORK. I'm not here for these kinds of scenes.

This is what he eventually wrote:

"Dear Mom, I'm sorry for being mean to you I know (indecipherable) I should never say I hate you so can I have prodigy back? in the picture box in the box color it in. P.S. Please write back."

Definitely going to save this one forever.

Then during outdoor PE we saw some tiny ducklings, so the day was not lost.

Stories from the School Room.

AKA, our dining room table. We've had some moments - it's not easy to be the mom and the teacher in these times. The other day Ellie was reviewing a math lesson she'd turned in, and her teacher had commented that she needed to review a few problems. We reopened the document and started looking and she had the answers wrong. When I went to explain it to her, she got really worked up and started screaming that school is STUPID and she's QUITTING. She doesn't NEED AN EDUCATION, she's already SMART ENOUGH! (to which I wanted to say, but did not, if you're so smart, why didn't you get that fraction question correct?) We went to her room and had a chat and a cuddle - a lot of it is just frustration with the whole situation, and loneliness for her friends.

Yesterday was a better day - we started doing another fraction lesson (this time with larger numerators than denominators, so she was getting a whole for the first time) and initially she was glaring at me about how I don't know, I don't understand, and I was like "look, I may no longer have the multiplication tables memorized, but I know 1/4 is smaller than 1/2." At least once a day, I tell her to quit treating me like I'm an idiot, and respect me as she would her teacher. It's also hard because I'm trying to explain concepts to her that I just get because I am old and know fractions, and this is her first go round with it all, so I'm trying to help her figure it out and figure out how to solve the problems herself, rather than just saying "yeah, because that's how it is, that's the answer." Good news - she picked up on her fraction lesson rather quickly yesterday when all was said and done (when she started looking at the lesson, rather than rolling her eyes at me.)

I should say though, yesterday was a better day for Ellie, not so much Adam. He started screaming at me about having to write sentences about the book he'd read, and how he couldn't do it. When he gets in a tizzy like that, it's hard to get him to calm down with him ripping up his work and completely melting down. And after a long week, it was hard for me to keep my cool with him, so he and I are yelling at each other, and Tim came out to tell us he can't work with the noise in the back ground and it's like well, that's the life we live right now, buddy. Obviously this is not the way I want to run my classroom, but in the scheme of things, any of his coworkers who are going to be a jerk about noise on a video call are out of touch with what the reality is for families with young children right now. Adam and I eventually got it all worked out, but then after the school day was over, I was hiding had retired to my room to relax, and I heard him start absolutely shrieking at Tim about a video game (I had my ear plugs in, so I couldn't make out the details, just that it was bad and I didn't want to go and be involved.) Adam eventually came into my room clutching Lamby, wanting to cry and get me to go to bat for him against Tim, but I told him to just come snuggle and when he calmed down we could talk. He got under the covers with his head on my shoulder and my arm over his belly, and I felt his body relax, his breathing slow and then his head get heavy as he fell asleep. It's been years since I felt one of my babies fall asleep in my arms, so I just enjoyed the quiet moment, and drifted off as well. We slept for probably an hour, and when I woke up, Lucky was even snuggled up on the two of us.

It's easy to forget how hard this time is for the kids. They're well aware that the coronavirus makes people very sick. They miss their friends. They miss their teachers. They miss their grandparents. They miss their routines. Even though we're trying to keep things fun, even though we've loosened the rules about screen time and bed times, even though we're trying to keep them physically active and mentally engaged, even thought there's lots more time together and affection for one another, they're struggling too. Adam crashed out mid-day last Friday as well, so it's something to be mindful of going forward with our dude, and our dudette too, even though she'd rather eat hair than nap. She's no baby - she allegedly ready to graduate from her education and move on to better things (get a job, hippie!)

Adam is Seven!

Adam was a very calm dude about taking the news that his birthday party at the bounce house place had to be rescheduled until after quarantine, but I also wanted to make sure he had a nice birthday. However, I'd also sort of let time get away from me, so the night before his birthday realized that usually, the week before or so I go to Target and pick up the last minute gifts from his list, this year I only had whatever I'd bought in previous months and stashed in the garage. So, he got some new sheets for his bed (featuring cheese burgers), a game, and a book of knock knock jokes. The good news is that both kids are really into this online game where you battle other people using math, and so we bought them both a six month membership so they can go on more quests and get more swag. THE DAY IS SAVED BY NERD THINGS!

He got a lot of nice birthday messages and video calls, and we did have cake and pizza and a dance party, even if it wasn't with a house full of people like we usually have. He said it was a great one, and for that I'm grateful.

He is such a funny, lovable little dude.

School stuff continues to plug along as we start to get into a rhythm. There's meltdowns and frustrations and hiccups in the technology, but we're getting the work in. After lunch, before we go back to work they like to have me come out on the trampoline and double bounce them and today Adam told me that home schooling is the best, and Ellie told me that I was the nicest mom, which I needed to hear. It's tough for all of us! Especially since it now looks like they won't go back until May at the earliest. Today was also especially fun on the trampoline because some of our friends from school were on a walk through the neighborhood so we got to say a hello.

Ellie got to have a Zoom meeting with her teacher this morning and was in much better spirits afterwards. We all need to see familiar faces! They all wore hats, and Taco got confused and wondered if it was a cat convention.

Adam's teacher had a meeting earlier this week and it was very cute because they all just got a chance to talk about what they've been up to and say hello, and they were so delighted to see one another. I think sometimes it's easy to underestimate little kid friendships (especially when a lot of times my kids will tell me they met a new friend, but then admit they don't know the name of said friend) but they do need each other's company, just as much as I need to have cocktails on Zoom with my friends after the kids are in bed.

We're continuing to get outside for a long walk in the afternoons, or doing some playing outside. These are Ellie's messages for the neighbors.

Monday.

We had quite a rainy night last night, but then quite a nice day today. Both teacher sent a day by day breakdown of the work the kids need to do, and I was so grateful for it (last week Ellie and I tackled a huge lesson over a few days, when it should have been a week or more's work.) It comes in a check list form, which is helpful in having the kids pick what they want to do from the chart of things that need to be done every day. We had some minor technical glitches with Ellie's work this morning but managed to get back on track, and I told her that we're all learning together, we're doing the best we can. We may be like this until the end of the school year, so the earlier we can get on the same page at Salazar Schoolhouse, the better life will be, for the kids and for their only semi-competent instructor.

As you can see, Adam is turning into a real furball. He needed a hair cut probably two weeks ago, and now with salons being closed, we decided we'd just use Tim's clippers to fix him up at home. However, since we're doing nearly a shave, we asked him if he'd like to make a website and raise money for children's cancer research and then we can make a big video when we buzz his hair. He was very sweet and said yes (though initially hoped he would get all the money raised.) So if, in these weird and scary times, you want to donate a few dollars into trying to make the world a better place for sick kids, may I invite you to click through his link? Please and thank you! Help us make some lemons out of lemonade.

Week Two.

Full on distance learning starts tomorrow, but we did some good work at the end of the week last week. We are just trying to do what we need to do to get smarter and stay sane.

We've all been loving the lunch time doodles with Mo Willems. He is a treasure - give that man a Medal of Honor. His whole vibe is so soothing, and the kids love experimenting and following his doodles. 

Also have been getting outside as much as we can, for outdoor PE. 

...while also practicing social distancing. 

We also celebrated the first day of spring, like we always do

Who knows where we'll be in a week - we're trying to obey all the rules and stay healthy. I did empty out the kids' back packs so that I can wash them, like I do at the end of the school year, since there's rumors that this is the end of the school year. All we can do is hope for the best. 

Distancing.

Feels like a whole new world since the last time I posted, doesn't it? Sorry family, here's some updated content for you.

Before everything truly hit the fan, Tim and I got away for a long weekend in Las Vegas. Vegas is my least favorite town under the best of circumstances, but we ended up having a great time. We were going to watch my friend, mentor, and former/current boss Anja shave her head to raise funds for pediatric cancer research. Anja has already lost all of her hair once to chemotherapy from her own cancer battle, and knows first hand how devastating it can be - to go through treatment, to lose your hair, to struggle with your health. I thought she was so brave and wonderful, and I was so glad to be there to watch her do it. I would say probably half of the office turned out to watch her, all driving out from California to cheer. Goes to show what an amazing person she is. Her son Edward also shaved his head (he for the fourth time.)

This is my outfit, because Vegas baby, Vegas!

Things with Coronavirus were starting to heat up as we were there - I had a thought while touching a serving spoon at the buffet that "this is how a virus spreads like crazy." They actually closed all the buffets shortly after we were there (not because of us specifically, but you know...) Feels like we really snuck one through. I'm glad we got to go on many levels, mostly to support Anja. Nonprofits, including the one I work for, are going to suffer greatly in the economic downturn, while their services are going to be needed more than ever.

We've since gone ahead and canceled our spring break trip to the Grand Canyon, had our cousins cancel their spring break trip to see us, and are eyeing whether or not we'll get to go on our anniversary trip in July. Meanwhile, mom and dad did NOT go to Steamboat, and for that I'm thankful. It's amazing how different the world can feel in a week.

School is closed, all sports are canceled, and piano is being done via Skype. Ellie has work she can do via the Google classroom, and Adam has websites that he can use to keep up with his learning (though, was sort of dismayed and yet pleased when he logged into spelling city and could easily do the lessons set for June - he's a good reader, so at this point some of it is pure busywork.) Tim was able to move to work from home pretty seamlessly, other than having us wander in the back of his video meetings (his back is to the kitchen, so it's bound to happen.) This week thus far we are mostly feral, but have spent a lot of time doing outdoor PE. We're lucky as a family in that my work has been sporadic anyways, and has always been done during stolen hours, so it's not as though we have two full time working parents trying to manage their days - I can spend all the time with the kids that they need and can do whatever home schooling is required of us (not well, but I can do it.)

There's definitely a dark cloud of the unknown hanging over us, but we'e trying to remember how truly good we have it and how lucky we are.

Sportsballing.

There is a meme that I sometimes see about "let's have kids so that we can spend our weekends getting up early and sitting at youth sporting events," and lo, Tim and I are in the thick of it. Little League is in full swing, and so is Adam. He still likes to sit down in the outfield and play with the infield dirt, but he's good at bat and still wants to play catcher. He also just likes the whole event - he's doing well in practices and being a good team mate. And during opening ceremonies last week I won a $50 gift card to a local brewpub in the golf ball drop fundraiser (you buy a bunch of chances/golf balls and then they throw them off a cherry picker. As you do.)

If there's anything better than this picture with his finger guns, I'm unaware of it.

Ellie had her last basketball game on Saturday. The two leading scorers from her team weren't there, and they only had five kids so no one could sub in or out, so the team got absolutely creamed, but they actually did a pretty good job on defense, and it was good to see other players getting more touches on the ball (to be fair, the two best players WERE pretty good about passing to their team mates. Just... a lot of times those passes got instantly stolen.)

Action shot from Mimi! Ellie said she likes basketball, would be willing to continue playing. There's just not as strong of a presence here for basketball like there is for Little League or AYSO. I will say, I do find it funny that when we're at games and practices, there's always several dads who are as tall or taller than Tim - it's apparently where they all hang out. Adam still has two more games and maybe the playoffs? But he's not as into it, and so as much as I'm like "you signed up for the sport, you have to see it out and be a good team mate" if he'd rather play baseball, we may end up leaving the Grizzlies in the lurch - I didn't anticipate the overlap and the kid can't play two sports at once.

Ellie moved up a level in gymnastics about a month ago and is loving it. This picture just seems like peak Southern California kid to me.