Preschool Consultants

I know it's probably possible to find a good and reputable preschool that doesn't require laying a golden egg for admission -- but I'm starting to panic.  I don't need my kids to attend the most prestigious school -- I think it's silly to be grooming them from birth on spatial relationships and vocabulary words just so they can get into the "right" preschool.  Three year olds want paint and play-doh and blocks -- not to be quizzed on the state capitols or to complete the shape sequence in a puzzle.

But... I do realize that school choices can affect your long term success.  Sad, but a lot of the world still revolves around where you went to school, your grades and who you know.  And - since I know pretty much squat about the Manhattan area preschools (and there are at least 75 of them), we're looking into hiring a consultant to help us figure out where to concentrate.  What would be the best fit for us and for our kids?  Once we narrow down the choices, then we can turn in our applications and get ready for the testing and the interviews.  Yes, seriously.  They have to interview you and your kids for their spots at the school. It makes sense in a weird way.  The school is aiming to have a good mix of boys, girls and different types of personalities.  They don't want an entire class of bossy kids or an entire class of mousy shy wall flowers.  Ugh.

So -- the choice now is how big of a package do we want or need from these companies that help with the preschool process?  The basics can run about $750 to $1000.  That will provide the basic details on the types of schools, the types of tests, the locations, the chances of admission, what the schools are looking for, blah blah blah.  If you want the more advanced packages -- between $3000 and $4500 the consultants will help groom you and your children for the tests and interviews.  The catch?  If you start with the initial basics and then decide to "upgrade" there's no price break - which I feel is kind of mean and dumb.  But I suppose people are willing to pay, so that's the way the rules work.  There are only so many "spots" available for the full intensive coaching - and we're already late in the admissions game so if we want to do the full shebang, we have to decide this week.

Ugh.  And none of this takes into account trying to find and/or continue occupational therapy for Atticus.  We're starting next week back with OT -- so maybe after a year or so of weekly sessions he'll be a happy  and somewhat focused 3 year old?  We'll see!

Oh -- and don't even bother to ask what the tuition is at some of these "good" preschools and nursery school programs.  Oy vey!  It's enough to make you faint.

RAOK

Random Acts of Kindness.  I think this is practice that needs to be revived.  Wouldn't it just make you feel a wee bit better to know that you did something small but just generally nice for someone today?  Pay for the toll for the person behind you.  Leave the extra 15 cents in the vending machine for the next person to find.  Stash a one dollar bill in the "kid" section at the dollar store.  Let the totally stressed out mom with the screaming kid cut in line at the grocery store -- something, anything.

I was thinking a lot about this after reading a blog post about a woman who did 30 something random acts on her 30 something birthday.  I wanted to link up to the blog here to tell you all about it, but I couldn't remember the specifics.  So I googled.  Apparently, it's a bit of a trend and I like it.

Birthday Random Acts of Kindness

Who cares if it's your birthday?  Just do something nice.  Smile.  Say hello.  Let a car turn in front of you... try to be the better person.  I think we'll all be a little bit better off.

At the Car Wash

I was trying to think of something new to do with the kids this afternoon after nap time.  We created a "carwash" in the backyard for the Matchbox cars.  It wasn't thought through quite all the way -- but we made it work and the kids had fun.  I did not however get any pictures.  Bummer.  We had a cookie sheet filled with shaving cream that functioned as our sudsy bubbles to drive the cars through, we had a bucket of water, a watering can, a spray bottle of water, lots of towels and washcloths...

I think it went well.  It was messy, and as I type this I'm reminded that I have a pile of dirty, wet, shaving cream covered clothes and utensils outside -- but all told, something new.  

Tomorrow's activity is going to be a bit more academic perhaps?  I've got a bag of colored pom poms and I thought about somehow putting colors at the bottom of a 6 count muffin tin.  (Paint.. construction paper... a crayon?)  Once we know which bucket is for which color - the kids (ok, this is mainly for Atticus) have to use tongs to pick up the pom poms from a big bucket and place them in the right spot in the muffin tin.

I've been reading alot of mom blogs lately -- and there are some fantastic ideas out there.  Lots of ideas for things to do that incorporate sensory stuff too which I think Atticus and Wren will enjoy.  I'll post links to my favorites soon.

Gnocchi

No-what?  How do you spell it?  It's like a what?  A dumpling?  I never heard of anything like that.

Sigh.

Gnochhi is apparently a foreign object to the 5 employees I talked to at the local Wal-Mart.

You know, it's a small potato dumpling.  It's usually found by the pasta.  You boil them and serve it with spaghetti sauce....  Nope.  Nada.  No recognition.

Strep.

Again.  Seriously?  I never had strep growing up.  I've only had it 4 times I think in my entire life and they've all been within the past couple of years.  Ugh.

Yesterday I got two shots - Celestone and some form of penicillin along with a 7 day dose of antibiotics.

Let's hope I can kick this completely before my weekend away!  Let's hope the little people in the house don't catch it.  Atticus felt slightly warm this morning, but he was acting totally normal -- so he still went to school.  I hope I didn't just send him off to infect his classroom.  There was a note posted last week that a kiddo in his class was diagnosed with strep too.  (Possibly where I got it???)

Anywho.  It's a good thing I don't work in an office -- no breathing on everyone!!

Random Tuesday Thoughts

Atticus was using his thinking cap today -- we were behind a convertible car on the way home from school this afternoon when he asked me how the man was going to wash his car with no top?  I was surprised that he put two and two together for that one!

Wren has been having a ball playing in Atticus's Thomas the Tank play tent.  She loves it.  She may love it even more than Atti!  Thanks again Aunt Rhonda.  The tent and the Curious George puzzle from last year have been fan favorites lately!

I'd like to find a way to work for Pottery Barn Kids (or make friends with someone who works there).  My wishlist from that store is growing - and even with the employee discount, I could do some serious damage.  I sooooo should have bought more when I worked there.  I missed out on holiday decor for sure not to mention all sorts of other standard things.  Sigh.  Hindsight.

I'm really looking forward to my trip soon.  It will be my first time away from Wren since she was born.  Really.  I haven't spent a night away in 17 months.  Oy.  And - as an added bonus, I get to see old friends and attend a wedding.  Woot.

It seems that Greg and I are jinxed on our wedding anniversary.  In 2010, I flew out to San Diego to spend the weekend with Nicole (and Wren and Brad and Rhonda).  This year, I was stuck in Houston while Greg was in NOLA - granted, I was able to have a great weekend with my friend Amy and her family.  Now, we just found out that we'll be apart in 2012 as well.  Greg is going to be the best man for his friend Corey at their wedding in Indiana.  (I'm going on the assumption that the 4 of us won't be making the trek so soon after our move to NYC.)  Guess we'll shoot for a nice anniversary in 2013?

We've signed Atticus up for an intro to soccer course that starts in a couple of weeks.  That should prove interesting.  No shin guards or cleats or anything -- just a pretty basic intro class.  It's 6 weeks long and each week is only 40 minutes.  I'm a little nervous, but we'll see!

I'm sure there are other random tidbits that I've been meaning to write down before I forget them -- but of course I can't think of them at the moment!  More soon I'm sure.

By The Way

Cake Batter Rice Crispy Treats -- totally awesome.  It's like this secret hidden flavor that makes them even more melt in your mouth yummy....  I must not eat the entire pan myself.  I must not.

I may have to send some to school with Atticus to keep from eating the entire pan.

Goodness they're good.

Costumes

Well, it seems Atticus has decided he'd like to be a cowboy for Halloween this year.  Should be easy enough.  We've got the boots and the blue jeans.  Worse case, he can wear his sister's cowboy hat (but I'll try to find him one of his own).

Wren I think will be Minnie Mouse.  Bubbe bought her a Minnie when we were in Dallas and she loves that doll along with some Minnie pajamas that we got from my dear friend Amy.  I have a great red dress with white polka dots (it's probably a hair small - but I think it'll do).  All I need now are some ears with a bow.  Wren is also in love with these black patent leather mary janes that she got from Amy (and Katie) -- but they're still too big.  I'll have to figure out something for the shoes!

Now that the costumes are decided upon, I need to get cracking putting the pieces together and figuring out exactly where we're going to go!  I'm hoping that the JCC or the synagogue will have something that we can attend that doesn't involve going door to door.  :)

Yom Kippur

Thank you to the Katz family for inviting the four of us over for the Break Fast.  It's always a challenge to watch Atticus in someone else's house -- but since the grandparents already have 5 grandsons ranging in age from ~6 months to about 8 years old it wasn't too bad.  Except for all the steps and the pool.  :)

In other news, I hope G-d is very full of forgiveness towards a certain little 3 year old boy who hasn't quite grasped the concept of a memorial candle and continues to blow it out when we aren't looking.  G'ah.

Cake Batter Rice Crispy Treats

 Found this recipe via Pinterest and I couldn't resist making it.  I recruited some help (goodness help me) and Atticus and I put together this exciting pan of Cake Batter Rice Crispy Treats.  We'll dig in after dinner tonight.  (Picture to be added once I bring the camera upstairs and upload photos)

The close up of the yumminess.

The full pan of treats.

Dinner Again?

Oy... this cooking everynight stuff is exhausting.  I miss Mr. Joe.  I need to start meal planning and getting a bit more organized.

The kids may very well eat pb&j sandwiches tonight if they don't want leftover pot roast!

I enjoy cooking.  I do.  But everyday is tough.  Where's that magic wand?  And it's even harder to order take-out because I can't figure out if I'm a bad parent if I leave the kids strapped into the car while I attempt to run into a restaurant to pick something up!  (I haven't actually done it yet - just pondered the thought... but still!)  I wonder if the burrito joint around the corner delivers?

Have You Heard Of...

Pinterest?  I'm addicted.  It's like a visual virtual bookmark - but for everything!  It's brilliant.  I put a "Pin It" button on my browser toolbar - and anytime I'm on a site that has things I want to remember -- you can pin them and put them in the right bucket.  Your pin will automatically credit the proper source - brilliant!  Oh, and you and your friends can share/follow boards - sort of Twitter like - so you can find all sorts of other random and cool stuff.  Hard to describe, but it's awesome.  Trust me.

Customer Service

Serious kudos go out to Keurig and their customer service.  I called on Friday afternoon and spoke to a great guy named Tyler in Florida.  I explained the issue - let him know I'm relatively appliance savvy and that I'd tried every troubleshooting tip from the manual including unplugging and "rebooting" the machine.  He had me walk through a few steps - concurred that the water wasn't properly moving from the reservoir into the machine - asked for all my info and sent me the FedEx confirmation a few moments later with tracking information for a brand new machine.  Wowzers!  Upon receipt, I have to send back to Keurig a small part from my existing machine to prove that I truly do own a machine -- but that's it.  No cost for the new machine.  No cost to return the small part.  Just, yep -- not working as it should.  We're sending you a new machine!

I'm impressed.

Not so impressed thus far with the real estate company here in NOLA.  Ugh.  I did have a very nice chat with Pilar, the agent who facilitated the rental last Tuesday -- but I haven't heard anything from her since.  Boo hiss.  I sent a follow up email to her on Friday night -- I'm giving her until Tuesday to write back or call.  Grrrr.   Really - not the best business practices.

At least I have coffee....  

Trolley

Today I ventured out with the kids to Danneel Park.  Nothing new for the weekend, except that we rode the St. Charles Streetcar from our house to the park!  I had Wren strapped into the Ergo and Atticus did a fantastic job holding my hand and staying close.  I know, very brave of me to try it on my own -- but the backyard was in a state and in dire need of attention (mowing, trimming, etc).  There was no way that Greg was going to find any quiet time to get to the yard with children underfoot!  All told, a successful morning. It's getting to be a bit tricky to watch two little ones at the park since they're always running in opposite directions, but thankfully Atticus is getting more independent.  Or maybe that's not such a good thing at the park!!!  Ha.  Anywho - a good morning.

Wren's still running a low fever that I think is due to teething this time.  She's been chomping on her fingers with gusto for the past couple of days.  Poor thing - she just can't seem to shake the cold/cough/teething blah...  But, she went down without a fuss for nap, so that's good.  Atticus on the other hand took an hour to settle down today.  Talking, singing, flopping all around - oy!