Fearless love of animals

Hannah LOVES animals. She is so fearless around them! I, personally, am not the biggest animal lover. I love my dogs, but they stink and are big so they can make big messes with their clumsy tails. I love Gracie, my mom's beagle, who likes to snuggle and is obsessed with fetching. I like little dogs, too, for the most part. But Hannah is not particular about the animal; she loves them all. She can typically identify most of the 10 dogs of my parents, sisters, and home by their bark! I can't even tell the difference between my own dogs in the backyard unless I'm studying them. Mom and Dad adopted 2 horses this week. Hannah wanted to get in the corral with the horses and had no problem putting her hand to their mouths and patting them, while I was kinda nervous that they might bite at me. "I want to ride Chief." So, we let her sit on him as he stood still. Again, no fear! She loved it. She held on to the reins and swung them saying "Giddyup! Giddyup, Chief!" I can't wait until we can get her up there with someone who knows what they're doing who can hold on to her and manage the horse! She'll love it. On the car ride home, Hannah informed me, "I ride Sunny later." We need to go to a petting zoo soon. At Christmas time, Hannah got to rub the sheep who were in the nativity play our church put on. She is still talking about the sheep over a month later. She is not fearless in everything -- we have instilled a healthy fear of cars in her, but I hope she is able to hold onto her love of animals!

practically speaking

Hannah is such a big girl these days. In the past six weeks, Hannah has stayed with Mere, Jo, and Melanie (a friend of Jo's). I told her for a few days before they came over that they were coming to play with her, and she was okay with our conversation and comfortable when they each got here to babysit. From what I hear, she has done okay once I leave only getting upset a couple of times. Last night, I told her that Jen was coming over to play with her in a couple of days. She instantly was suspicious. "Where Mommy going?" "Well, I have a meeting to go to." No sense in telling her I'm going to be with the family at Bry's wedding. "Daddy, too?" "Yes. Daddy has to go to the meeting, too." She asked several more questions, and then I started asking her if she thought Jen would like watching "Horton Hears a Who?," coloring Strawberry Shortcake, reading Baby Danced the Polka, etc. She thought that Jen would like all that, and also thought she might enjoy playing blocks. She kept asking, "in couple days?" I assume she understands what that means, but who knows if she was just regurgitating words! Everyday, she amazes me with how practical she can be! Of course, she also is becoming so independent. Hannah overheard me talking to Mere on the phone about painting Hannah's room. Later, she started asking questions about it. "Mere paint Hannah room?" Yes. Mere is going to paint your room green. "I know, I know," she said with her finger in the air. "How 'bout pink?" How 'bout green? That would be pretty with all the things in your room. "Mmmm... I think pink." What if we do green, and we put pink flowers on the wall? Alas, she is a persistent one, so I guess we are going with pink after all. What a girly girl!

Telling Santa Claus

Hannah is a talker. The other night, she saw a commercial for "Horton Hears a Who." We don't watch very much tv -- correction -- Hannah doesn't watch very much tv, and typically it's commercial free shows that she sees. As many of you know, Hannah is a big fan of elephants. So, she was very excited -- to the point of coming over to touch me on the shoulder and look me in the eyes. "Elephant on TV." I know. "What happened?" she asked, which cracked me up in and of itself. So, I proceed to explain commercials. As I see a tantrum building, I ask her if she would like Santa to bring her the movie? "Yesh" I suggest that she tell Santa that she would like that. She runs around to the Christmas tree, finds wrapping paper with Santa, bends down to say, "Santa Claus, Hannah want Elephant movie (for) Christmas." Then, she runs back to me and says, "I did it!" (Thank you, Dora.) Lucky for her, I had already told Santa how much Hannah would probably love that movie, so the wrapping paper Santa may be able to do the trick this year! Just so you know, it's not just me who thinks Hannah's a genius... Her day care teachers both told me at separate times that she described a scene about the animals on the wall above the changing table. ("Cat throws ball to doggie.") They had never pointed those characters out to her, nor had the discussed what the characters were doing, so she wasn't just regurgitating information, which she does a lot of. She also told a little boy who was in time out "Make choices." They and I often do say "Make wise choices" a la Love and Logic, but they had not said that to this boy about this incident, so Hannah felt like she needed to add her two cents... When I recounted the story for Daddy tonight, she started talking about the rest of the conversation I had with DD. She doesn't miss a thing! Typically kids this age (including Hannah) reach out and grab what they want and hold on for dear life until they get it. Today, KK told me that Hannah wanted Demi's book, so she said, "Hannah want Dora book please. Hannah wanna read Dora book." KK said she had to help Hannah get the book because how can you refuse such a sweet request? Oh, Hannah! You have us all figured out! I have told you that please and thank you will get you far, and look at you go.

Watch your words -- and your tone!

Hannah has added several songs to her repertoire in the past few days. I finally figured out that she was singing about a bumblebee and asked at day care. All the kids gave me a performance (it has hand motions) as their teacher sang it for me. It was the cutest thing! I hope they have a pageant soon. She also is loving "Up on the Housetop" and "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." I love it! I admit we've been listening to Christmas music since before Thanksgiving. I couldn't resist!! Mom and Dad came over last weekend to help me get the tree up. I plugged in the lights and was working on straightening limbs when Hannah put her little hand on my shoulder, leaned in to my face with the Christmas lights causing her eyes to sparkle, and said "Hannah so happy, Mommy!" My heart melted right there. Which leads me to the title of this post... Hannah says "right dey-er" because I frequently point out things to her. She also repeats the tone of voice. She tends to tattle on herself when she's done something. She also keeps saying it until I repeat it back to her. When I asked, "Did you just drop your spoon on the floor?" She said, "Yeeeess." like she was all exasperated or busted. She's done it several times now, and she seems to be using the tone of voice right! It's hilarious. I don't even realize half the stuff I say, in general. Hannah has started to say "Oh Gosh," too. At least it's gosh and not god. Anyways, I was telling a student the other day, and he confirmed that I say it a lot which I denied. After our debate, I said "Oh gosh..." I guess little pictures do have big ears! (I always thought Mamaw was saying pitchers, but it made no sense... but that's a whole new tangent I'll save for another day...)

Thankful for songs... etc.

Hannah is a singing fool. I've been trying to get a list going of all the tunes she sings. I am so thankful for her sweet little voice (and for her love of my singing even off-key)!

1. ABC's is her top tune.
2. "Wheels on the Bus" (she's OBSESSED with school busses!)
3. "You Are My Sunshine"
4. E-I-E-I-O
5. Daddy's song - aka "Mooove over"
6. "AEIOU"
7. accompanies me in "All I Want to Do" by Sugarland
8. "Happy Birthday"
9. "Jesus Loves Me"
10. I know there's more... but this is a start!

I am also thankful for Dave. He is a wonderful Daddy and my best friend. He makes everyday fun! As Dave said, I am very thankful that he got to spend time with his dad just weeks before he passed away. I am thankful for both of our families for supporting us both in good times and bad.

I am thankful for the little moments. I love overhearing Hannah making up her own song. I love seeing Dave and Hannah wrestle. I love how Hannah says "Ooh! Ooh!" when she has an idea.

Proud Mommy

Hannah said an 8-word sentence today: "I see Big Bird movie at Mimi's house." It blows me away! Just two months ago, she was starting to put words together to say "I want it" and now this. She also is making up words to her own songs! I was driving today, and she was in the back seat singing about BUMPS ... MOMMY ... DRIVING. Of course, her pacifier was in, and she didn't know I was listening -- she would have stopped singing -- so I didn't catch the whole thing. Hannah regularly finds the few places she has colored where she shouldn't have and says "Hannah do dat?" I didn't take my make up off last night, so this morning Hannah looked at me and said, "Hannah color Mommy's eyes?" It was hilarious! I just can't believe what all she does. She blows me away! (I'm not biased or anything!!)

4 DAYS LEFT!!!!

Well, we've almost made it. The students and teachers at HMS have only 4 days left of school Dave and Hannah have only 4 days left until I'm off for the SUMMER! Only 4 days until my first year of teaching is behind me. It's been an amazing year. I've learned a lot and busted my booty to help my kids learn a lot, too. I'm expecting that next year, I'll be better at behavior management and at being the adult in my room. I also hope to improve on my time management so that Dave doesn't have to be a "teacher widow" again next year. At first, I was so caught up in my paranoia of upsetting a student that I let them get by with WAY too much! I don't know why I thought that way. Of course, I never want to disrespect students, but in the process, I let them disrespect me (and their classmates). I have students who back talk me SO much, and I didn't end it the first time, so it is a daily thing with certain kids. I think I tried to reason with them, and that was as silly as reasoning with Hannah! Actually, Hannah is a little easier to reason with than 13- and 14-year-olds!! For instance, if I ask her to hold my hand, and she lets go. I am able to say "Either hold my hand or momma's going to carry you." She is getting SO BIG!! She communicates so well with me. Tonight, we went to dinner and there was a huge shark hanging from the ceiling. I hadn't noticed, but she kept wiggling her hand in the air. I finally realized that she was signing "fish" to us. She also says animal sounds when we walk by various animals. She is so observant. I love watching her grow and learn!