Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Good Day

Part 1: After we got David and the older girls out the door this morning, Marin and I went for a long walk. It was spring-ish and sunny and bird-chirpy. Marin fell asleep in the stroller, and when we got home I pushed the whole stroller into the family room and took a long shower in peace.

Part 2: When Marin and I went to pick up the other girls from preschool, a friend asked me if we wanted to go to McDonald's with them for lunch. While there we ran into two other preschool moms, and we had a great visit while the kids played in the McDonald's arcade style playroom.

Part 3: After lunch, we offered to have a couple of the little girls over to play. One of the moms stayed and chatted with me for an hour or so before leaving. Later, when the other mom came to pick up her daughter, she stayed to chat... until it was suppertime.

Part 4: We decided to make supper together, so she ran home to get a few things to throw in the pot. Our husbands arrived from work and played outside with the kids while we cooked. We fed the kids first, and then had an uninterrupted adult meal. (Feeding the kids first is LIFE CHANGING.)

Part 5: They stayed until bedtime- all of us outside together, celebrating the sheer wonder that warm weather has on the previously-cooped-up human body slash spirit. The kids took turns flying to the clouds in our tree swing that hangs from an impossibly high branch. (I'm not sure if my current [nonexistent] photography skills can truly capture how kick-assingly {not a real word} HIGH this swing goes. Someday I will try to post of picture of it...)

Part 6: The kids were tired and dirty and fell asleep quickly. And then I had time to blog.

The end.



Oh, but wait! I have to tell you: I talked to the principal (FINALLY) about the girls classroom placement next year. I'm glad I talked to her on the phone because I was a stomach cramping, mouth breathing, foot twitching MESS over this "confrontation" (though it wasn't at all confrontational or anything... But STILL! I suppose my elementary teachers should be credited for conditioning me to have the Fear of Satan of any/all principals. Gah!) She didn't agree with any of my reasoning, but it boils down to her respecting my request. Therefore, they will be placed in the same classroom next year. Thank you so much for all your kind words and encouragement. I especially loved hearing that many of you had twins together in class and that they didn't (at least not that you mentioned) turn into adults surgically joined at the breastbone or anything.

7 comments:

2Forgetful said...

That's so great! In my state, there's a bill going through the whole political thing which would give parents a say in their child's educational placement. http://pomomc.org/bill.html

The bottom line is the seperate or together it should be the parents making the decision, not some random administrator.

Kristin.... said...

Your day sounds wonderful!
I am so glad it worked out with the principal. Sometimes parents know best!

Anonymous said...

Woo hoo for you on all fronts!

Black Sheeped said...

Hey Marie, I came over when I saw your comment. I'm a little late to the discussion, but my experience was that we were never in the same classroom until a few classes we shared in high school. This meant we developed separate friends, separate interests, etc etc etc. I think for us it was really good that we weren't in the same classes, because we had very different academic/learning styles, and the idea that we would have been compared to each other is just AWFUL to me. I'm glad we weren't in the same room where our grades and stuff could be compared, scrutinized by each and every little assignment. I think it would have been agonizing to know that one of us missed so many questions on this worksheet, or that the other forgot to do that book report. You know? Even if our parents wouldn't have compared us, and the teacher wouldn't have compared us, I think mentally WE would have. I might have been frustrated by my brother's awesome socializing skills, and he might have been irked by my over-achiever-itis. You know? Every situation is different, of course, but I'm extremely glad we were separated--I think it let us become well-rounded and confident individuals.

And then, by the time we were in high school, we were established as ourselves, and so the few classes together were FUN, and not stressful.

That's my two cents. Sorry I'm late!

Swistle said...

I think it's bad to make the parents See The Principal if they want their twins together in class. I think the most the school should require is a letter requesting it. ...And when they make me Queen, I will implement that.

We feed the kids first every night. We get some flak for not "eating dinner as a family," but I think "eating dinner as a family" is (a) better for older kids and (b) a current Thing that people think is supposed to be Universally Better, but that it isn't necessarily for everyone.

Erin said...

That really does sound like a perfect day. I love that you can bond with other families like that. I think we lack that in most parts of our society these days.

SO GLAD things worked out with the principal!! I keep going back to those photos of your girls. They are so adorable.

Kelsey said...

I'm really happy it worked out to keep the girls together next year. Good for you for pursuing it. I'm glad you had such a great day!