Lessons Learned

So...Joe had enough of the bullying and spoke up about it to his teacher.

I also called and spoke with the vice principal. It is one thing to verbally taunt another student, but when you put your hands on him...that crosses a line I cannot tolerate.

Background: Joe was sitting at his desk talking with another boy. The bully did not like what Joe said, so he grabbed a small wooden mallet off the teacher's desk and shoved it under Joe's face and threatened him. Seriously...are we in the 5th grade or a bad episode of Prison Break?

I know. It's not prison, but I was just so stinkin' upset by this whole thing.

The vice principal was wishy washing and even had the gall to ask me if Joe had provoked this. Really? What could he have possibly said that would rise to this level of retaliation?

I told the vice principal that I thought we had crossed from bullying to crime...because the last time I checked, this was an assault and battery. I think at that point she finally decided she better take this seriously.

So...they called out a bunch of boys from the classroom, and spoke with them individually. The bully admitted all that he had done, and even went so far as to say that he and his friends had been targeting Joe and his friend.

Holy cow. Targeting.

The bully was severely reprimanded, but nothing else. Because this was the first documented case of bullying on the boy's record, they felt they could not do more. Sheesh. I would have done more. But, that's me, angry mom.

Joe thinks the bully felt really badly, and I am happy to say that while the bully's father was unaware of his son's behavior he was appalled and angered by it. Thank goodness.

And...now for the last few days the bully has been nice to all.

Let's hope it lasts.

Heartache

When you live a full life...you experience things, both good and bad...and these experiences lead you to the person you are.

I have had these experiences in my life.

And...for all the heartache I have ever felt, none hurt as much as the heartache I feel when my children hurt.

Joe is going through a rough time at school. He is being bullied and honestly I want to march right down to that school and sit on the kid that's giving him a hard time.

All my kids have experienced issues at school. They get along with some kids and others they don't care for. Whatever. It's all part of growing up.

But, when one kid goes out of his way to make your kid's life miserable. When he picks on him for things totally out of his control. When it's made worse by the fact that your kid got caught in the crossfire defending someone who the other kids have ostracized. My heart just bleeds.

Joe is such a good kid. No one ever had a bigger heart. He is kind and thoughtful and strong. By golly, I know he's strong now. In befriending someone all the other kids are mean to, he has made himself a target. But he doesn't want to change classes. He doesn't even really want me to step in. He just wants to deal with it, the best way he can.

And...so I just get to ache for him. And cry for him. And hopefully let him know I think he's wonderful.

Again?

Joe comes to me yesterday and says, "Mom, I need more pants."

So...I'm thinking he has outgrown them...but when he came home today...I had him bring me his pants so I can see what size I need to get.

But, guess what?

He had not outgrown his pants...he doesn't know where they are.

I know.

Seriously.

The pants thief has struck again.

How on earth do you lose your pants?

I mean...the boy leaves home with pants on.

He comes home from school with pants on.

In fact, he always seems to have pants on.

So...where do his pants go?

Do you know?

Please, i'm desperate.

So Sad

Today Katie and I were running some errands. While we were in the old town, the train pulled up.

Katie just started to get crazy. "My daddy! My daddy!"

I tried to tell her that her daddy was not on the train...but she just would not listen.

And when the train pulled away she just had a little meltdown..."My daddy! My daddy!"

Oy. Break your heart.

I think she misses her daddy.

Growing Growing

My little photography business has been growing and as much as I have loved my little photo blog, it was time for that to grow up too.

So, while I will keep my photo blog to post sneak peeks of my photo shoots, I now have my own website:

www.denisebeattyphotography.com

Let me know if you need the friends and family discount. : )

Holy Smokes.

We had some excitement at our house yesterday.

While I was attending Melanie's baby shower...our dishwasher caught on fire.

Thank goodness Troy was home...he had the presence of mind to run downstairs and turn off the power to the house, thus containing the fire to the dishwasher itself.

The dishwasher is a lost cause and our house still smells like burnt plastic. But that's it.

It's so scary to think about how much worse it could have been.

One minute you have a house and the next minute you don't.

What if Troy had not been home?

But...it got me thinking...do I know how to turn off the power? or the water for that matter? We have talked about what to do in a fire and how to get everyone out of the house, but what if there is something I could do to save our house...to prevent things from getting worse. Do I know how?

I don't...but today I am going to learn.

Will you take some time and learn too?

What Did You Think Would Happen?

The kids went to the dentist, and I have to say that I am just so pleased that my kids like the dentist.

I have a real phobia, but the kids all look forward to it and do so well.

Josh actually had to have a cavity filled and was a little nervous. He has a major gag reflex and we have to worry about him throwing up on the dentist. It hasn't happened yet...but, I am sure it's just a matter of time. (BTW, Josh also went to the orthodontist to be fitted for a permanent retainer. They had to do molds...and man...that was close. He almost had to use the bucket they gave him.)

They had to give him a little laughing gas to keep him calm during the procedure. They said he would be a little loopy...but really, who could tell the difference?

Anyway...now that I have done all this bragging about how much my kids like the dentist...you just have to know it doesn't end well.

This was Katie's 2nd visit to the dentist and I have to say it went far worse than the first visit, which I hardly thought was possible!

She would not even sit in the chair! She got all crazy, foaming at the mouth, screaming bloody murder when they even tried to brush her teeth. We gave up on that and just asked the dentist to look at her teeth in lieu of an actual cleaning.

So...the dentist gets her laying down and tries to count her teeth and check them for any obvious problems. Simple enough, right?

And wouldn't you know...in the middle of all the screaming and teeth checking Katie clamped down on the dentist's finger and would not let go.

Ack.

It was awful.

I think we might skip our next visit.

: )

When Did That Happen?

My baby is growing up.



I don't know when we stopped being in the "baby" phase of our lives...but when your baby starts preschool, I think you are on your way.

Miss Katie is going to preschool!

2 hours a week.

LOL!

I know it isn't much...but, somehow it's a lot too.


The backpack is almost as big as she is!