Something Useful

This week was somewhat long and Friday was a long day even though I only had one class. We had chapel in the morning and then a book vendor came to show books to me and my colleague. I had to eat lunch an hour later than I usually do because of this visit (thank goodness the morning sickness has passed or that wouldn't have gone well). So once I was finally fed and feeling human again it was just about time for my class.

I taught the 4th graders more about the library catalog this week. They mostly use the interface that is geared at younger kids. Very easy to use, but few features. So I showed them how, with the regular interface, they could narrow their search by clicking on "fiction" or "non-fiction" or one of the subjects or authors that came up from their search or a lot of other things. I let them play with the catalog on their lap tops. Then I showed them a map of the library and wrote down which types of call numbers correspond with which sections. J 398.2 is non fiction. J Avi is fiction. E Friend is a picture book. Etc.

As they were leaving the classroom to check out books, several of the students in Friday's class thanked me. Like, very sincerely, thanked me for teaching them something they knew would be useful. I know it is not the most exciting topic, but I tried to make it interesting and I guess, with at least a few, I got through to them. It made my week.

Virginia's Three Laws of Toddler Motion

1: A toddler at rest will remain at rest until Momma sits down to write a blog post. A toddler in motion will continue in motion until she decides to throw herself on the ground crying because Momma can't make her pink purse appear RIGHT NOW.

2: Acceleration happens when bribes are applied to a toddler in motion. The more intent the toddler is on looking at the dead bug on the ground the better the bribe will have to be.

3: For every Momma action there is an equal and opposite toddler reaction.

Some Days Are Like That

I woke up this morning in some intestinal distress, but figured it was because my stomach didn't like what I ate for dinner last night. Went to work, still felt a little off, but I ate a banana and thought that would fix everything.

I managed to eat some lunch and make it through the day without any incident. But, by the end of the day I felt pretty lousy and wondered if I was actually sick and not just rejecting greasy food. After the experience I had last fall with a stomach bug, that was the one type of illness I was determined not to get while pregnant. But, if this is my one stomach bug for the year it is far better than what I went through the last time.

I was feeling pretty sorry for myself and my goal was just to make it home and make some soup for dinner. I left work as early as I could and headed to day care to get Virginia. She was in a swing on the playground and didn't want to leave, but she was okay once I picked her up. I walked through one of the other classrooms to take her inside and put her down so she could talk to a friend who hasn't moved up to her class yet.

As I set her down my hand brushed her belly and it felt wet. I looked down and saw that she had poop coming out the front of her diaper, all over the front of her pants and shirt, and of course, all over me where I had held her. She had probably pooped while she was on the swing so I'm not bothered the teachers didn't notice. That stuff happens. I took her to her classroom and cleaned her up as much as I could, carrying her to the car in just a clean diaper.

Virginia and I took a bath as soon as we got home. So much for just surviving. Momma duty never ends.