Playing school has been something I have always loved to do. Even though I loved playing "house," I always preferred school over house. For the past 6 months I have been playing "house." It wasn't quite what I thought it would be when I was a kid (when you're playing, you're running on at least 10 hours of sleep, but not so much in real life), but I have loved it nonetheless. This week, I went back to playing school. I have loved *almost* every moment of being a stay at home mom, but I can say I am truly glad to be back in teacher mode.
This morning was "Meet the Teacher" and I got to meet my next group of Jones' Geniuses. Every year when this morning rolls around, I find myself thinking, "I can't believe another year has gone by! It feels like yesterday when I met my last group." Today was no different and the common theme that I picked up from all the new parents was "They grow SO fast!" I had more than one parent tell me, "People always tell you that it will go fast, and I never really understood, but now I know exactly what they're talking about." A few parents got teary over it (including myself). I feel like this theme is following me everywhere. Last night I read John Mark I Love You, Forever (partially made famous on "Friends" when Joey does a dramatic reading for Emma on her birthday). Aside from the book being slightly creepy (a mother driving across town to sneak into her twenty-something son's home while he's sleeping to rock him and sing to him?!), it's incredibly touching. I could barely hold it together when I read the part about the son rocking his mother and then his own newborn baby on the last page (crying yet?). I'm not really sure what wise thing to say here...I know it will happen to me someday (sooner than later), but I can't really think about that now. I am just trying to soak up every moment since I know as soon as I blink he'll be entering kindergarten.
Speaking of growing too fast, our little one is going to be 6 months next week! In some ways it feels like yesterday, but in some ways (since they develop at such a rapid rate at this age) it feels like he's been with us forever. John Mark is in a fabulous daycare and I love and trust his teachers. He is having a great time and they tell me that he is laid back and he is good at letting you know what he wants. He pretty much only cries when he's hungry and when he's sleepy. He loves playing with his exersaucer and even though the doctor says not a sign of a tooth yet, he's a very drooly baby! He can sit up by himself if you lean him on something and he's working on pulling himself up on his own (picture baby crunches). He's been working on crawling for a while, but can't seem to grasp that his tummy needs to come off the floor. He's finally sleeping through the night again after about a three week hiatus (luckily this coincides with me going back to work), but he will cry if the paci falls back...oh how I dread weaning him from the paci one day!
Happy 6 Month Birthday, John Mark!
