:/

Going to bed now...still not looking forward to tomorrow.
*pout*

Still feeling a bit... hmpf...!

Yeah... :/ tomorrow's day 1 of 5 at one of the smaller schools in town and 5 days feels, right now, eternally long. I feel slightly more prepared than I did the other day but SO much depends on how good my tutor is, how motivated she is to help me learn and grow as a teacher. If she is then my work placement has the possibility of being fantastic but if she's not then these 5 day will be hell...! :/

I really really don't like the uncertainty of it all, I don't like things being left this much to 'chance'...not when it come to my education and my future. It shouldn't be left to luck if I make it through or not. It should be well organised and structured with minimum possibilities of surprise! Being surprised is a part of the profession, dealing with uncertainty is to be expected as a part of the job but not in the initial parts of learning of how to be a good teacher... :/


I'm not looking forward to tomorrow...

Christening

Yesterday we went to my cousin's son's christening. :) It was lovely and little Miio was very well behaved through the whole church service and following coffee+cakes. :) Many blessings to Miio and his family! ♥

My bestest ;) mum in the whole wide world picked up our family and drove all of us to Trollhättan and then gave us a lift home again... It was really nice to make it to this Family event even if we have to rely on Family to get us where we need to be. :) Thanks Mum! ♥

Feeling fed up!

:/ Next week we're out again on workplacement and I sooo wish I was looking forward to it but I just have this heavy feeling at the pit of my stomach and I was actually in tears today as I feel SO unprepared! We've got three observation assignments + we're supposed to be in charge of two seperate teaching situations (i.e. classes) of 40 min. each. All this is to be done in one week!

BUT! WE HAVE NO EXPERIENCE TEACHING LITTLE PEOPLE ANYTHING!?!

How in the WORLD am I supposed to do all this with a group of little people who don't know me, and who I don't know at all either...?! Teach them...what? I have no idea...! :/

If teaching was that easy, in my blood easy, I'd not need to go to bleeding school to learn how to teach so...teach me! I feel so...just thrown in the deep end and completely unprepared...! :(

We're supposed to get important info tomorrow about what we're doing and such but I doubt it'll miraculously make me feel prepared! :[

Maybe I shouldn't be a teacher after all...? :(

Under the weather...

This past week has not been the greatest health wise. Don't worry! Sniffles, colds and fevers "just"...but it takes a toll on ones energy, that's for sure. The house is past its usual state of chaos and has taken a step into a catastrophical state...! :/ I just see ALL the mess and ALL that needs doing and I have no energy to do any of it...!

:) I can't even boss the kiddies about as they too are full of cold. Its Erin's turn to have the fever now... :/ So, they're not on top of their game either so nagging is pointless and too energy consuming... :P

Stephen? :) You might have thought I'd forgotten about him...?! ;P No, he's just as impossible to motivate to start tidying as the little ones and his standard of living must be eons away from mine as he's not been moved by this chaos to start without me nagging... ;P

Lucia? :)

As you might remember our dearest darlings had their Lucia celebrations cancelled but, strangely (?) enough the nursery decided to do it anyways. No matter that they (and I assume all the parents too) had put Christmas back into boxes and stored away 'til next time... No, Lucia was back on, early this morning!

I thank my lucky star for my fantastic little sister who was able to come over and stay the night and help me get sorted this morning! ♥ It was quite stressful as it was and without her help I might just have completely lost it...! ;P

Despite the (more than) slight strangeness of doing Lucia over a month late it was beautiful! :) The little ones knew their little songs SO well and it was actually quite cosy doing the whole thing at the nursery rather than in the school diner/stage. It was sweet and I'm so glad Anton got to be Lucia like he'd been sooo looking forward to being. His last Lucia at nursery, later on this year (I almost wrote next year!) he'll be in school?!? :O :D
I definitely had the two loveliest Lucias of them all! ;) I'll post pics when S gets them onto the computer and I'm sure you'll agree. :) ;) :)

It truly, honestly was lovely to see but I can't seem to let go of the "but..." that desperately wants to follow... The "but" that wonders why they couldn't just let it be, do something else...? I'm sure they've had their good, valid reasons but they've not been shared with us parents and it's...strange. I thought the initial cancellation of Lucia was a bit rash but then if it's cancelled, its cancelled...surely? Or possibly postponed for maximum a week, not over a month?! Or... I don't know...

Getting clear answers, and motivations, from that place is like getting blood from a stone but I keep trying. If it wasn't for the fact that the kiddies thrive and are happy there I'd not taken all this...'nonsens'...but... :) they do and and they are so...that's the most important thing. :) :)

Elsa Pasanen

My maternal grandmother Elsa
She would have turned 91 today, but only got to be 71. ♥ ♥ ♥

Hmpf!

Of course...!

My first weekend off since I started uni and Anton's got a strange fever that peakes about every 9 hours. He was complaining of a sore tummy too so initially I thought that he had a tummy bug...but so far, no. He's slept most of the weekend. Yesterday he fell asleep before dinner and barely woke up, fever free, for a little sandwich at midnight and then slept all night, also without a fever. He'd gotten over 12 hour sleep when he woke this morning...

I have no classes today so kiddiewinks are home with me, Anton had a slight fever again this morning so he'll not be going to the swimming class that starts today (or to nursery tomorrow). He might get to come with me and Erin and have a look at the place.

Now to the 'of course'... Kiddies get sick and I don't mind that (not even the occational tummy bug) but I mind feeling under the weather! :( This morning I woke up feeling like I'd gone 10 rounds in a WWF fight... :/ Tired, aching body and sore head + an annoying tickle at the back of my throat! :[ Since I'm feeling quite pitiful I can also (if I really have a good feel for how miserable I feel) detect a slight pain in my ears too. So, tonsillitis and ear infection to come?! :P I don't think so! I have NO time for such nonsens!! *grumpy*

It just feels so typical, I get to finally release some of my inner stress with a whole weekend off and I'm hit with crappy germs! *pout* And noooo I'm not surprised that it happened but it's still annoying! ;P

I have to pull myself together for kids swimming class this afternoon as Stephen (who doesn't know how to swim) would never enter a swimming pool on his own and is even less likely to do so with the kiddies. They've been so eager to go too so not going until next week is just not happening! :) :)

Treats :)

Yesterdays exam went well. *phew!* Afterwards I treated myself to a few tops to wear when going to the gym (which I still haven't done yet!). I got the tees from ginatricot and I love the 80s text design on them and that they are a little bit cheeky. :) That suits me perfectly and now I'm all geared up (I even got a water bottle with the University logo on it the other day! ;)) for getting back on my weight loss path, enough with the lazying about!! :P

When looking on gina's website I also found this top that I didn't see in the store, seems like the perfect work out/power-walking top don't you think?! :D

Exam tomorrow!

Dearest darling 'guardian' pleasepleaseplease
keep me on the 'good' side!

Oh my! I hope my angel/demon is feeling generous tomorrow. I'm almost out of study time (yeah, I must be as I'm sitting here!? ;)) and I feel causiously optimistic even if I haven't actually read all the litterature for tomorrows exam. :/ It the final exam, and last day, of my first term att uni.
On Tuesday the spring term begins with all "new" people (not studying with the preschool or highschool teachers-to-be this term) and I'm feeling a bit nervous all over again. :P

But first The Final Exam! :O

Anton

Anton is 5 years 2 months old.

Speaking: There's no issues with Anton's speaking. He does have a bit of a tendensy to "revert" to "baby talk" which is annoying :) and a bit strange since he's never really had that since he started talking.
Drawing: Not really been his "thing" until just recently. I'd say, if I'm to do a comparison (which I technically don't think one should ever do with any kids, whether siblings or not, since they're all individuals), he's at the same level as Erin (or is she at his level?). There's "people" (robots mainly) with head, body, arms 'fingers' and legs.
Writing: Wrote his first name at 4 years old. 'ERIN' and 'MOMMO' followed. He's really trying hard at the alphabet and getting very frustated when he can't get the scribbles right. He's got the interest but not the patience or the fine motor skills to be able to do them...no rush! :) It's just hard explaining to him that he needs to be patient.
Reading: Not yet.
Motor skills: The gross motor skills are excellent, jumps on both one and two legs, he climbs, swings, crawls etc. and so on. The fine motor skills are OK, he'll builds space crafts and robots with lego but will struggle a little bit with the most fiddliest of things.
Likes: Lego, Ben 10, Spiderman (and most other comic book turned tv show superheros). Most of the time he likes his mum, dad and sister too. :) ♥
Dislikes: Peas! :) He'll eat them frozen but not heated. :D
Favourites: Mommo, MarioKart (on wii), Ben 10 games on the computer,
Friends: At nursery there's 'the three musketeers' - Anton, E. and C. that have stuck together since they started nursery. They play with D. too and L. but there's a slightly deeper friendship with E. and especially C., who I'd say is his best friend. :)
Other: Anton's a sensitive person, who currently get quite easily frustrated with his parents and things around him. His nursery teacher say he's a good friend to all, and that warms my heart. ♥ I also feel proud of his relationship with his sister, he's a kind and considerate (most of the time, they're fantastic, not perfect! ;)) big brother. When we left him with his mommo at 1 ½ he was more concerned about 'baba' being gone than us and I think that that concern has never left him... ♥

Pekka.

Today my uncle Pekka would have turned 50.

He was found dead at his home yesterday.

Rest in Peace.

Erin

(Erin practicing her small letters)
Like you must already know ;) we have the most fantastic kiddies in the whole wide world. ♥

I'm not a very good (terrible in fact!) at keeping a perfect house/garden. I don't bake or sow or do any fabulous domestic goddess kind of chores. I keep us clean and well fed and I try to keep the house in a decent sort of state (most of the time failing) so that I'll not be too embarrased if we get surprise visitors. I feel rubbish at most of these "motherly" things most of the time, including my parenting skills, but...I must have done something right two be blessed with these two fantastic, clever little kiddies. ♥ :) I'm hoping I can take a little bit of credit for their faboulousness.


A little list so that I don't forget:
Erin at 3 years, and 9 months.
Speaking: She's been speaking really well since she was 2. On her check up at 2½ the pediatric nurse said that MissE. spoke just as well as as 3½-4 year old. :)
Drawing: Doodling people (head, body, arms, legs) since March last year (almost 3 years old). Now into drawing princess's with long dresses and crown, detailed faces and fingers on hands. She's know 'all' the colours (except things like magenta and such, and can differentiate between light and dark colours) since she turned 3.

(Erin art, March 2010)
Writing: Wrote her own first name at 3 years old. 'ANTON' followed quickly thereafter. She now knows the sound of almost all the letters of the alphabet...just started learning the small letters too! :)
Reading: Not yet but I think it won't take long...She sounds the letters of things, on shopping bags or pieces of paper.
Motor skills: Well, apart from the writing and drawing she uses scissors well, does all sorts of beading and has been a jig saw wis since 2½. She runs, jumps, climbs and loves swinging on the swing too! :) Both her and Anton will start swimming classes Jan. 17th.
Scared of: Heights...a 'peculiar' thing that she's had since before she was 1. She doesn't mind the height if she's the one in control, i.e. the one doing the climbing, but to lift her up onto a table or chair will upset her. Much better now than previously, when she would flinch even getting lifted up to be carried somewhere.
Loves: Everyone! :)
Favourite thing(s): The Belle doll that Santa brought her and the Hello Kitty soft toy she got from us.
Friends: No 'best friends' yet. She plays well with all the girls at nursery and is closest with V. but hasn't started have friends over for play-dates yet.

I'm running out of things to mention...but please let me know if there's something else that you might be curious to know about out little ones. :)

No rest for the wicked...?

So, we're barely a week into 2011 and I (still?) feel completely bulldozed. We got a very appriciated extention on one of our examinations but...yeah, we're still fairly swamped!

I'm starting to think that I might have a little writing devil/angel on my shoulder 'cause during this first term att uni I have on countless times been certain that 'Nope, I'm not going to get this in on time!' and yet somehow...a day or two before deadline I sit down and...write...I find the references I need and do the process that one would sensibly need at least a week to do in no time and have my assignments in on time!? ...and! I pass! :)

You might wonder why I think it's a 'devil' too? Because I'm tortured during the week(s) leading up to deadline as I feel sooo uninspired and just cannot imagine that I'll ever manage to do it...tortured!

Get me right, I'm thankful for finishing on time :) and it could have been just a devil and no angel eventually giving me the grace to get going! ;)

I've tidied out the christmas/winter theme on the blog...I'm starting to get a bit tired of this snow, snow, snow...yet! ;) it is better than the sluchy sleet we have as the only other option. :)

*longing for Spring*

Jan. 2011 - The Simple Woman's Daybook

I found this on Cora's blog.
Original idea found at
The Simple Woman's Daybook.

FOR TODAY

Outside my window... a car with a mind of its own. It is most likely on its final breath, causing us much frustration when it's completely unreliable about starting. :[ I can't wait 'til we rid ourselves of the "terror" - perhaps we'll manage to save a pretty penny being without a car for a while. :)

I am thinking... how annoyed that car has gotten me in the last month! ;)

I am thankful for... the kiddies, always the kiddies. ♥

From the kitchen... Today's dinner was salmon filets with mashed potatoes and cauliflower+carrots. Yum! :)

I am wearing... Black tanktop and capri jeans (I don't have any full length ones?! and these are fine when I wear them with my kneehigh boots.) with silly coloured (red, purple, white) argyle patterned kneehigh socks! :D

I am creating... a blog post worth reading? ;)

I am going... to be a teacher!! (?)

I am reading... a really heavy, interesting, book on child and adolescent psychology (developement theories and such).

I am hoping... that I can go to California for Thanksgiving! ;) (not sure if it should be what I'm hoping for today but to be honest, this is what I hope for most days! :))

I am hearing... kiddies in the bath.

Around the house... lit candles, my favourite thing about the early evenings this time of year.

One of my favorite things... a bit shallow perhaps but I'll say my M.K. foundation - makeup without looking made up. Fab!

A few plans for the rest of the week... tomorrow's a bank holiday here (Epiphany) so no nursery or school and Friday's a day off too, so we'll have some nice (very well needed) family time for four days!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...