The Summer Cold

It’s inevitable when you are the mom of two little girls AND a preschool teacher. The germs are going to catch up with you no matter how much you wash your hands and take your vitamins. It happened to me on Sunday evening.

It’s the dreaded summer cold.

Technically, it’s not summer. Our weather in Northern Illinois, however, has been beautiful. We’ve had a long stretch of warm, sunny days. Days that are perfect for throwing open the windows and letting the house air out. Lily, Emmy and I are finally getting used to our new Fall schedule. Lily has been getting used to her heavier load of third grade homework (although last night was a little rough). Emmy has taken her first spelling tests and has shown that she is going to be a great speller just like her big sister. (Spelling and I have never gotten along–they must get the spelling gene from their father!)

My job has changed as well. Last year, I taught only two mornings a week. This year, I am now teaching five days a week. Yes, it is a big change, but I love what I do!

Even though we’ve had open windows and outdoor recess and beautiful weather, when a bunch of kids start spending time together in a small space, germs start spreading. Lily had the snuffles last week, and a couple of my little students have already stayed home with a little cold. Sunday night I started to get snuffly myself. I tried to fortify myself with an extra dose of Vitamin C, but I’ve already gone through a whole box of tissues. Yesterday afternoon I got home from work, ate lunch and promptly put myself down for a nap. You can do that when you feel sick.

Fortunately, this cold seems to be pretty tame, and I’m feeling much better today. Hurray!

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My new first grader and third grader, ready for the first day of school!

How are you today? I hope you have managed to dodge the summer cold germs!

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Bulls, Darth Vader and a Lounge Lizard

Sandra Boynton’s Barnyard Dance! was one of Emmy’s bedtime book choices last night. I read the words, she did the actions.

Bow to the horse. Bow to the cow. Twirl with the pig if you know how.

(I really need to remember this book for my preschool class when we are doing our farm unit. Emmy was having a ball with the motions! Although I’ll have to explain how to “promenade two by two.” That could be a little dicey with a rug full of four year olds who can’t even sit in a circle.)

When we finished the book, Emmy turned to a page with the bull on it. “What’s that on the cow?” she asked, pointing to the ring in his nose. With my limited farming knowledge, I explained that farmers used that ring to lead a bull around, since a bull can be mean. “That would hurt!” Emmy exclaimed. I said yes, it would, and that was kind of the point.

Emmy proceeded to ask me if a bull would hurt its babies. “Yes,” I said, “that’s why a bull is in its own pen or field, away from the cow and calves.”

Emmy contemplated this information for a minute.

“That’s like Luke and Leia being separated from Darth Vader.” BOOM! Just like that, she generalized her new information with her new obsession with Star Wars. This obsession echos my own obsession when I was about her age. (Okay, I may have been a little older than her in 1977, but not by much.) Emmy’s father, however, was never into Star Wars. When I played Bill Murray’s Star Wars lounge singer act for Emmy, she said, “That’s Daddy!” Yes, Ed does do a passable version of “Star Wars, nothing but Star Wars!” complete with the cheesy lounge singer voice.

Fortunately for us, Ed keeps his shirt buttoned up.

Emmy's new pencil case from Target. Yes, she shunned the princess ones!
Emmy’s new pencil case from Target. Yes, she shunned the princess ones!

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