Wow, 2011 has officially come to a close. It seems like the beginning of 2011 was a million years ago, not that it was a loooong year in any sense, but a lot happened in 2011. Eli learned to sit up, crawl, walk, got 8 teeth, and STILL doesn't sleep through the night. He has been part of our life for a whole calender year now, and I can't imagine life without him. He is intense, funny, stubborn, silly, goofy, and talkative. He says more words than most 14 month old babies I have ever met. He has had a language explosion lately, and repeats everything I say. (the good and he bad..hehe) The other morning I was getting him ready for the day and I told him we needed to get dressed "dessstt", so we put on his pants "patts!" and sockies on "sockies ON!" he also says mama, dada (which incidentally means cell phone, because we always talk to dada on the phone...so phone became 'dada' not to be confused with 'daddy' which means Geoff!)
-mama
-dada (phone)
-daddy
-becca
-wuv oooo (love you)
-wizzy (lizzy)
-ca-caa (monica)
-chel-chee (Aunt Chelsea)
-Phil
-buddy
-uh oh, oh no
-rice, apple-apple, naanaa(banana), cracker, aba-cad-o (avacado), etts (eggs), cookie
-pants, sockies, dessst (dressed, diapey change, shoes (sooos)
-i know
there is more, but thats the bulk of what I can think of off the top of my head. I spent most of 2011 extremely sleep deprived, so I will leave 2011 with this final thought : I am so grateful that we have the love and support of our families in whatever we do.
On to 2012!
I usually make some half hearted resolution about weight loss or health at the beginning of each year, but not this year. This year is going to be a whirlwind of change for the Robinson family. In my minds eye I can almost see myself sitting with my laptop, a year older, blogging about the end of the year at the beginning of 2013. Here is what the Robinson Family has going on in 2012...
January
-Geoff continues working fulltime at Wal-mart and begins classes on Jan 16th. He is taking 10 credit hours which is the most he has attempted in a few semesters. Everything hinges on him passing those classes because he can't finish his senior year without them IF he passes everything he will be set to quit Wal-mart and go to school full time in the fall of 2012 and spring of 2013. He will graduate in 2013.
-Melissa, I will start student teaching Jan 9. My first day with students is actually the 10th. I will likely spend the first week observing adn getting to know the 3rd graders from Monument Academy.
-Eli will begin a new schedule to accommodate my schedule. He will be at Aunt Chelsea's house on Monday, Thursday and Friday which isnt a big change for him except the hours will be a bit longer. The change is Tuesdays and Wenesdays, he will be going to an in home Montessori style daycare/preschool. The two ladies who run it are wonderful, sweet mamas I met through the cloth diaper shop I hang out at all the time. They each have a daughter, one of them just turned 1 and the other is about 6 months old. They watch a few of the other mama's kids from the diaper store as well, so Eli will be in good company with kids he knows and that are close to his age, and be in the care of two women who are very patient and like minded. I am nervous about leaving him with someone who is not family, but feel very at peace with our decision. I think he will do wonderfully there and I also think its good for Chelsea and the girls to have a break from Eli and vice versa.
February
-not much changes for Geoff. Poor guy will still be trying to balance work and school.
-Me, the biggest change this month is I will be teaching an entire unit to my 3rd graders. I am excited and nervous. Start looking for a job next year!
March
-Geoff has inventory at work at the end of the month. This means he will be working incredibly long hours at work on top of trying to attend class and take midterms. I doubt I will see him this month, even though his birthday is March 10!!
-Me, I will take full control of the class for 2 weeks in March-April. I will do all the lesson planning, teaching, grading, etc. It is going to be a crazy few weeks. In addition to student teaching full time, I will be taking one online class and working on my capstone project which is basically a huge online based collaboration of lessons that I come up with in addition to journaling about myself as a teacher. I have to be observed and critiqued several times and submit it all as a packet when I am done.
April
-Geoff, things should be winding down towards the end of the month. He will likely spend the month scrambling to get caught back up on school work in preparation for finals around the corner!
-Me, I will finish my capstone project, and hand the class back over to my co-operating teacher. My kids will take CSAPs.
May
-Geoff will take finals!! We have also tentatively scheduled a week of vacation in here so we can both breathe a sigh of relief.
-Me, all my paper work is due May 1. Then I have a week or so I think before I start the two online classes I need (my comps) to finish my masters degree!!
June
same, our anniversary is June 5, 4 years married!!
July
same
August
me-finish online classes, hope and pray I have a job!
Sept
hopefully I will be teaching somewhere...we haven't decided where would be best. I think it would be best for Eli to stay in the Springs because we have awesome childcare here and he is already settled. Not to mention he is so attached to my family, and they are to him. BUT Geoff won't be done with school til 2013, so we have that to contend with.
Oct
Eli turns 2!
Nov
same
Dec
same
phew. There is so much going on this year. I hope we can get through it peacefully, patiently and successfully. My biggest wish for this year is that Geoff and I succeed at school and continue to become the best parents for Eli that we can be. My biggest wish for Eli is that he stays happy and healthy and that he always knows how much he is loved.
