Thursday, September 15, 2011

Brothers

I am having another boy.
I can NOT wait.  
Now the visions ensue of two little boys wearing matching shirts at Disneyland, two little boys going hunting with their Dad, two little boys being dragged through department stores with their mom for back to school shopping (refusing her every desire to have them match some more), two little boys on little dirt bikes, two little boys going to sports practice, and two little boys with matching sack lunches for school (I know I could swing that) and, of course, two little boys going to the same sweet Montessori preschool. 

I know, accompanying those visions are two little boys making two huge messes, two little boys pulling each other's hair out, two little boys screaming at the top of their lungs, two little boys kicking the seats in front of them (anyplace) in addition to kicking each other, and two little boys becoming a little too attached to their video games and TV time. 

I know, though, that I have the best husband who is a good example of a good brother; and who has a brother that is the same. 

The Brennan Brother's celebrating Christmas 1990. When I took the picture out of the album, the back read, "What could be sweeter?" in, what I'm assuming to be their Grandmother's handwriting. 

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Pre-Pre-Preschool

Beckett is not quite 18 months old yet, and, while he is just shy of the halfway point until he starts preschool, I thought it wouldn't hurt to explore one of the most fascinating and sweetest Montessori schools in the Valley. I'll keep the name just between me and me as two of Brianne's girls still attend. Trevor and Brianne invited me to their girls' open house and I simply couldn't resist (remember the Master's program "window shopping")? I'm a sucker for just going to "check it out."  Beckett was in heaven. Outside was a hilly grassy area where he let loose to run around, in one room were children and puzzles everywhere, in another coloring, and in another, constructive toys and activities that enforced some aspect of learning. In actuality, all of the "works" that Beckett played with were purposeful in one way or another. Super cool. 

 The future of education frightens me. I think it's one of the reasons I am doing the School Counseling Master's program instead of the Community Counseling one.  I want to look and challenge education in the face and take, as well as enable youth to take, a more proactive stance towards preparing for the future and its infinite possibilities. Regardless of where my life after this program takes me, it has already been worth it if simply to enforce the need for me to be involved in--though not controlling or overbearing--and facilitating of my children's educational decisions and post-high school ambitions. Beckett you deserve the best. You too, baby-coming-soon (we find out the gender tomorrow...thoughts)?
 Beckett likes to employ a "dead weight" tactic on his pregnant mother (do you like how the child-inflicted guilt has already started)? Regardless, I don't let it fly, but by the end of the night, my arms won't always let me pull him back up the second his body starts to go limp. This baby is 27 pounds of food--that he's eaten over the course of his lifetime. It's not as frustrating though when there's tons of puzzles and activities to catch his attention to move to the part of the room where children aren't being threatened by a little blonde boy slapping his hands on their displays and activities.



Beckett reading his favorite type of book with textured pages. 

I know, I've been pretty "meh" in regards to blogging lately. I promise the flavors of "Crumbs" are still rich enough in my mouth to still do a review. There's a few other social commentaries (perhaps unwanted) I'd like to make and life updates I'd like to share. The past few weeks have caused me to be employed by a few more obligations and responsibilities than I am used to. When that happens, even in my free time, I don't feel too much like blogging and don't really watch TV. I suppose it's hard for me to get out of the busy mode at the end of the day and convince myself that I actually can wait until tomorrow to finish or do something. I have taken up napping on the weekends and that has been nice. Why wouldn't it be?