Team Brownie's Team Huddle

We scheduled all 3 parent/teacher conferences back-to-back last Thursday. It felt like The Amazing Race: Family Edition.


Isaiah's conference was first. (I just have to preface: this is the picture I was debating a retake, but James said it was fine. A few days before it was taken, the guard fell off of the clippers as James was cutting Isaiah's hair. Right in the front, right on the hairline. So in a desperate attempt to fix it, I pulled out a regular razor to blend his hairline. "Stop while you are ahead" never rang more true. By the time the damage was done, I already had him looking like Usher's unfortunate love child. Good thing is, his hair grows baack amazingly fast.) But I digress...Isaiah's teachers were impressed with how far he has come since the end of preschool in June (when he was covering his ears daily, crying and sending his pulse ox level into the 60's prompting an early dismissal). He is content to sit on the floor and watch his classmates as if they are his personal Kiddie Television channel. Ms. J even asked us if he plays with toys at home. Apparently at school, his peers behaviors are much more entertaining. What can he say: he loves his peeps. Recently, his aide had been sending his sippy cups home in his backpack. So I kept sending them back. At the conference I finally asked his teachers why we were playing the Sippy Cups Back & Forth Game and Ms. J said it's because he doesn't need the cups at school anymore. With a little help, he is now all about the open top Nosey Cups! That accomplishment + his losing baby teeth = time for another baby. *thud of James' faint in the background* Alas, I must silence those ovaries.



Mariah's conference was next. Her teacher could not say enough sweet things about her. She said her reading progress has been steady. And then she said something that floored us. She said Mariah needs to talk MORE in class. This is the same child who at home, I've had to actually ask to physically hold her lips closed just so I can hear myself think. Mariah says she'll try to speak up in class, but she was afraid of getting in trouble. Ah yes, this girl has my Goodie-Goodie DNA all up and through.


We finished up with Savannah's conference. Some of her strengths are in social studies and geography. Mr. M was impressed with her knowledge of Europe and the Middle East. A slow smile spread across my face. Living overseas has definitely provided a cheat sheet in that department. But he was concerned about her math skills. She was exited from resource in math at the end of last year, but he's not so sure that was in her best interest. So we are working on a plan so she doesn't fall through the cracks.

What really struck James and me is how all of them seem to have found their groove. Despite all that they have been through this year alone, they are still making strides...and making us proud.

Gosh I love those little crumb-snatching tax deductions.