Capricorn

JuliaKB wrote a great comment a few weeks ago. She told the story of a man who found himself overwhelmed by too much family living in too small of a space, so his rabbi suggested that he get a goat. After a few weeks the rabbi advised him to get rid of the goat and the relief was enormous. I feel exactly like that man right now; only in my case the goat didn't leave, he just started being able to unload the dishwasher.

Steve's knee has improved to the point that he can move from A to B without assistance, although usually he uses one crutch for balance. I keep clasping my hands together when he hobbles into the room, piping, "God bless us, every one!" Steve, as I frequently remind him, is lucky to live with this rapier-like wit of mine. Between his return to the living and the babies' - oh my god, my perfect amazing easy easy wonder babies; what did I ever do to deserve Caroline and Edward who both slept until 6 this morning and are so cute that they could pass for a basket full of kittens-  emergent schedule, I am feeling more human than I have in months.

-- Since it takes me about a week to write a post - typing, as I do, at six letter intervals - I started this before breakfast and it is now after dinner. I emerged from Caroline's room a few minutes ago (these babies? you feed them and they fall asleep and then you just... leave - it's like their evolutionary history and that of the Infant Patrick diverged at the phylum level) and ran into Patrick who was in the process of being put to bed. Patrick, who is not much given to physical displays of affection, startled me greatly by flinging his arms around me and saying, "I love you, Mommy."

I admit that I got a little misty at this unexpected declaration. Then he continued:

"I love you so much that I miss you even when I am in bed."

"Thank you," I said, placing my hand over heart. "That is very..."

"So I think I should stay up and watch one of my shows. With YOU."

And he widened his eyes like a bush baby and gave me that uber-insincere five year old smile.

I sent him to bed but he does amuse me so.

Speaking of Patrick, we are about 85% happy with his school so far. Assuming that 100% is more of a Platonic ideal and 95% would have involved, say, a musical written, directed and performed by his teachers called Patrick, He's Fantastic (featuring such songs as "You Must Be Very Proud" and "We'd Like to Thank You for This Career Opportunity") 85% isn't too shabby. As you may recall, I have been worrying about school for Patrick since, um, forever. We went with a multi-age place hoping that a kindergarten/first grade class would provide a good mix for the little dumpling and I think - for the most part - it has. He has learned a lot and he likes it, particularly now that he is going full day and gets to have recess and music and gym. So kindergarten has been good. We took him back to the educational psychologist last month to do some achievement testing and get ideas for next year and (without going into it too much because, no offense, some of you are raving lunatics and I am not getting enough sleep to cope with that right now) her suggestion was that Patrick do math, reading and spelling with the second-third graders next year but stay with the first graders for the social stuff. She further suggested that we consider a full grade skip in a few years or look for a school that just works with kids like Patrick. I am not sure how I feel about either of those things but we certainly do not have to worry about it just yet. As for going to a 2-3 class for most of his school work... I don't know. I like it in theory but I suspect that the logistics will be complicated.  Fortunately his homebase teacher will have him again next year and she has been very receptive to things; so I am optimistic we can work something out and that he will be able to have another good year at this school.

Steve is watching I Am Legend in the living room. For some reason the idea of a virus-based Armageddon movie did not appeal to me so much. I am watching it with one eye and typing this with the other - seems to be working as I am getting less freaked out by it than I expected. Good lord I almost forgot - someone wanted to know about Battlestar Galactica. What's the deal with Battlestar Galactica, she asked.

What's the deal with Battlestar Galactica? Oh HONEY. Quite simply if you are not watching Battlestar Galactica you are missing the greatest thing on television. No I'm not kidding. No I actually don't like Sci-Fi. It's terrific. I am fascinated by how the show imagines people coping with the near annihilation of the human race in the same petty, narcissistic ways they handle disputes with their neighbors over where to put the trash cans. It strikes me as likely. After one got over saying, "Oh my god, dead. All dead. Everyone, everything, whole planets gone... uhhhnnnnn"; you probably would start squabbling with the person sitting next to you about something.

Soooo... narcissism. I wanted to tell you about a couple of books that just came out but it is the next day already and Edward is grousing and Caroline is howling and Steve is in bed with a sore throat and I need to leave in fifteen minutes to take Patrick to the dentist. He has two middle grownup teeth in and one molar and I cannot for the life of me figure out how these teeth are going to fit in his mouth. I suppose they do though, right?

More later. And with less long silences, now that the goat has also mastered rudimentary childcare.

PS I am Legend wound up being more boring than scary. We desperately need a new Netflix series to watch. Any suggestions?   

Comments

[Jennifer]

Oh, thank you for coming out of the closet as a Battlestar fan. The study of humanity from a realistic point of view (unlike the Star Trekian rosey glasses) is fascinating. Now, who do you think is the 5th Ceylon?

[nimblesixpence]

The Wire! Have you seen it? Best show ever.

[Jessica]

In 2nd grade, they sent me to the 3d grade class for reading and I HATED it. I felt so weird and awkward up there and I didn't know anyone, so I sort of didn't get the most out of it. The school then just let me stick it out with my 2nd grade class, and trusted that I would just read a lot of books at home, which I did.

Then they tried to teach us cursive and decided I must have a learning disorder because I could read so well but my hand-writing was cruddy. Turns out....I just have messy writing.

ANYway, my point being that it was kind of tough for me to be shuttled out of my comfortable little classroom daily to go sit with a whole different bunch of older kids, and consequently, I didn't get much out of it educationally. YMMV etc etc etc.

[anne nahm]

Big Love! Although somehow I am thinking maybe you mentioned watching it.

[Ruta]

I went to an elementary school that was very montessori and did the very thing you described... I stayed in my mixed-age-but-age-appropriate "pod" (class) for social stuff and music/art/PE, but then did "math time" and "reading time" with the class or two ahead of me. It actually wasn't that big a deal (I even checked with my mom before I wrote this), particularly because alot of our work was self-directed, so I just read a different book or did a different math portfolio.

Have you checked out Big Love or the L Word? Guilty pleasures...

[Marsha]

Have you ever seen Fawlty Towers? It is from the 70's I think staring John Cleese. Funniest TV series ever made.

[tami]

Slings and Arrows is a great Canadian series about a Shakespearian theater group. the first season of Clatterford is available. Who doesn't love Jennifer Saunders writing?

[Alison]

Have you checked out Weeds? My only problem with it was I loved it so much I wanted to watch all 8 episodes in one sitting which did not make for great parenting.

[juliag]

Lost. Six Feet Under. Freaks and Geeks.

[Kymberli]

I don't know if it's your style, but what about Nip/Tuck? That's narcissism at its finest, though it's not altogether realistic. Still, it's a sick, guilty addiction of mine. I second Big Love. What about Heroes? It also takes a special kind of humor to appreciate the comedy that is Flight of the Conchords, but that series is definitely a favorite of mine and I have the whole season DVR'd.

Clearly I watch too much TV.

[Arwen]

I'm assuming you've already watched Monk? We recently discovered it and have been working our way through the Netflix discs with glee.

[Phoenix]

I think it's great that the school is being so receptive. Take it a year at a time, don't worry about long term and then hopefully it won't be so overwhelming.

Hey, so can we get new pics of those adorable babies. Sleeping is a great thing, yea for you that they love too sleep.

Netflix ideas can be tough, because it's hard to know what people like, but here's a few series that I love: Brothers & Sisters, Dexter, Numbers, and The Closer.

[Arwen]

Oh, also: my daughter (now 18 months and still doesn't sleep, gaaaah) was a Patrick-style baby and I used to come across Baby-Whisperer-style advice (put the baby down awake from a young age, etc) and feel like I was reading stuff written by aliens. Babies do not go down easily! They cry all the time and sleep only when being held!

But your story is evidence that it does not always have to be that way! So if we get to have another baby, I won't have to necessarily dread its infancy, which is awesome.

[surcey]

Rome!
http://www.hbo.com/rome/

[Stephanie]

The Tudors, if you haven't seen it yet. About the merry shenanigans of Henry VIII and friends. Such fun.

[dee]

"Speaking of Patrick, we are about 85% happy with his school so far. Assuming that 100% is more of a Platonic ideal and 95% would have involved, say, a musical written, directed and performed by his teachers called Patrick, He's Fantastic (featuring such songs as "You Must Be Very Proud" and "We'd Like to Thank You for This Career Opportunity") 85% isn't too shabby."

Seriously. This may be my favorite sentence in any blog post ever. EVER.

Still snickering,
Dee

[Madeleine]

I'm having flashbacks to trying to leave the bedroom of a poor sleeper in a house with creaky floors. Take a step, pause and count to 50. Take a step, pause and count. Repeat. Sigh, but not too loudly.

I have a daughter not-so-different from Patrick, and she was reasonably happy in kindergarten, but grades 1 and 2 have been harder to finagle. Less "put the blocks in a pattern" and more "sit at your desk and add 1 plus 1 for 20 minutes." If the teachers are open to letting him work on materials from the higher grades, but sitting in his accustomed spot, maybe that would work. A teacher who is willing to be flexible and likes him as a person is a good start.

[Lisame]

Rome was wonderful. Stephanie, thanks for the The Tudors suggestion, sounds like my kinda thing.

We recently started watching Northern Exposure via NetFlix. Although I had watched some of them when it was new, catching them in order has been fun.

"Patrick, He's Fantastic!" made me fall outta my chair!

[sheilah]

Arwen mentioned Monk (which is great - Tony Shalhoub is amazing), but there is also Psych. Guess I like watching funny detective shows.

[Johanna]

I know others have said it, but Big Love, my friend. It's the best.

[amy]

I did a lot of my academic stuff with the kids a grade or two ahead of me when I was in 1/2/3 grade, and I actually have fond memories of that time! Even though I wasn't there for the "social" stuff, I ended up making friends in the upper grades, which was a nice bonus. I would let the teachers work of the logistics of it, and if you must obsess over it, focus that on thinking about Patrick's personality and what impact that would have. (In eighth grade, they bussed me to the high school for math class -- for some reason THAT is the only thing I remember being at all traumatic!)

I'm in the middle of "Five Days" -- BBC/HBO mini-series. It's great, as long as you can handle the kidnapping aspect of it (which, ever since we had kids, my husband cannot).

(First time ever commenting on a blog. Ever!)

[Amy]

I don't comment much here but enjoy your writing and now that it has been augmented by the shots of your little bundles of adorableness I just can't stay away. Love to read your new posts.

I also wanted to chime in on the grade-skipping option. I skipped 2nd grade when we moved from a district that offered a "challenge" program to one that did not. My mom frequently comments that it was one of the worst decisions of her life, from her rather selfish perspective that she basically "lost" a year of my kid-hood. Off to jr. high earlier, off to high school earlier, etc etc. I guess I should take it as a compliment that she wanted to have my teenage self around for another year, but she always wished for that year back. I did fine with it but frankly it probably wouldn't have mattered much one way or the other.

Just my two cents - I'm sure you'll make good choices for Patrick when the time comes. Sounds like he's doing great!

[Jennifer]

NCIS. Love the show- it's clever and who can say know to Mark Harmon?

[Gaby]

I wanted to second lowercase amy's comment. I was a part of the combined grades classes, and I also went to separate reading sessions and an advanced program once a week (anyone heard of G.L.O.B.E. (gifted &learning opportunities based on enrichment)?). I enjoyed the academic challenges, and I managed to meet some older friends, which worked out fine for me.

Also, wanted to chime in my support for Psych--it's funny and witty every episode. And if you're not already a viewer of Lost, I'd recommend that, too, although I'd understand if you don't want to drink the KoolAid of that series, it can get addictive.

[Her Ladyship]

FWIW, I spent a couple of years in a mixed classroom setting during grade school, where I and a few hearty souls were placed with students in the grade above us. One of those hearty souls is still one of my best friends to this day and I made a few other friends outside of that small subset that are still near and dear to my heart. Oh, and I felt like I was challenged academically (this was in lieu of me being bussed off to an advanced school that would've necessitated leaving the house at 5:30AM). So not that life is all champagne and strawberries but that part of it worked out just fine.

Although I think I would hold off for "Patrick: the Musical." It's a sure-fire hit!

[Her Ladyship]

FWIW, I spent a couple of years in a mixed classroom setting during grade school, where I and a few hearty souls were placed with students in the grade above us. One of those hearty souls is still one of my best friends to this day and I made a few other friends outside of that small subset that are still near and dear to my heart. Oh, and I felt like I was challenged academically (this was in lieu of me being bussed off to an advanced school that would've necessitated leaving the house at 5:30AM). So not that life is all champagne and strawberries but that part of it worked out just fine.

Although I think I would hold off for "Patrick: the Musical." It's a sure-fire hit!

[Auburn]

If you haven't seen it yet, get Weeds. It's perfect since it is short (1/2 hour episodes) and doesn't take much concentration to follow which, with three little ones is a good combination. I haven't made it through a one hour drama without nodding off since my son was born.

My son (Patrick) was born the same day as Edward and Caroline so I love reading your updates on them. Unfortunately my little one, unlike your little angels, is on a bit of a sleep strike at the moment. He was the worlds most perfect sleeper from 6 weeks to 3months 3weeks and has now decided that sleep is for suckers. And it of course coincided with my going back to work which means I'm useless...hence the middle of the work day blog surfing. Too bleary eyed to concentrate on anything else. Is it bad that I look forward to my pumping breaks so I can close my eyes for a minute?

[Priscilla]

I went up to a higher grade for reading and math and loved it. It made me feel special, and I was a big reader so the more interesting books/projects helped, too.

Good luck!

[SarcastiCarrie]

There is an entry in my son's baby book that says something like "Slept all.the.way.through.the.night.until.morning - 18 months" and another that says "Slept through the night 4 nights in a row" at 2.5 years. I was so proud I had to put those in the baby book. Other people with babies who sleep must think I am a whack-a-mole.

I just hope this educational psychologist did not knock the tower down.

[Kathleen]

Fellow BSG fan here - you should try out Damages. It's pretty entertaining, and Glenn Close is fabbbbbulous.

[Megan]

We've been watching old British stuff lately - the Mrs Bradley mysteries (Diana Rigg - only a few episodes but set in the 20's with GREAT costumes), Blackadder, Morse mysteries (why yes! I do quite like my Golden Age type mysteries thank you so much). Favorite recent movie? Stardust (Michelle Pfeifer, Robert DeNiro and Claire Danes). Really fun movie, based on the graphic novel by Niel Gaiman.

[Deanna]

All those teeth might not fit. I had to have four pulled before I got braces to make room. Then when I was 17 I had seven wisdom teeth removed, and my current dental x-rays show two small ones still in there.

[Lisa]

Two words -- Ghost Hunters. It's this sci-fi network reality show that follows a team of "ghost hunters" who investigate hauntings and basically try to disprove them. We don't have TV reception so we rely exclusively on Netflix for entertainment. I heard people at work raving about Ghost Hunters so we decided to give it a shot a month or so ago and we've already burned through about 15 discs. We got two discs one night last week and watched about six hours of it the same night. It's really entertaining.

[Bittermama]

Looooooooove BSG! Have you watched Dexter? Also I second the Wire and Rome. And we're really enjoying John Adams on HBO on demand.

I started out in a mixed age class Montessori school for pre-K and kindergarten, then moved into public school for first grade. They sent me to a second grade class for reading and math but I was in a first grade class the rest of the time. That pattern kept up through high school (through three moves to different school districts/countries) until senior year when I just took AP courses, having done the 12th grade math, science and English classes the year before. During most of elementary and middle school, I also had some sort of extra "enrichment" talented and gifted program and that was always great. Overall, the hodge podge arrangement was... ok. Honestly, I was something of a social paraiah and in some cases I got the sense that my teachers resented the arrangement. But I probably wouldn't have fit in socially no matter what the arrangements had been. It didn't help that I was about 5'8" by the time I was in 6th grade. Things got a lot better in college and as an adult I manage to interact with people on a regular basis without being called names, so that's nice. Sometimes I think my life might have been easier if I'd just skipped a grade altogether, but I was already young for my class (end of August birthday), so my parents felt it would be too weird for me to be nearly two years younger than my classmates, especially in high school. I think private schools might have been a better place for me, had that been an option. My husband was in a private prep school from 1st - 12th grade and he had a much better experience than I did and was much better prepared for college. Who knows though?

[Manda]

Lost! You simply MUST watch Lost.

[Leah]

The Forsyte Saga! The Forsyte Saga!

[sinda]

I skipped 3rd grade - it truly scarred me. I wince to think of it. being "smart," you already stick out - why make it worse?

Montessori - do you have any AMI certified schools there? or even AMS? I surely love the fact that you can be in a class with kids ages 2-6, 6-9, etc., and be on one level for social skills, another level for math, another level for language...all in the same class, with the same kids. Next year my daughters will be in the same class - one is 5, one is 7, now - and the younger one rocks at the social stuff, and is just-so at the academic stuff. Big sister is completely opposite. I love that they can be in the same place and get what's right for each of them.

Weeds - yes! House - love it. Firefly/Serentity - did you do this already? OMG so good. Slings and Arrows, yes. 30 Rock? Only a year out, but I love it so.

More pictures, please? Not of the goat, but of the three adorables?

[Betty M]

I skipped a year between junior and senior school (age 11). It was no biggie as I was changing schools (and countries) anyway - except for in maths which was not what I was good at as I missed out some pretty crucial building blocks for calculus and after a point my work it out for myself method just failed.

TV - how about some British stuff - Life on Mars, State of Play, The State Within.

[Livigirl]

Battlestar is by far the BEST show on tv. If you need another Netflix series, I HIGHLY recommend Dead Like Me which was a Showtime series. Given your own sense of humor, you will enjoy the wit and irony immensely.

[Renee]

"Always Sunny in Philadelphia" is the funniest show that I have ever seen. As long as you don't mind drug references, it is a HOOT!

[Jen]

"The Wire." Best show on television ever, so good I can hardly watch t.v. anymore. And 4 seasons, with the 5th and final about to go to DVD, should keep you busy for a while.

[Heather E]

Have you ever considered homeschooling Patrick? That way you could advance him as you and his doctor see fit. There are wonderful circula out there so you wouldn't have to come up with it all by yourself.

[anonymousey]

Torchwood is the only series I actually make time to watch nowadays. It's a spinoff of Dr Who but it's NOTHING LIKE DR WHO. It's set in Cardiff. I likes it. The end.

xoxo

[Suze]

Child # 1 was also a "Patrick-type" baby. Life was a living hell. Baby #2 is now on the way, and I hope that she is more like your twins!!

Child #1 is now 4 1/2, and we are facing the same issues as you, to wit: he's an August baby and will just turn 5 for the beginning of next school year. Socially and emotionally, he's right on target for his age. However, intellectually...I'd say he is definitively at 2nd/3rd grade level right now, in pre-K. Our city's nearby private Montessori elementary is very unlikely to have a spot for him, as he goes to a non-Montessori preschool. We're probably putting him in a 100% language immersion school for Kindergarten, and then will try to get him into the public school district's tiny program for extremely gifted kids (above 99th percentile). Sadly, that program is severely underfunded and underequipped, but at least he will be with a peer group and be able to work at his own level. Who knew we'd have to have such angst about kindergarten...?!

[victoria]

To answer the question, "What did [you] ever do to deserve perfect amazing easy easy wonder babies," the answer is, "You lived through utter hell and emerged with your native grace, poise, and courtesy intact. The rest of us lose our shit in traffic jams and you survived 11 miscarriages without any apparent bitterness. It's about time you caught a break."

[victoria]

Oh, and to answer your other question: Weeds.

[Candy]

I left you a very important comment but then forgot to type the all important robot verification letters and it is now gone to the ether. Had I any patience, I would type it again. Alas...

[Geneva]

The Wire. Best. Television. Ever. Made.

[Beth]

Must reiterate those that advocated Firefly. Most awesome, albeit way too short-lived, tv show evah! And anything Whedon -- Buffy, of course, and Angel is quite good too.

So glad to hear of the joy in your family!

[Beth]

Must reiterate those that advocated Firefly. Most awesome, albeit way too short-lived, tv show evah! And anything Whedon -- Buffy, of course, and Angel is quite good too.

So glad to hear of the joy in your family!