New Stance

This has been Anna's new favorite stance lately. She loves to look between her legs with her head on the ground. A few times she has even grabbed for things behind her while putting her arms between her legs. She thinks it is funny when you get down on the floor behind her and look at her from the opposite way or when you get in the same position next to her!

Starting position...

Going up!

A view from behind (no pun intended) =).

Snack Trap

Another one of Annalise's new favorite things is her Snack Trap. Even if there is not any Cheerios in it, she still likes to carry it around with her. I am really liking the Snack Trap too because unless she has it upside down and is shaking it like crazy (which she does sometimes) nothing comes out of it!!!! Here are some pictures of her when I was trying to get a picture of her with her it.

She was in the center but then backed up at the last minute......

...and then ran in front of me and hid behind the couch arm.

I kept calling her name and she finally backed up and gave me a look like this!

I then kept telling her to "Show Mama the SnackTrap" and this is what I got!

More 7th Gradisms

Well I mentioned before that I have the best job because I am guaranteed to have at least one good laugh a day. Two stand out to me this week.......

I have this sweater the I don't really know how to describe it, but it is fitting at the bottom but kinda baggy at the top and and in the arms. It also has a cowl neck. Anyway, I really like the sweater and I wore it the other day. One of my students said to me "Mrs. Hess, it looks like you have on a Snuggie". Ummmmmm.........what do you say to that? Thanks? Considering the student who made the comment, it was not made to be rude, it just honestly reminded him of a Snuggie. I do have to say that while everytime I look at that sweater I laugh, I do have a new view of my SnuggieSweater!

The second thing was while we were watching a video on Forensics. They were talking about video camaras and mentioned the year 1979 for something or other. One student looked at me and said "Did they even have camaras in 1979?". Yah.....life working with kids who were born in 1997.

A Taste of Nice Weather...

...well for January anyway. The other day it the temperature made its way into the upper 30's and the sun was shining so we took the oppurtunity to take Annalise for her first walk in her new wagon. She loved it! We have "practiced" enough in the family room that she finally stays seated in it. Can't wait for spring to come!

Annalise and I.....Stan didn't tell me that I was in the picture or I would have looked at the camara!

Riding along

Stan taking a turn

Lovin' it

My...I mean Anna's Water Bottle

Lately Anna has taken a real liking to this stupid water bottle. I take it to work with me each day. When Annalise and I get home we have a regular routine that we follow and one thing that we do is unpack the bags from the day. She rushes to get to that bottle and then walks around with it for quite awhile each day. She will walk off with it and find her toys and put the bottle right next to her and start playing. She will move it from place to place with her and will periodically try to drink from it. If you try to take it when she is looking she gets upset so I usually have to sneak it away from her. I don't really know why we spend so much on toys for her when the things she seems to like most are not toys!

The lovely water bottle

Trying to drink from it.

Carrying it over to put it next to her toys to start playing.
Of course the water bottle has to stay in her sight at all times!

Christmas at Grandpa's

In the beginning of January we had one last Christmas celebration at Stan's dad's house.

Opening one of her gifts

Helping Aunt Lisa open a gift

and helping cousin Samantha open a gift

and helping Sylvia open gift....she is very helpful isn't she??

Bailey likes to help open gifts too!

Stan opening a gift

Hannah "combing" Anna's hair with Anna's toy comb from her purse.

Lisa pulling out Michell's tooth with our new fireplace tongs (are they even called tongs??)

Annalise getting a little attention from her cousins.
This picture cracks me up.

Anna in her new wagon that she got from Grandpa and Sylvia.
She loves we. We pull her around in the family room and I cannot wait to take her for a walk in it in the spring!

Cousin Hannah and Annalise in the wagon

Anna and cousin Jen

Stan with his dad and two sisters

New Year 2010

We usually travel to Honesdale to visit with our friends for New Year's Eve, but this year we did not go because one of our friends had a cold and I didn't want to risk it with Annalise. Sooo, the three of us spent had our New Year celebration at home this year. Anna still went to bed at 8:30 but Stan and I rented a movie, snacked and then watched the ball drop. We we thinking back to our 9 years together and we think that this is the first time we EVER stayed in together on New Year's Eve!

I bought these lovely paper hats for us to wear to bring in the New Year!
Yes, I made Stan wear his when it was getting close to midnight and no, there are not pictures though to prove it. Annalise had to wear hers before she went to bed that night.

Why My Job is Great

One thing I have always said is that the reason why being a middle school teacher is great is because you are certain to have one good laugh each day. For example, there was the time that we were doing a activity where the students were tasting test papers to check their abilities to taste certain things (since ability to taste and how you interpret taste is genetic). One of the papers was called "Thiourea" because of whatever was on it. Towards the end of the activity, I had a student come up to me and say "Mrs. Hess, I didn't taste the urethra yet".
Also, there was the time that I was testing a student in the guidance office for her IEP and was asking her multiple choice questions. The questions and choices for answers were given verbally but were also written on the page. The student kept picking answers that were not choices on the page and I kept telling her to "you have to pick one" and then would point to her choices. After another question, she again picked an answer that was not on the page. I said "Where are you getting your answers from?". She then looked at me with the biggest smile and proudly said "I picked it" and pointed to the choices on the page.
Well today was another good example. This morning I was writing the homework on the chalkboard and I had a student come up to me and say "Mrs. Hess, I had diarrhea over the weekend". I slowly turned to look at him while thinking about what to say and he proceeded to tell me that his "mom now has it too and that she was on the toilet for most of last night". I am sure she would be really glad to know that he told me that.

Ahhhh, life as a middle school teacher....does it get any better???? =)

Cuteness

I do have more Christmas pictures to post and I will get to them sometime. I had a VERY productive weekend though so I am glad for that! I finally feel like I have everything sparkling clean and organized after the holidays! Yay! Just thinking about it makes me feel so happy (I know I a weird, but I am OK with it =) ). Plus I wanted to try a new recipe this weekend so blogging kind of took a back seat. Anyway, I just wanted to do a quick post about two cute things that Annalise did this past weekend before I forget about them.
**On Friday Stan was showing me the back of his arm (don't remember why). I was sitting on the floor so he was kind of bent over weird trying to show me. We looked over at Annalise she was staring at Stan and she was trying to bend and stand like Stan was! It was so cute. Also, last night I was squatting down and wrapping the cord around the back of the vacuum. I looked over and Anna was watching what I was doing intently and squatting next to me. Again, really cute!
**The other cute thing that sticks out in my mind was on Friday. It was my mom's birthday and we all went to dinner at the Pine Barn Inn. Annalise was staring to get a little antsy in the high chair so I took her into another room to walk around for a little bit. After awhile I decided to head back to the dining room. As we were walking in, Anna started to loudly babble and I quietly made the "Shhhh" sound to her and whispered "quiet voice". Anna promptly looked up at me with a smile and went "Shhh" "Shhhh" Shhhh"....and then continued to babble.

I guess we are just so used to her being in the baby stage that when she comes out with something unexpected it really surprises us and makes us laugh. This stage is the best one yet (especially in clean/organized house)!