Jazzed UP

I attended the ICE Conferernce today with some of my coworkers. ICE stands for something, but I connot recall what...because I am so excited about what I learned there that I cannot think straight. It was about technology in the classroom and I really love working with gadgets and working with kids while working with gadgets and helping kids work with gadgets.

Our building is outfitted with Promethean Boards, or interactive white boards. We have wireless projection systems and tablet laptops. We have wireless mobile laptops labs and an iPod lab. Our kids can create websites, Nings, wikis and animations. Really cool stuff...it has its share of issues, but overall, we are very lucky and our kids are reaping the benefits.

I learned how to do even more with the tech that we have today and I am eager to try to implement some more of it. My mom and I were talking about how much things have changed. She recalled technology in her day- chalk. I remember Eastview School had ONE computer on a cart and my class got it for an hour every third week or some such nonsense. The only thing I did on it was play Lemonade Stand. My first introduction to a mouse was when I was a sophmore in college. I didn't have the internet in my first apartment. I recorded grades in a gradebook with green pages and I used a pencil. I was also in awe of my dad's chalk holder he kept in his shirt pocket and hoped to one day have one, too. When I moved into my first classroom, I found a white board and Expo markers. Next year I will have no need for all those markers- weird.

Big Boy

AJ has been very busy. He is learning new things. Here are a few videos so you can see his darling adorability. He is awake and wants to come and help me, so there is no time for a long post now...enjoy the show.

AJ's Crush

We just came back from a visit with Dr. Marta Arroyo-Ross, one of AJ's doctors. He likes her a lot (so does is father, but that is another post...) She has the nicest South American (?) accent and wears lots of rings.

The reason for the aforementioned visit must be prefaced with unsolicited advice for all new mothers. All illnesses get worse at night. Fevers are higher, cries are louder, vomit is more vomitous, and coughs get more scary. With these symptoms, sleep is of course very elusive. For both the parents and the child. One may know this, but in the middle of the deep dark night or in the wee hours of the morning, you tend to forget. So, AJ was suffering from a cough, shallow breathing, I swore I heard hin wheezing, and his chest was going in when he breathed. He did not sleep well. I was very scared, but we all managed to sleep for a little.

When we woke up in the morning, he was still suffering from all of these symptoms, but wanted to go back to bed. He slept a long time and woke up looking and sounding a lot better. It was like when you take your car to the shop and it does not make that irritating rattle for the mechanic. But I took him to the mechanich anyway.

Dr. Ross was glad to see us, she was worried about him when she heard his symptoms. She gave him some new antibiotics and said to come back on Monday. She says he has a little pneumonia. She said he would be fine and gave him a kiss on his forehead. He tweeted a little and then pointed at her, which to AJ is the highest compliment.

Led Bluegrass

I love it. I absolutely love it. I don't know how this works, but it made my day.

Pure, Unadulterated