If you’ve ever asked us about school (or you’ve been reading the blog for a while), you’ll know that we live in a terrible school district and that the LA school system is complicated… OH, and that while there are a lot of great private school options, they are quite expensive.
So when we found Zoe’s current school with murals on the parking lot walls, a principal who seems to care and a teacher with positive reviews online, we were stoked. In fact, we’re still stoked to be at a school with only 260 kids and an active PTA.
On the bright side / less bright side, two of Zoe’s schoolmates got into local charter schools and have departed: better student / teacher ratio, but change is hard on kids. Seems like this school just might be a waiting ground for parents who don’t live in great school districts – they didn’t even have enough kids this year to make a 6th grade class!
But I digress – and that’s something we’ll have to deal with in the next few years. In the meantime, this public school celebrates CHRISTMAS. Sure, they call it their “Holiday Program”, but the show those kids just put on had a huge Christmas tree in back and was filled with Santa, Reindeer and other Christmas songs.
Zoe’s class sang “Jingle Bell Rock”, and while EVERY class was cute to watch, I think my cheeks still hurt from smiling through her 2 minutes of fame:
I have to admit that prior to Zoe walking out on that stage, I was terrified. We were on the front row, and last year Zoe had a meltdown on stage after her song, wanting desperately to sit with Mommy & Daddy (who were holding a tiny Ella). I’m sure Ella had nothing to do with it – ha!
This year we were smart enough NOT to bring Ella, though I was unsure whether we would get “WOO HOO I AM ON STAGE!” Zoe or “I want my mommy” Zoe… Fortunately, we got the performer, who smiled through the entire presentation and had eye contact with me for much of it.
And that is why I couldn’t stop smiling. This is one of those PARENT things you just can’t explain. There was NO ONE on that stage but my kid, no matter what happened. And when I looked at all the other kids in other classes performing, all I could think of was a) how much future they had ahead of them and b) I wonder what Zoe will be like at that age?
Speaking of which, leading up to that show was a show all its own. I’ll write about this next, but our Christmas Scramble this year had us behind on, well, EVERYTHING. One of those things was getting Zoe a “Festive Sweater”. Per her teacher’s weekly newsletter:
They should wear wool caps or Santa hats, mittens (if they want) and festive sweaters or plain white tops with dark bottoms. No t-shirts with words/pictures on them.
So the night before her show, I was at Target for about an hour trying to find just ONE “festive sweater”. Wouldn’t you think they’d have a ton??? Nope. Only one, and wrong size. So I got her a cute long sweater with a big pink heart on the front and some red/white striped socks to wear with her leggings.
When she tried it on, she said “Mommy, can I wear something under this? It’s a little itchy.” She also put on those socks, which were apparently “one size fits any human being” instead of “one size fits any kid”. Oops again? So basically, they were Ho Ho Ho stockings with fuzzy “garters” on her thighs. Not to worry, the sweater was long and covered the tops. No one would ever know.
Until she stepped out to walk on stage with NO sweater, a t-shirt with words, and Ho Ho Ho stockings…
For the record, this is how she showed up to school:
Best.Laid.Plans. I’m quite sure no one noticed OR cared, other than me :)
Anyway, another Christmas TO DO, done: Fumble through Holiday Show without letting every parent in the school know that every moment she’s NOT at school, we’re scrambling to stay ahead of every other TO DO.
The following morning at 6 am, Ella began what would be her first stomach flu and threw up most of the weekend. Thank goodness for pediatric urgent care, anti-nausea medicine and a BRAT diet for the relief we all had on Sunday when the puking pretty much stopped. Unfortunately it returned on Monday evening, the day before we were flying to Minnesota for Christmas, though we “think” it was just the reintroduction of too much milk in one day (she sure had missed her BABA).
There were 3-hour windows (and a couple of LONG nights) where Ella was literally glued to us and refused to sleep alone in her crib. Who can blame her? On Sunday, when I was supposed to be wrapping gifts while she napped for 2 hours, she slept for 3 hours ON ME – along with the cat:
We’re thankful she was AOK in time for Christmas and hasn’t vomited since Monday (not even on the plane – woo hoo!)
Another Christmas miracle :)
Emphasis on Joy 