Public Schools are an interesting institution. They provide an education for every child.

But they have become legislative nightmares. Education professionals, both teachers and administrators, are continuously required to implement ever-increasing standards which provide little to no value to the customer who is in this case, both the child and the community at large.

I personally have had a variety of educational opportunies in both public and private schools.

I'm sitting at home this evening when my phone begins to ring.  I recognize the number as belonging to the school nurse.  Not quite sure why they'd be calling I was prepared for just about anything but the following.

All of my children have done it...

All of my kids, my sister, myself .. we all talk in our sleep.  It can be interesting at times, and downright frightening at others.  The youngest is now talking about paw paw, puppy dogs, and the cat.

It's quite amusing to hear her little voice knowing full well she is very much asleep.

There's a very specific reason for this site...

A few random thoughts from today...

I previously mentioned the joy of being able to feel that little monster as it reacts to being poked and prodded. A couple of nights ago, I placed my head on my wifes belly and began talking. It wasn't long before I was summarily kicked in the head...repeatedly. I can't say that I'll enjoy it in another 5 months but for now I can't complain.

Moms get to experience all of the joys and pain of pregnancy. Dads usually just get the end result (broken hand, screaming kid).

For me, I look forward to the first kick or movement that I can feel. The wife has been feeling small movements and kicks for a couple of weeks now and I know that the little monster inside her will react when I place my hand on her belly but not in a manner that I can feel. This evening changed that.

As per usual, once we found out that there might be another bundle joining us, we began using the internet(s) to see what might have changed in the last 5 years since we had the last one. Part of that process resulted in reading stories (good and bad) of the experiences of other expecting parents.

One mother-to-be was so ticklish that when her baby moved, she would burst out laughing. Another had a baby who had found the magic sciatic nerve and would choose the most inconvenient time to hit it causing numerous problems for the mom-to-be.

This was previously a scan of Madison's ultrasound. The image itself seems to have vanished. I'll find it eventually or rescan the original.