The New Job ...

So I'm about a month into my new job - technically a little but longer, but I've already used a week of sick leave, and military schools get off for every pseudo-holiday in the book. In a nutshell, I'm a classroom aide for a group of students. Most of the time I'm just monitoring behavior, or helping out anyway I can. Essentially, I am a first grader again ... I sing along in music class, I finger paint in art, I run the court in dodgeball at gym, and I'm learning so much in German class. At lunch I sit amongst the students, and at recess I usually get suckered into playing zombie freeze-tag.
I'm slowly getting used to the many nuances of the complex first grader. First of all, someone is always hurt or sick ... loose teeth (which are absolutely disgusting, by the way), hangnails, tummy aches, itchy eyeballs (pink eye is running rampant in my classroom), splinters ... you name it - I've seen it. Second, the tattling ... oh my God ... the tattling. I have yet to figure out how to deal with this madness. Cutting in line seems to be the most serious crime in a first grade class room, and it's not tolerated by even the best of friends.
The other day I heard a shout from the hallway of, 'Mrs. R!!! Billy cut Johnny!' ... my instincts from my old job kicked in, and the first thing I thought of was a knife wound. I flew to the door in a panic, 'He cut him with what!??? A knife!? Who has a knife?!' ... of course the kids were staring at me like I was crazy, and then they proceeded to lecture me on how knives are sharp and dangerous. Good to know.
I've also been spending an hour a day in the preschool area - which has been quite the eye-opening experience. Besides my younger siblings, and nieces - I have never spent an extended amount of time with toddlers. I'm am learning a lot!
E is doing much better! He went back to daycare last Tuesday, and did great. Hopefully we don't have any more clinic visits for awhile. His two front teeth are almost completely in, and he looks hilarious - I'll try for a picture soon! His hair is also getting so long, and starting to curl in the back.
The Christmas presents from family are starting to roll in, and we are feeling so loved ... and spoiled. Like always, we appreciate everything, and it makes it a little less lonely for the holidays around here! We've sworn to wait until Christmas morning to open any and all gifts - unlike last year!! Mimi Sue sent her traditional Christmas candy - which we love! Plus, we got a really heavy snowfall - so it is definitely starting to feel a lot like Christmas!
I finally took some pictures of the house, and I will get them posted this weekend!!
Here are a few pics from the week.

This is from Eli's most recent sick day. I got out of bed for a minute, and came back to find Roscoe like this ... he is ridiculous.