isn't it always the way

So wednesday this week there was a promotion in the building where I work and everyone got free lunch. This is great for them, not so great for the deli trying to stay afloat. Long story short I had the day off so we didn't waste labor. I got to thinking, and I realized it had been a really really long time since I'd had a day off with no children. Don't get me wrong-I love being with my kids and wish I was with them more. But a whole 8 hours of grown up Allison time was enough to make me drool. I had big plans. BIG! I was going to sleep in, do some dishes with MY music blasting, go to the grocery store and have a leisurely stroll down EACH AND EVERY aisle, watch some crappy daytime tv reruns or maybe a movie or two with lots of gunshots and screaming and loud adventuresome music. (you totally thought I was going to say chic flick. ha ha! I can watch those at night when people are sleeping).

My plan went well-I studiously ignored all the goings on and rushing to get the kids out the door, rising only to give Chris a couple dollars so he could bring me a toasted bagel from Tim Hortons in bed. It was absolutely lovely. Until about 10:30, when the school nurse called and said Zoe was sick. Poor thing. She could hardly talk her throat hurt so bad. I went and got her and put her to bed and she was out like a light. She slept for more than two hours-so I was still able to pretend like she wasn't there, though that did cramp my plans for going places.

Also this week we got some Interim report cards. I didn't realize they'd been in school that long already! Zoe's was fairly normal and as expected, disgustingly gifted in reading, advanced in math, above average in social studies and science, and all of that was balanced with her nice note that she has absolutely atrocious handwriting. But Jimmy's was very interesting. It's his very first report card ever, so we had no standard of what to expect. His 'areas of strength' include 'follows directions independently' 'attentively listens to teacher and classmates' and completes all work with quality'. Math, social studies and science are labeled 'meeting expectations' (which is the highest), and his handwriting is listed as 'legible' (also the highest). But the most interesting of all is reading, which is above 'meeting expectations' at 'reading independently.' THAT LITTLE STINKER!!!!!! there's a note on it saying he's admitted to his teacher that he can read and is advancing rapidly. He's been telling us for months that he can't read at all and no matter how we try nothing was sinking in to help him read. Every once in a while we'd think we'd catch him reading but he'd just say he recognized the picture or logo or something. What's amazing to me is not so much that he CAN read, but that he's BEEN reading and HIDING IT!! I'm really happy about it, now that he's showing me a little bit he's been really good at church lately because he reads the programs and the hymn book. I'm just still a little bit bowled over by the whole thing.

What impresses me more actually, than his reading of words, is his comprehension. I read him a story at night, and a while ago I decided that I was bored with all his little story books and I wanted to read him a real big boy book. I started reading harry potter to Zoe when she was about 4 so I figured I was even a little over due with Jimmy. He didn't want Harry Potter, so I decided on Peter and the Starcatchers. If you haven't read it the angels weep for you. Its (actually a trilogy), written by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, and it's kind of the background story of Peter Pan; how he came to Never Land, how he and Captain Hook met, how he and Tinkerbell met, his connection with the Darling Family, etc. So I read a chapter or two every night to Jimmy, and a couple of weeks in I was worried that he was just hearing it and not really listening so I started asking questions. He could remember everything that happened in nearly perfect detail-even the words that he didn't understand! Pretty awesome. It looks to me like he's following in his sister's footsteps. I wish we could take credit for it, but I don't think it's anything we've done at all.

As a small side note, there may be some interesting news in the near future, but in the interest of discretion I will wait to disclose it-suffice to say I'm getting pretty excited for January.