The 12 Gifts of Christmas (teacher style)

So, as a teacher it is very evident that we already do a pretty selfless job----but around the holidays it becomes even more apparent!

We know we won't get bonuses or elaborate gifts...but we do get gifts---
so I decided to write a song about it!


When you see the last one, I have an explanation of it below! :)

12 Gifts of Christmas
(to the tune of 12 Days of Christmas)
By: Reagan Allegri


On the day before Winter Break my students gave to me:
12 mugs for coffee
11 trinkets from home
10 stinky lotions
9 half burnt candles
8 homemade somethings
7 stuffed reindeer
6 re-gifted items
5 random things
4 more mugs for coffee
3 banana breads
2 homemade ornaments
A gift card with a zero balance

Okay, so I got a Walmart gift card today from a kiddo and it has a baby on it.  I was so happy to get this gift from a student and she said, "It's for the baby!"

 I told her I would definitely buy something for Gia with it!  Then she said, and I promise I am not making this up....if you want to use the gift card though you have to put money on it.

That's right folks!  I got a gift card with a zero balance that has already been used!  So enjoy your Christmas bonuses or nice gifts from your bosses! ;)

Third Time's A Charm???

So, as a first time Mommy to be, I always looked at Moms out there and asked myself the big question...HOW DID YOU KNOW TO DO THAT?  I always worried that I would forget something, do something wrong, or be left completely confused because I just didn't know to do things.

And, as it turned out....I did!  Of course I am going to forget something, do something wrong, and be completely confused.  I realized that all those other moms out there knew what to do because they do had messed up and learned their lesson!

Need an example?  Here.

Questions I had in my head while pregnant, and then the answers I came up with:

Question: When do you cut the baby's nails?
Answer:   When they scratch you across the face making it look like you were in a cage fight.  Awesome.

Question:  Can you tell if the water is the right temperature for your baby during a bath?
Answer:  You can if Gia craps in the water....ahhhhhh, pure relaxation!

Question:  How did you know to pack extra clothes in the diaper bag?  I wouldn't have thought of that.
Answer:You learn this when Gia craps up her back at Ruby Tuesdays and she has to wear a diaper until I scrounged together some blue pants that were too small and a pink onesie (which wasn't pink to begin with...but it got thrown in the washer with a red shirt).

Question:  How do you know how much milk to give your baby in a bottle if you breastfeed?
Answer:  You know how much to give them when they are screaming at the top of their lungs, so you feed them more and then they stop screaming and push the bottle out of their mouth.  Thanks Gia, you are a pro at this! :)

Question: When are you supposed to transition your child into their crib from your room?
Answer: When Gia decided to sleep soundly on her own yet make moaning and groaning noises all night to soothe herself....Daddy and Mommy were VERY tired and a tad irritable.  Baby Girl got introduced to her crib at 5 weeks! :)


So mommas-to-be out there, it is all a LEARNING PROCESS!  Not one mom out there knew what to do at every given moment...so find the humor and laugh it off if possible!  After all, Gia won't remember this anyway....well, $#&^ ... unless you have a blog out there to remind her how "crappy" you were at this parenting gig!!! :)

Baptism

Gia Therese Allegri was baptized on December 11th at 2:00 in the afternoon at St. Therese Catholic Parish.  Father Michael Roach baptized her and her Godparents, Jennifer and Jeff Bianco, were there to welcome their God Daughter into the faith!  It was a wonderful day of family and celebration!  She wore the baptismal gown that Trey and I both wore at our baptism 28 and 31 years ago! :0)

We love you GTA!!!

 Godfather (Jeff), Godmother (Jen), Gia, Mommy, and Daddy

 It's rough!

Gia with Grammy and Pops

Grammy, Mommy, Fr. Mike, Daddy, Gia, and Pops

The gown you wore was also worn by Mommy and Uncle Trey at their baptism!

 Baptism time

 PaPa, Mommy, Fr. Mike, Daddy, and May

The fountain

Momma Said Knock You Out!

It's been awhile, I apologize.  But boy am I back, and I have a good one for ya!  So it has been so wonderful being a Mommy to Gia...there is no better gig in town.  I fall more in love with this girl, and feel so incredibly lucky to call her mine....but man....when you enter parenthood....WOW, you enter a DANGER ZONE of mothers out there.  I have encountered some Mommas I truly hope I never become...so today I pay tribute (yah right) to the following Moms---and I pray I am never like you ;)


Negative Nancy
This is the mom that no matter what you talk about regarding pregnancy, motherhood, child development...you will always feel like someone wound up their arm (like in the cartoons) and the just socked ya right in the gut.  Well...unless you are me...and you can't keep your mouth shut and your conversation goes something like this:
Reagan: Man, I tell you what I am beat.  This waking up every 2-3 hours to feed is for the birds!
Nancy: Oh you think that is bad, wait until she gets really sick and craps all over herself and her bedding in the middle of the night---you stumble around trying to get new bedding on and then she throws up on you.  You then have to get into the shower at 4 a.m. to wash the puke out of your hair and then you are wide awake with a sick baby.  Yah, wait until then...
Reagan:  Wow Nancy---I am not sure what you want me to do with that information...jump off a cliff?  I am just stating the fact that I am tired and it may take me a minute to get used to waking up so much...not sure how you thought that story would motivate me to keep doing what I am doing.
Nancy: I am just saying...
Reagan: Yah, I know---you are always just saying something....

Interrupting Iris
This is the mom that when someone asks you a question about anything dealing with your role as a parent, she interrupts and explains it for you---because she had a baby first---she is the pro here and you just suck.
Random Person: Hey Reagan are you breastfeeding Gia?
Reagan: Yep.
Random Person: I have a question about pumping, do you mind if I pick your brain.
Iris: I nursed my child and she was the best nurser ever.
Reagan:  That's great Iris, Gia is doing very well too...anyway, sure, shoot your question at me.
Random Person:  How often do you pump.
Iris: Well I pumped every 2-3 hours because it was important to me to get my stock built up.  I am really good at pumping and breastfeeding.  I would nurse my child and then immediately pump so I could trick my body into thinking I needed more milk.
Reagan: Well, there ya have it.
Random Person: Clearly directing the question at me...So tell me about the type of car seat you went with.
Reagan: Well we had no clue what...
Iris: We chose a Graco--I read tons of reviews and that's what we went with.
Reagan: Iris, you want to just field the rest of the questions here...I don't think I am needed.
Iris: Huh?
Reagan: Yah....

One Upper Wanda
This mom pretty much just speaks for herself....ALL THE FREAKING TIME.
Reagan:  Gia slept for 5 hours before waking up for her first feeding...rock on!
Wanda: My child did that really early on.
Reagan: I am really excited for Gia to see Santa this weekend.
Wanda: My kiddo didn't cry at all.
Reagan: I am so pumped! Gia smiled today, it was the coolest thing
Wanda: My child smiled in my stomach.
Reagan just walks away.

Dear Lord, please always remind me to just  BE Gia's mom---no one else needs my input, and if they do....they will ask!  This I pray! ;)