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Vivi had her 9 month check up today. She's actually 10 months already and her flaky mommy forgot to go last month — whoopsie. No matter, she's in perfect health. In fact the doctor said she was huge (like I didn't know eh?). She weighs in at 23 lbs 8 oz and measures 31 inches long. Now that she's pulling herself up to standing she's officially a toddler! Doc says she can drink cows milk now too. Seems like she's practically grown up already,
Vivi gave us a post-bath crawling show by zooming around naked on on all fours, getting close and closer and....
So Gabriel didn't actually sleep over, but they boys did get all the way to sleep before his daddy came to get him — and Mr. C was home alone with the three kids and got them all to bed before 9. Well done!
: : : sigh : : : It's going to be a long and winding road to navigate. It's not a lovely beetles-esque kind of long and winding road that I would enjoy meandering or strolling, no, it's more like a long, twisted, uphill both ways, ridiculously bumpy, weather worn, and missing actual pavement kind of road. Ok, so enough of that visualizing the long hellacious struggle ahead, I'm sure I lost you on that one anyway. I've just returned from my first "navigating the kindergarten admission process in San Francisco" meeting. : : : urgh : : :
: : : sigh : : :Here's what I understand so far : : : urgh : : : San Francisco is a district with a "parent choice" school system. That translates to: you pick seven schools (plus you can add two additional charter schools). Drop off your application. Next your child gets assigned a number. Next your number and choice list get put into a computer algorithm along with all the other applicants and then the computer goes : : : dut doot dut doot dut : : : and spits out your school selection. One third get their first choice, one fifth get a school from their list of seven, and the rest get stuck going around in a second choice review and then into wait lists and last minute switcharos — some get into their dream schools others are totally shafted. There are some criteria that aid an applicant in getting into their first choice school such as poverty, if you are a foster kid or live in low income housing, whether you've attended preschool and if english is your first language, and diversity — these are all understandable considerations and worthy of special attention. : : : sigh : : :
: : : urgh : : : For the rest of us lily-white middle classers it's down to a lottery. With the private/independent schools it almost seems worse because you have to write essays about your child and why you are a good fit for each school, get recommendations (ideally from school board presidents while also having parents whose children are currently enrolled talking up your genius child and generous family at cocktail parties!!), then attend parent interviews, have your child screened at a one-on-one interview, as well as in a play-group, and then, after all that, even if you're lucky enough to get in, (which, by the way, the best private schools have ~300 applicants for about 20 slots — same odds as the best public schools) you'll need to fork over a quarter to half a million dollars (by the time your kid graduates high school) which is money I think of as my retirement. : : : sigh : : :
: : : urgh : : : it was recommended that I tour 9-12 private/independent schools and simultaneously tour 9-12 public schools. I should then apply to 7-10 private/independents and apply and fill out all seven slots for public school (plus fill out separate applications for the two available charter schools). I'm also supposed to be prepared for round two of public school applications and have an additional seven schools selected in case we end up as what they refer to as zero for seven or 0-7. So what's the math on all that? Tour approx 24 or so schools and apply to approx 15, and have seven back ups — all this and we haven't even added in applying to a few parochial schools. : : : urgh & sigh : : : and doesn't all this touring and applying sound like a part-time job?
Resources I need to read, study and embrace.
Parents for Public Schools and Adam's Spreadsheet
SFUSD
the SF k files — this site is awesome, read all the comments too!
Great Schools
senior dad
This is the fabulous group of ladies who attended my sister's "Happily Ever After" bridal shower. We all took an easy 3 mile stroll out to Tennessee Valley Beach and then had a luncheon at the Dipsea Cafe. The Dipsea had huge portions so we were all very well fed. We enjoyed platters of fruit and pastries followed by pulled pork, turkey and veggie sandwiches, potato salad and chinese chicken salad, and onion rings. All that followed by chocolate cake and coffees.
It was wonderful to listen to all the marriage advice, words of wisdom and stories about the bride and groom. My favorite part was watching her open present after present filled with sexy lingerie. She now has at least a weeks worth of slinky items to slip into— happy honeymooning!!
No, I didn't print gocco with fresh strawberry juice, fun idea though!
While Mr. C made delicious strawberry jam from 6lbs of strawberries he bought at the tuesday farmers market (which he hand carried home across the city) I did a two sided gocco printing job, hand punched eyelets and then wrapped the jars with pink bows. It was a very long but satisfyingly successful evening!
A link to a fun New York Times article on cool things to do in our hood.
Technorati Tags: San Francisco
The original photograph (a panoramic much larger than the detail shown here) was taken in September 1902, on Ocean Beach in San Francisco, and shows William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody mounted on his horse "Duke" at front center. Lined up on either side of him are members of his "Wild West" show troupe.
Artist Thom Ross has recreated the photograph with life size painted plywood cutouts which take up a large part of the north end of Ocean Beach near the Cliff House. It's a wonderful wild west site to behold. It's fun to view the scene from afar, as well as, seeing all the painted details plus added embellishments like ribbons, fringe, beads, studs and bells when close-up.
Heres a portrait of the artist, Thom Ross with his Annie Oakley and Custer (?) cut outs — and a link to the Chronicle article.
I enjoyed watching Max explore the scene, though he lost interest fairly quickly because he said the beach was stinky. He kept walking around pinching his nose and mumbling.
There was one faceless indian cut out with a ladder up the backside so you could take a "stick your face in it" picture. Max was too scared to go up so high so I went up and he took a picture of me with my iPhone. Perhaps he's a photographer in the making?!@#!
Technorati Tags: art, San Francisco
Max was thrilled to recognize his name on a package that arrived in the mail! He carefully opened his to reveal two t-shirts. He then repeated the process and opened Vivi's tees and then realized she got matching shorts too! Kids love 'em, thanks so much for thinking of them while you were enjoying your island vacation! xxoo
There's a new coffee contender in our slice of the mission. Four Barrel's coffee is delicious, the space is industrial chic and the clientele are causally hip. Other than the pure coffee and espresso drinks on their 'get to the point' menu, they also serve dynamo donuts — yummy. There are many details in the physical space which I love, like the shellacked wallpaper floor in the loo and the wickedly thick dark rope knots hanging above the window counters. Lots to like about this new spot.
Technorati Tags: cafe, eating, San Francisco
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She officially crawls and now she pulls up to standing too! This girl is on the move.
Technorati Tags: baby
Technorati Tags: baby