The One When Amy Counts her Munchkins Before they Hatched

First day back from Christmas vacation.
As a teacher, I was totally prepared for a little chaos. Afterall, the kids have been home for 16 days. Playing with all their new presents. And eating Christmas cookies.

My morning class is my tougher group. They are younger, and developmentally much further behind than my afternoon group. I know if I can get through the morning, it'll be like cruise-control in the afternoon.

And I was pleasantly surprised. The morning class went right back into the routine of things. We went to circle time and - without me even saying anything - several kiddos raised their hands knowing they wanted a turn to pick a song. Oh, they've learned how things run so well! We had motor group, and oral motor group (in which we got to eat whipped cream - YUM), and snack, etc. It was like they had never been away. I was on a teacher high. I get the last one on the bus, and think "if the morning went that smoothly...the afternoon will be a piece of cake."

Talk about jinxing things.

In my afternoon class - my precious, independent, bright, lovable boys - things take a turn for the worse. In a class of all potty-trained preschoolers, i manage to have 2 pee in their pants. And that's not even the worst of it.

Somehow, a third student manages to not only crap his pants...but he apparently had his shirt tucked INTO his underwear when he did it, so he managed to crap his shirt too.

I know, I know. Someday, when I've had kids of my own, things like this will not phase me in the least.

But for now, I am perfectly content letting shit-smeared shirts continue to make me gag. Thank goodness for kind-hearted assistants.