Smoochy

So for privacy reasons I'm not really supposed to post pictures of my students or probably talk about them online much... which is too bad because I've honestly had so many funny moments that I would have liked to share that are quickly forgotten because they are just far too innumerable. Haha. But I can't stand it anymore. I'm breaking down and putting something up tonight.... Just a little thing, but too cute really... If only I'd had a video camera...

One of my littlest guys, barely over 2 — but obsessed with music and dancing — was at the toilet yesterday directly next to the long mirror that stretches over the little trough sink where they all wash their hands. His little bum is exposed and I glanced over to check that he was doing ok while all the other kids rushed past to dry their hands on the paper towel. Blinking with some surprise I saw that he was pursing his lips at himself in the mirror. At first it was just a little smooch, almost like an exaggerated pout, but it quickly grew more outrageous. I couldn't help but laugh. I mean he seemed like he was flirting with himself in the mirror — all the while at the urinal with his little buck-naked butt showing — and it was like he KNEW how cute he was because instead of sparing me a glance he got even more ridiculous: pursing his lips, smooching, and then poking one cheek with a finger and tilting his head to the side....

Oh for a camera.... Haha. I have moments like that with him a lot, though — like the time he started doing the exercise time choreo to Chris Brown Yeah 3x all by himself! In front of the whole class...our little dancing machine...

Last week one of my favorite little guys was gone all week because he was sick, but yesterday he was back and the first thing he did when he saw me walking past the classroom he was waiting in was to let out a loud, "Teacher Alyce!!!!!!!" as he came flying out of the room to throw his arms around my legs in a big hug....

It's the moments like that when they catch me off guard that they manage to chip away at my reserve and germ-phobias and take little chunks of my heart, bit-by-reluctant-bit. Little charmers — puke and drool and snot and all — still manage to steal your affection somehow. I let them hug me the other day at the beginning of class, cause I thought about how I will miss them later — because there's no denying I will — and the way some of them launched themselves at me with face-splitting grins was heart-warming and heart-wrenching at the same time.. It'd be easier in some ways if they hadn't managed to worm their way into my heart, steal my affection, and make me swell with pride whenever they do something good. They are a great bunch of kids. I really hope whoever gets them down the road will appreciate that...I'm really glad I got to meet them, even when they make me frustrated and make me want to bang my head against the wall, it's still been so great to spend time with them... I know they'll forget me, but I don't think I'll ever forget any of them....