Yesterday marked the first full week of back-to-school for my oldest two, and we all mustered through the earlier mornings and the longer days relatively unscathed, albeit a bit more weary.
I quickly adapted a new routine, especially formulated with my little one in mind (so she wouldn't feel quite so abandoned by her ever-present brother and sister, who were pretty much at her beck and call all summer long). After she and I go to R's school to drop her off in the mornings, S. and I head off to the park, where I find a sunny spot and read for about an hour, while she plays with all of her newly-made toddler friends. I get to enrich my mind and sprout some new neurons, and she gets to blow off some steam. It's a win-win.
After the morning park visit, we're either off together to do whatever necessary errands there might be, or we come home so I can take care of stuff here. Then, in the afternoons, we head up to R's school again, where S. hangs out in the little park (located right in front of the school building) to play, until it's time to go wait at the front door for R. to emerge from the mass exodus of children. Then, it's back to the "big park" across the street for a few hours more of play.
Since the afternoons are a lot busier, both with children and parents, sometimes my book reading gets pushed aside. I have to keep a sharper eye on my kids, constantly navigating my view so I can keep them within eyeshot.
Since last Wednesday was a beautiful fall day, we followed this routine exactly, and wound up at the big park so the girls could play. As luck would have it, a gaggle of R's girlfriends were playing at the park, too, so not only did she have a small group of friends to pal around with, but so did S. (they all "mother hen" this child to death, and she eats it up with a spoon! :).
I waited for a spot on THE prime bench to open up. This particular bench is located on the "fifty yard line" of the park, so no matter which structure the kids ran to, I can always locate them pretty easily. When a seat became vacant, I plopped my keester down, and looked forward to continuing on with the book I've become very much interested in ("A Redbird Christmas" by Fannie Flagg, for those who might be wondering).
I was happily engrossed in my book, stopping from time to time to scope out my children. Once I had them in my direct line of vision, I'd continue reading. The kids were blissfully chasing after each other; there were four or five 9-year-old girls, two 9-year-old boys, and one 3-year-old runt... all playing happily together. A small slice of Heaven.
Just when I thought we were having ourselves a pleasant afternoon, I spotted one of the mothers walking towards R. The troop was hanging out in the middle of one of the smaller structures, laughing and singing and having a grand old time, and by the time this mother finished her speech (which, from my angle, looked as if it was directed RIGHT at my daughter), there was a deathly silence in the group of once jovial kids.
I immediately removed myself from my prime spot (a Herculean task at best -- once you relinquish this seat, you know that it might never be re-claimed), and walked over to my daughter to see what that particular fuss was about. I called R. over to me, and looked at her with shock and dismay as she relayed the encounter. Apparently, this particular mom didn't like the fact that the girls were screaming, and she went over to ask them all to stop. Are you kidding me????? We were in a freakin' PARK!!!
I was just about to walk over to this clearly demented mom, when she saved me the trouble by heading towards R. and me. I thought for sure my daughter must not have heard her right, and I was determined to get to the bottom of this.
But, come to find out, my daughter's hearing was as perfect as ever, for that's EXACTLY what this woman told the girls! She further explained that it looked to her as if the boys were antagonizing the girls, and that's why the girls were screaming, so she asked them all to cut down on the noise and to leave each other alone. She felt that "girls should play with girls, and boys with boys".
Well.... I probably don't have to tell you what transpired next.
But I will. :)
After the smoke stopped pouring out of my ears, I turned to her and said:
"My daughter has been going to this school since she was in Kindergarten. My son, who entered his freshman year in high school last week, went here before her. I have NEVER encountered such a shallow-minded, prejudiced woman in my life here at this school as I have with you today.
"My children have been brought up to believe that friends are friends... no matter who they are, what they look like, or what race, color, or SEX they are. Until now, it appeared to me as if all of the other children, and their parents, followed the same principle.
"To me, it looked as if the kids were playing tag, or some similar game, together. At the very least, they were having FUN. Not only is it completely ridiculous of you to suggest it, but it also defeats the purpose of being here when you ask the kids to stop screaming. I don't know what your intentions are for being here -- maybe they're to perpetuate more of the stupid gossip that goes on with the clique-y little 'coffee clutch' of moms that are an unfortunate side-effect of this institution -- but my purpose for having my children here is to allow them to blow off steam so that they're not screaming in my HOUSE."
"If you're so close-minded to think that boys should only play with boys, and they should leave the girls alone, I would firmly suggest that you speak with your SON about the situation, and remove him from the group. I also ask that you never, EVER speak to my daughter like that again. If she's got any sort of 'problem', here or ANYWHERE, whichever family member is with her at the time is the ONLY one with the authority to walk up to her and correct it."
And, with that, I told my daughter to go back to her friends and play.
After the woman picked her chin up off of the floor, she started backpedaling a bit. She introduced herself to me ("Trish"... like I really wanted to get to know her at that point!), and said that she used to work as a lunch lady at another school (poor kids!), and that she got pretty good at seeing when a situation was developing into something that might be threatening to one of the children, and she was just afraid that their screaming might escalate into something more serious, and....
I put my hand up to stop her.
"Trish," I said, trying to sound as calm as humanly possibly (although at this point I wanted to pop her one right between the eyes), "How many children do you have?" (knowing full well the answer before I even asked the question). She answered, "Well, Mark is my only child, but I also have a 22-year-old stepdaughter."
"So, you basically only have ONE child, right?" She nodded in agreement. "Well, then, I hate to say this, Trish, but one child just doesn't count. You aren't fully schooled in the subtle nuances of play between children. And, trust me when I tell you, they were just PLAYING.
"You see that bench over there?" We looked over, and of course, my prime spot had been scooped by some little kid, no less. Damn. "THAT'S where I was, and as you can clearly see, it's within direct eyeshot of the children and where they were playing. As the mom of THREE, if I had caught even a glimpse of wrongdoing, I'd have been over there like a shot to find out what the problem was. But, there was no problem, except for the one YOU created. You just need to figure out how to chill and let your child play, because if you don't, he's going to wind up being very lonely, and you're going to have a miserable little boy on your hands. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go and try to find another good spot to watch my children, and maybe squeeze in another chapter or two of my book before we have to go home."
She went back to her bench, which was co-occupied by a friend of hers, who seemingly left once "Trish" started her tirade, and I gave the kid who stole my seat the hairy eyeball until he got up and bounded off.
I sat back down, pulled "Redbird Christmas" out of my pocket, and went back to Alabama, while I listened to the wonderful sounds of my two girls.... who went back to screaming their fool heads off. A small slice of Heaven, I tell ya.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Reflections of 9-11-01
It was a Tuesday morning, and I was at work early, helping my boss prepare for the weekly Senior Team meeting. As usual, as soon as I got to work that morning, I entered my office, booted up my computer, then turned on the radio. I was typing out the agenda for the meeting, when one of the DJ's came across the air, announcing at first that it appeared as if a helicopter hit one of the World Trade Center buildings in New York City. Now, I've been to New York numerous times, and I know just how ridiculously TALL the Twin Towers were, and because of that, I clearly remember thinking that it was so odd that ANYTHING could hit those buildings on a day like that particular September 11th was; a beautiful fall morning, very crisp, cool, and clear, with a perfectly blue, CLOUDLESS sky.
A few moments later, the same DJ interrupted the music again, to say that it wasn't a helicopter as they initially reported, but a commercial aircraft that slammed into the side building (which I thought was even WEIRDER, but dismissed as some sort of malfunction with the plane. It HAD to be that....there was no other explanation, as far as I was concerned).
After a little bit longer, the DJ came back on the air again, and announced that the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. had been hit by yet another commercial aircraft!
Just then, the Executive Secretary for the Dean of Education came bolting past my office, and ran into my bosses office, interrupting the private meeting that occurred right before the Senior Team meeting. I immediately got up from my chair to chase after her, to try and stop her from entering his office, until I heard what she was crying out, "The DJ on the radio is announcing that this country is being attacked by terrorists! You might want to come and take a look!" We all rushed off to one of the empty classrooms, and immediately set up a television set, and turned it on just in time to see the aircraft slam right into the side of the second Twin Tower. It was an image that I will never forget as long as I draw breath.
I rushed back into my office, and tried desperately to call my husband. Because he worked nights, I knew he'd be home. I quickly learned that ALL of the phone lines were dead, and it was futile to try and contact him, either by land line or by cell phone. So... I did the next best thing. I logged onto AOL Instant Messenger, praying he was online. I can't even begin to tell you how relieved I was when I saw his screen name popping up in response. I asked him if he'd been watching TV, and he said no...that he was busy straightening up from that morning's breakfast, and playing with our then 2-year-old daughter. I told him "Go turn on the TV... NOW! We're being attacked!" He must have thought I'd completely lost my mind (and to be quite honest, I felt like I had just stepped into the middle of some horrible, twisted prank myself), but he complied. When he came back, he typed the words "Oh my God! The Twin Towers are on FIRE!!!" I told him the Pentagon had been hit, too, and that I wasn't exactly sure what was going on, but considering all THREE planes departed out of Logan Airport, and they were speculating that The Prudential Center might be the next target, that I wanted him to go get our son out of school .... NOW, and that I would be coming home as quickly as possible. The first thoughts that came to mind were we were experiencing the beginning of World War III, and if there was even a remote chance that we were going to be killed, then I wanted to be hugging my family when I went.
Before leaving, I stopped back into the classroom where we'd set up the television. By this time, co-workers from all departments had filled the room, glued to the set and hanging onto every word and video with growing horror. Just as I positioned myself in a spot where I could see the TV screen, the first Tower collapsed. An uncontrollable gasp escaped from me, and I began to sob. I remembered hearing that, although they were working really hard to get all of the people out of the buildings, there were many who hadn't emerged yet. I also recalled that there was a Preschool located on the first floor of one of the buildings. So... I sobbed for all those people...those ordinary people who were just going to work or attending school...whose only mistake that morning was to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I sobbed for all of those lives senselessly and carelessly lost.
Soon after, I went back to my office, gathered up my things, and bolted out of work. I made it to the bus terminal a few short minutes later, fighting my way through the throngs of people who were making a mass exodus from their own jobs, their own classes, their own "normal" lives... to make it home to their own loved ones. Of course, my husband all but insisted that he would come and pick me up from work, but I demanded that he stay home with our son and daughter.... if anything happened, I wanted the three of them to be together, at the very least.
As most who take public transportation know, a bus is usually buzzing with people chatting with one another, or talking on their cell phones, or listening to their iPods. But, on this day, EVERYONE who had a cell phone had theirs plastered to their ears... either trying desperately to get through to their loved ones, or talking to people on the other end. Those who weren't on their phones were listening to the radio that the bus driver had on board with him. Some were crying, some were praying, but we were all quiet and still. It was one of the most eerie things I'd ever experienced.
It seemed to take forever to get to my stop, and as soon as I exited the bus, I RAN home, flung open the front door, and tore up the stairs. I don't think I ever hugged anyone for so long, or so tightly, as I did my children and husband when I walked through our front door!
Of course, along with the rest of America (and the majority of the world), we were glued to the television for the rest of the evening, watching the madness unfold right before our very eyes. It was clear that history was being made that day, and that the world, as we knew it, would never be the same again.
I prayed that my kids would grow up to understand exactly what happened to all of us on that day, and that none of us would ever grow complacent enough to carry on our lives without remembering all of those innocent people whose lives were taken away on that day. I know I will NEVER forget.
A few moments later, the same DJ interrupted the music again, to say that it wasn't a helicopter as they initially reported, but a commercial aircraft that slammed into the side building (which I thought was even WEIRDER, but dismissed as some sort of malfunction with the plane. It HAD to be that....there was no other explanation, as far as I was concerned).
After a little bit longer, the DJ came back on the air again, and announced that the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. had been hit by yet another commercial aircraft!
Just then, the Executive Secretary for the Dean of Education came bolting past my office, and ran into my bosses office, interrupting the private meeting that occurred right before the Senior Team meeting. I immediately got up from my chair to chase after her, to try and stop her from entering his office, until I heard what she was crying out, "The DJ on the radio is announcing that this country is being attacked by terrorists! You might want to come and take a look!" We all rushed off to one of the empty classrooms, and immediately set up a television set, and turned it on just in time to see the aircraft slam right into the side of the second Twin Tower. It was an image that I will never forget as long as I draw breath.
I rushed back into my office, and tried desperately to call my husband. Because he worked nights, I knew he'd be home. I quickly learned that ALL of the phone lines were dead, and it was futile to try and contact him, either by land line or by cell phone. So... I did the next best thing. I logged onto AOL Instant Messenger, praying he was online. I can't even begin to tell you how relieved I was when I saw his screen name popping up in response. I asked him if he'd been watching TV, and he said no...that he was busy straightening up from that morning's breakfast, and playing with our then 2-year-old daughter. I told him "Go turn on the TV... NOW! We're being attacked!" He must have thought I'd completely lost my mind (and to be quite honest, I felt like I had just stepped into the middle of some horrible, twisted prank myself), but he complied. When he came back, he typed the words "Oh my God! The Twin Towers are on FIRE!!!" I told him the Pentagon had been hit, too, and that I wasn't exactly sure what was going on, but considering all THREE planes departed out of Logan Airport, and they were speculating that The Prudential Center might be the next target, that I wanted him to go get our son out of school .... NOW, and that I would be coming home as quickly as possible. The first thoughts that came to mind were we were experiencing the beginning of World War III, and if there was even a remote chance that we were going to be killed, then I wanted to be hugging my family when I went.
Before leaving, I stopped back into the classroom where we'd set up the television. By this time, co-workers from all departments had filled the room, glued to the set and hanging onto every word and video with growing horror. Just as I positioned myself in a spot where I could see the TV screen, the first Tower collapsed. An uncontrollable gasp escaped from me, and I began to sob. I remembered hearing that, although they were working really hard to get all of the people out of the buildings, there were many who hadn't emerged yet. I also recalled that there was a Preschool located on the first floor of one of the buildings. So... I sobbed for all those people...those ordinary people who were just going to work or attending school...whose only mistake that morning was to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I sobbed for all of those lives senselessly and carelessly lost.
Soon after, I went back to my office, gathered up my things, and bolted out of work. I made it to the bus terminal a few short minutes later, fighting my way through the throngs of people who were making a mass exodus from their own jobs, their own classes, their own "normal" lives... to make it home to their own loved ones. Of course, my husband all but insisted that he would come and pick me up from work, but I demanded that he stay home with our son and daughter.... if anything happened, I wanted the three of them to be together, at the very least.
As most who take public transportation know, a bus is usually buzzing with people chatting with one another, or talking on their cell phones, or listening to their iPods. But, on this day, EVERYONE who had a cell phone had theirs plastered to their ears... either trying desperately to get through to their loved ones, or talking to people on the other end. Those who weren't on their phones were listening to the radio that the bus driver had on board with him. Some were crying, some were praying, but we were all quiet and still. It was one of the most eerie things I'd ever experienced.
It seemed to take forever to get to my stop, and as soon as I exited the bus, I RAN home, flung open the front door, and tore up the stairs. I don't think I ever hugged anyone for so long, or so tightly, as I did my children and husband when I walked through our front door!
Of course, along with the rest of America (and the majority of the world), we were glued to the television for the rest of the evening, watching the madness unfold right before our very eyes. It was clear that history was being made that day, and that the world, as we knew it, would never be the same again.
I prayed that my kids would grow up to understand exactly what happened to all of us on that day, and that none of us would ever grow complacent enough to carry on our lives without remembering all of those innocent people whose lives were taken away on that day. I know I will NEVER forget.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Yet Another "Tag" Response (from Michelle, This Time! :)
I actually don't mind doing these... it makes me feel so loved! Shhhhh...don't tell anyone, though! :)
4 places I go often:
K-Mart
Market Basket
school
the park
4 people who email regularly:
Karen H.
Karen T.
Tommy
Andrea
4 places I love to eat:
The Border Cafe
Rudy's
Macaroni Grille
On The Border
4 places I'd rather be:
At the beach (didn't make it there ONCE again this summer! :(
On a cruise (after the hurricane season is over though...naturally)
Touring Europe
In bed (headed there after this!)
4 TV shows I watch:
Grey's Anatomy
Heroes
Boston Legal
Jeopardy!
4 people I tag:
Susy
Erica
Karyn
Paula
Now....I'm off to do some snoozin'. 'Nighty noodles! :)
4 places I go often:
K-Mart
Market Basket
school
the park
4 people who email regularly:
Karen H.
Karen T.
Tommy
Andrea
4 places I love to eat:
The Border Cafe
Rudy's
Macaroni Grille
On The Border
4 places I'd rather be:
At the beach (didn't make it there ONCE again this summer! :(
On a cruise (after the hurricane season is over though...naturally)
Touring Europe
In bed (headed there after this!)
4 TV shows I watch:
Grey's Anatomy
Heroes
Boston Legal
Jeopardy!
4 people I tag:
Susy
Erica
Karyn
Paula
Now....I'm off to do some snoozin'. 'Nighty noodles! :)
The (Updated) Definition of Beauty
"Mom, is it my hair that makes me beautiful, or my body?"
My 9-and-three-quarters, prepubescent daughter posed that question to me one morning last week, while I was fixing her hair for school.
I was so surprised to hear those words coming out of my completely unconceited, self-professed tomboy's mouth, that I was rendered speechless. But only momentarily.
My response to her was one that not only rings true in my heart now, but one that I want her to earnestly believe. "Sweetie, it's not the assets you have that make you beautiful.... it's who you are, as a person, that makes you beautiful. A person could be the most stunning creature on the face of the Earth, but if they have a nasty, cold-hearted, conniving, selfish personality, it makes them completely ugly."
She agreed with me, and we finished up fixing her hair and were on our way.
It got me thinking, though, about the various concepts of beauty I've been awestruck by over the years. In particular, I've realized that my ideals in terms of beautiful men have changed.
In my teens and early 20's, I used to think men like these were beautiful:
Andrew Stevens
Rex Smith
Robbie Benson
Tom Cruise
John F. Kennedy, Jr.
And.....uhm.....oh, yeah.... this guy:
Beautiful? Sure, these guys were all pretty darned aesthetically pleasing. I swooned over them, had their pictures plastered all over my walls (and even kissed a few of them goodnight, before I travelled off to the Land of Nod). But, I was always reasonably intelligent enough to know that these men were completely unattainable to a girl of my "average" caliber. I wasn't a cheerleader, or a starlet, or a model, and I certainly didn't run in the same circles as any of these young men. So, I was resigned to admire their beauty from afar.
Yes, I did date my fair share of real-life "beautiful men" in my younger years, as well. Men who, although incredibly good looking, had lacked the social skills, intelligence levels, or charming grace that were necessary for me to find them attractive for very long. Most of them spent all of their spare time looking in the mirror. Their narcissistic love affairs always made me feel like a third wheel in these relationships, and they always seemed to end with my heart cut to shreds, and laid out to filth.
It wasn't until I grew older (and really worked on how to love myself), that I discovered that I was worthy of a love that went far beyond the realm of good looks. It was only then that I found a man who was not only physically appealing, but who also knew how to treat me with consideration, kindness, honesty and respect. And, quite frankly, I honestly feel he is the most beautiful man I've ever known.
I guess the moral of this story is that, even though my daughter will go through her "beauty as vanity" stage... with her current pretty-boy crushes being these guys:
Zac Efron
The Jonas Brothers
(An aside: To demonstrate how my girls are currently swooning over these guys, as I was pulling up pictures, BOTH of them saw the one with the JoBros, and LITERALLY started squealing behind me; "Oooh, Mom! The JONAS BROTHERS!!! What are you looking at? Can I see? Can I? Can I puhllleeeaaaazzzzeeee??" And the beat goes on! :)
I only hope my daughter doesn't get too hurt before she realizes what her version of real beauty is.
But, I doubt that she will. Because my 9-and-three-quarters Missy is an amazing soul. She sees the good in everyone and everything. She's got one of the most lovable, kindest hearts I've ever witnessed, and really does give every single person a fighting chance, and befriends people for no other reason than because of who they are.
Not to mention she's got beautiful, ice blue eyes, a smile that lights up a room, and a face that, when it reaches its full maturity, will stop traffic.
She's also got gorgeous hair, and a killer body.
My 9-and-three-quarters, prepubescent daughter posed that question to me one morning last week, while I was fixing her hair for school.
I was so surprised to hear those words coming out of my completely unconceited, self-professed tomboy's mouth, that I was rendered speechless. But only momentarily.
My response to her was one that not only rings true in my heart now, but one that I want her to earnestly believe. "Sweetie, it's not the assets you have that make you beautiful.... it's who you are, as a person, that makes you beautiful. A person could be the most stunning creature on the face of the Earth, but if they have a nasty, cold-hearted, conniving, selfish personality, it makes them completely ugly."
She agreed with me, and we finished up fixing her hair and were on our way.
It got me thinking, though, about the various concepts of beauty I've been awestruck by over the years. In particular, I've realized that my ideals in terms of beautiful men have changed.
In my teens and early 20's, I used to think men like these were beautiful:
Andrew Stevens
Rex Smith
Robbie Benson
Tom Cruise
John F. Kennedy, Jr.
And.....uhm.....oh, yeah.... this guy:
Beautiful? Sure, these guys were all pretty darned aesthetically pleasing. I swooned over them, had their pictures plastered all over my walls (and even kissed a few of them goodnight, before I travelled off to the Land of Nod). But, I was always reasonably intelligent enough to know that these men were completely unattainable to a girl of my "average" caliber. I wasn't a cheerleader, or a starlet, or a model, and I certainly didn't run in the same circles as any of these young men. So, I was resigned to admire their beauty from afar.
Yes, I did date my fair share of real-life "beautiful men" in my younger years, as well. Men who, although incredibly good looking, had lacked the social skills, intelligence levels, or charming grace that were necessary for me to find them attractive for very long. Most of them spent all of their spare time looking in the mirror. Their narcissistic love affairs always made me feel like a third wheel in these relationships, and they always seemed to end with my heart cut to shreds, and laid out to filth.
It wasn't until I grew older (and really worked on how to love myself), that I discovered that I was worthy of a love that went far beyond the realm of good looks. It was only then that I found a man who was not only physically appealing, but who also knew how to treat me with consideration, kindness, honesty and respect. And, quite frankly, I honestly feel he is the most beautiful man I've ever known.
I guess the moral of this story is that, even though my daughter will go through her "beauty as vanity" stage... with her current pretty-boy crushes being these guys:
Zac Efron
The Jonas Brothers
(An aside: To demonstrate how my girls are currently swooning over these guys, as I was pulling up pictures, BOTH of them saw the one with the JoBros, and LITERALLY started squealing behind me; "Oooh, Mom! The JONAS BROTHERS!!! What are you looking at? Can I see? Can I? Can I puhllleeeaaaazzzzeeee??" And the beat goes on! :)
I only hope my daughter doesn't get too hurt before she realizes what her version of real beauty is.
But, I doubt that she will. Because my 9-and-three-quarters Missy is an amazing soul. She sees the good in everyone and everything. She's got one of the most lovable, kindest hearts I've ever witnessed, and really does give every single person a fighting chance, and befriends people for no other reason than because of who they are.
Not to mention she's got beautiful, ice blue eyes, a smile that lights up a room, and a face that, when it reaches its full maturity, will stop traffic.
She's also got gorgeous hair, and a killer body.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Back-To-School, Round Two
Today was back-to-school day for R., and N's second "official" day of high school. So, it was a bit rough getting used to moving two bodies along this morning! After we dropped R. off, S. played in the park for a bit, before I had to go to the dentist's to get a cleaning. Then, I had to drop off the final two pieces of paperwork necessary for S. school, and drop off the completed roll of back-to-school pics at Walgreen's (which I'll share privately in a bit, via e-mail).
We came home, and my mom came up to ask how R's morning went. She and I chatted for awhile, then when she left I got some laundry in downstairs, before needing to head BACK to the school to pick R. up (I was so freakin' afraid I'd get busy and totally forget what time it was, so I kept looking at the clock every five minutes!). R. and S. played in the park (again), and then we went back to Walgreen's so I could pick up my pictures (too cute, I tell ya! :), and then to the supermarket to pick up some milk and N's prescription.
Whew!
What a day!
And it's not over yet. I still have to go through R's backpack, get clothes out and ironed for tomorrow, get R. into the shower and help her with the conditioner (she can never reach the ends of her hair), then dry her hair after dinner, make N. a lunch (R's all set with her free lunches for this year), get washed up..... and then collapse!
Tomorrow should be a lot better. It'll be easier to deal with the two of them, and I won't have so much pressure after school 'cause of the weekend.
I don't know who's more zonked... them, or ME! :)
We came home, and my mom came up to ask how R's morning went. She and I chatted for awhile, then when she left I got some laundry in downstairs, before needing to head BACK to the school to pick R. up (I was so freakin' afraid I'd get busy and totally forget what time it was, so I kept looking at the clock every five minutes!). R. and S. played in the park (again), and then we went back to Walgreen's so I could pick up my pictures (too cute, I tell ya! :), and then to the supermarket to pick up some milk and N's prescription.
Whew!
What a day!
And it's not over yet. I still have to go through R's backpack, get clothes out and ironed for tomorrow, get R. into the shower and help her with the conditioner (she can never reach the ends of her hair), then dry her hair after dinner, make N. a lunch (R's all set with her free lunches for this year), get washed up..... and then collapse!
Tomorrow should be a lot better. It'll be easier to deal with the two of them, and I won't have so much pressure after school 'cause of the weekend.
I don't know who's more zonked... them, or ME! :)
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Well, The Worst Is Over (Or At Least I Hope!)
I am so not a morning person. I never have been. I can remember one summer, in my early teen years (before the age of working summer jobs), when I could hear my dad's alarm clock going off while I was watching TV.
But, as we all know, being a mom brings with it the automatic need to VERY quickly adapt to being a morning person. Little people are just early birds, by nature. It's a bit freakish to me, especially since they're the fruit of my loins, but the youngin's are always up at the crack of dawn, nonetheless, clamoring for food and drink like a soldier out on a three-day-pass.
So, I knew this morning I'd be in for a rude awakening (no pun intended), when I asked my husband to get me up at 6:30 a.m. I wanted to be sure to be up and at least physically vertical when my son left our house for his very first day of high school.
Not only was I surprised to see my son awake and mobile (he's grown to be a vampire, just like his Mama), but he was also relatively chipper this morning. An untrained eye would have to look really closely to see it (especially when his only full sentence to me this morning was, "Where are my clothes?"), but I know him like a book, and I could sense his excitement.
I passed him his (ironed) school clothes, and waited for him to be finished so I could take a few pictures before he headed out the door to wait for his bus. All the while, I was trying desperately to insert an IV into my arm, so I could pump my body full of coffee. I knew I was going to need it today, that's for sure!
I held it together pretty well.... until the moment when my little one and I were standing in front of one of her bedroom windows, looking out onto the street and waiting to see my son and my husband pass by as they walked to the bus stop. I saw him walk by, and fought back the tears. It was so surreal... to be stroking the head of my 3-year-old, and seeing my oldest go off to high school. It feels like just yesterday when I was stroking HIS 3-year-old head, looking out the window to watch for Daddy, coming home from work. That felt like last week sometime. And now, he's accomplished his first day of high school! Unbelievable.
He said he enjoyed it, even though it was a bit overwhelming. The campus is both gorgeous and HUGE (82 acres total), so it's naturally going to take him several days to really get to know where all of his classrooms are, as well as the lunchroom, the library, the restrooms, the computer room, etc. I'll give him a few weeks, and he'll be an old pro.
Tomorrow will be his first full day, when his "real" classes start. Once tomorrow's over, I'll be a little less on edge, just knowing he made it through, found all of his classes, and is getting more comfortable with the school and his surroundings.
And then maybe, I'll be able to sleep until 7:00 or so. Still not late enough to my liking, but hey... I gotta fetch those Cheerios for the clamoring kiddos! :)
But, as we all know, being a mom brings with it the automatic need to VERY quickly adapt to being a morning person. Little people are just early birds, by nature. It's a bit freakish to me, especially since they're the fruit of my loins, but the youngin's are always up at the crack of dawn, nonetheless, clamoring for food and drink like a soldier out on a three-day-pass.
So, I knew this morning I'd be in for a rude awakening (no pun intended), when I asked my husband to get me up at 6:30 a.m. I wanted to be sure to be up and at least physically vertical when my son left our house for his very first day of high school.
Not only was I surprised to see my son awake and mobile (he's grown to be a vampire, just like his Mama), but he was also relatively chipper this morning. An untrained eye would have to look really closely to see it (especially when his only full sentence to me this morning was, "Where are my clothes?"), but I know him like a book, and I could sense his excitement.
I passed him his (ironed) school clothes, and waited for him to be finished so I could take a few pictures before he headed out the door to wait for his bus. All the while, I was trying desperately to insert an IV into my arm, so I could pump my body full of coffee. I knew I was going to need it today, that's for sure!
I held it together pretty well.... until the moment when my little one and I were standing in front of one of her bedroom windows, looking out onto the street and waiting to see my son and my husband pass by as they walked to the bus stop. I saw him walk by, and fought back the tears. It was so surreal... to be stroking the head of my 3-year-old, and seeing my oldest go off to high school. It feels like just yesterday when I was stroking HIS 3-year-old head, looking out the window to watch for Daddy, coming home from work. That felt like last week sometime. And now, he's accomplished his first day of high school! Unbelievable.
He said he enjoyed it, even though it was a bit overwhelming. The campus is both gorgeous and HUGE (82 acres total), so it's naturally going to take him several days to really get to know where all of his classrooms are, as well as the lunchroom, the library, the restrooms, the computer room, etc. I'll give him a few weeks, and he'll be an old pro.
Tomorrow will be his first full day, when his "real" classes start. Once tomorrow's over, I'll be a little less on edge, just knowing he made it through, found all of his classes, and is getting more comfortable with the school and his surroundings.
And then maybe, I'll be able to sleep until 7:00 or so. Still not late enough to my liking, but hey... I gotta fetch those Cheerios for the clamoring kiddos! :)
Monday, September 1, 2008
The Last Day of Summer Vacation Marks The Beginning of The Fall Flurry (and a Correction....)
Happy Labor Day, everyone!
Today marks the beginning of the Fall Flurry for our household. From the beginning of September, to the end of February, we're right out straight, and those six months just FLY by! Here are the notable dates:
September 2 -- N. starts school (Freshman in high school)
September 4 -- R. starts school (4th grade)
September 19 - S. has her "meet the teacher" day at school
September 23 - S. starts her first day of preschool
September 30 - N's. 14th birthday (with some kind of plan for celebration involved, including a cake on his birthday with us here at home)
October 30 - My husband's and my 15th wedding anniversary (we don't usually do much to celebrate this, but it's coming, just the same)
October 31 - Halloween (of course all you moms know what goes into planning all this!)
November 27 - Thanksgiving (we usually have Thanksgiving here every day, which means I spend all day Wednesday baking and cleaning, and all day Thursday cooking, cleaning... and collapsing!)
November 28 - Christmas shopping day (gotta take advantage of all those sales!)
December 25 - Christmas (this holiday is actually focused on all month long... between the shopping, the wrapping, the decorating, the cooking... it's insanity at its best!)
December 26 - R.'s 10th birthday (we also have a party here for her every year, about two weeks before her birthday, and have a cake for her on her birthday)
January something - the Yankee Swap and kid's grab swap for my family (since there are so many of us, being pulled in so many different directions on Christmas Day, we don't typically all see each other. So, sometime in January we have a Yankee Swap for the adults, and a kid's grab for the kids. This is also typically held at my house, but at least it's pot luck, so I don't have to cook EVERYTHING, thank goodness!)
February 22 - S's. 4th birthday (again, we have a party for her sometime in February, with a cake for her on her birthday)
And of course, in between all of those dates is all of the planning, preparation, shopping, stressing, decorating, and detailing that goes into every single one! See why it's such a flurry??
How about you guys? What is your fall/winter season like? Are you as crazy as I am, or does it just pass by you, relatively unnoticed?
On another note, I have to make a correction regarding my last week's weight loss. I gotta tell ya... math has never been my strong suit, and I got my total loss for the week all wonky. I only lost 2.4 pounds in a week (hey... I'll still take it! :). This past week, I lost 2.6 pounds, for a total of five pounds!
We're thinking about using the guest passes I won and taking the kids to the N.E. Aquarium today. We'll have to see how the day unfolds. Guess that means I have to get dressed, huh? ;)
P.S. -- I got your Google tag, Natalie, and I tried to complete it LATE last night. I was halfway into it, when all of a sudden, my computer "blinked", and when the Blogger screen came back, it was BLANK! AAAARRRRRGGGHHH! I'll complete it soon, I promise.
Today marks the beginning of the Fall Flurry for our household. From the beginning of September, to the end of February, we're right out straight, and those six months just FLY by! Here are the notable dates:
September 2 -- N. starts school (Freshman in high school)
September 4 -- R. starts school (4th grade)
September 19 - S. has her "meet the teacher" day at school
September 23 - S. starts her first day of preschool
September 30 - N's. 14th birthday (with some kind of plan for celebration involved, including a cake on his birthday with us here at home)
October 30 - My husband's and my 15th wedding anniversary (we don't usually do much to celebrate this, but it's coming, just the same)
October 31 - Halloween (of course all you moms know what goes into planning all this!)
November 27 - Thanksgiving (we usually have Thanksgiving here every day, which means I spend all day Wednesday baking and cleaning, and all day Thursday cooking, cleaning... and collapsing!)
November 28 - Christmas shopping day (gotta take advantage of all those sales!)
December 25 - Christmas (this holiday is actually focused on all month long... between the shopping, the wrapping, the decorating, the cooking... it's insanity at its best!)
December 26 - R.'s 10th birthday (we also have a party here for her every year, about two weeks before her birthday, and have a cake for her on her birthday)
January something - the Yankee Swap and kid's grab swap for my family (since there are so many of us, being pulled in so many different directions on Christmas Day, we don't typically all see each other. So, sometime in January we have a Yankee Swap for the adults, and a kid's grab for the kids. This is also typically held at my house, but at least it's pot luck, so I don't have to cook EVERYTHING, thank goodness!)
February 22 - S's. 4th birthday (again, we have a party for her sometime in February, with a cake for her on her birthday)
And of course, in between all of those dates is all of the planning, preparation, shopping, stressing, decorating, and detailing that goes into every single one! See why it's such a flurry??
How about you guys? What is your fall/winter season like? Are you as crazy as I am, or does it just pass by you, relatively unnoticed?
On another note, I have to make a correction regarding my last week's weight loss. I gotta tell ya... math has never been my strong suit, and I got my total loss for the week all wonky. I only lost 2.4 pounds in a week (hey... I'll still take it! :). This past week, I lost 2.6 pounds, for a total of five pounds!
We're thinking about using the guest passes I won and taking the kids to the N.E. Aquarium today. We'll have to see how the day unfolds. Guess that means I have to get dressed, huh? ;)
P.S. -- I got your Google tag, Natalie, and I tried to complete it LATE last night. I was halfway into it, when all of a sudden, my computer "blinked", and when the Blogger screen came back, it was BLANK! AAAARRRRRGGGHHH! I'll complete it soon, I promise.
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