Countdown: 2 Weeks

School starts in two weeks. Holla!!! Now, I am not normally the mom who is pictured on the Office Depot (Office Max? Staples? you get the picture) commercial joyfully pushing a cart full of school supplies through the store. I don't really mind summer break. Her Highness gets an opportunity to sleep in, thus, I do too. (Well, except The Conqueror doesn't, so...) I enjoy the break from dance lessons, doing homework, etc.

But, I know it is time for school to come back in session because the neighbor kids are driving me freakin' crazy. Perhaps I shouldn't say kids because it is one kid. One of HH's fellow princesses who is a little louder and more rambunctious than the others. She also happens to be the one who is home most often when we are, which, as I've mentioned in the past, is most all of the time.

This child, we'll call her Princess W, is a nice girl. She is funny and silly and a great friend to HH. Her parents are wonderful and welcome HH over anytime. The problem with Princess W is that she is loud and obnoxious. (I know, pot meet kettle.) She laughs loudly. She talks loudly. She even walks loudly. She calls at least 40 times a day and always asks for HH, even if it is just to find out when I am picking her up for swim lessons. She bounces and smiles and giggles. And drives me up a dang wall. The mere presence of this child causes me to get angry. I want to drown her smiling, pleasant, loud body in the pool.

Now, it is not always like this. As mentioned, her parents are great. We have become the greatest of friends. That makes it more troublesome that I fantasize about ending their eldest child's life. She is one of the happiest seven- year olds I know and, quite frankly, her happiness factor pisses me off.

I am not a sunny, glass half empty person. I do not overflow with cheer and smiles and can only handle being around those naturally positive, upbeat folks for a while and then it is grating. She has reached that point and gone a bit over. Sometimes I'd just like to shove this girl down on the cement to wipe her happy expression off of her face. Now, don't worry. I won't hurt her. Promise. I will just try to console myself with the fact that school- glorious school- begins in two weeks and she will be there for 6 1/2 hours a day. Thank God.