On the Cusp

Today Claire starts third grade.

Last night as I thought about writing this post, I thought it would be all, "YAY! The kids are back in school!" And, it is; oh, my GAWD it is.

But, it is also something more.

Third grade, for me, was the last year I went to school without a bra. It was the last year the boys and girls played together easily and without any concern for the fact that they are biologically "different".

As I have seen her several times over these last few months in a bathing suit and various states of dress and undress, I realized that she, Lord help me, is on the brink of puberty. Her little body is starting to just look different- not like Pam Anderson, mind you, just different. I believe that she, poor thing, will likely start fourth grade with a trainer's bra, just like her ol' mommy did.

Her attitude has changed, too. She is becoming more obstinate and opinionated with me- only me. She questions me directly when I make rules or rulings she doesn't like. She is entering that stage where her parents (or at least her mom) are essentially there to make life totally blow for her and are the dumbest and uncoolest creatures in the entire! universe! She's not there just yet, but the winds are changing, my friends. My little angel is about to see me as Pulic Enemy Numero Uno in a few short years.

And, the drama that has ensued in this neighborhood of three 8-year old girls this summer! Oh, the tears! The disappointments! The wrongdoings! Three little people who used to be sweet, giggling buddies often part now in sobs and hurt feelings. See, I told you, the estrogen is revving up.

So, as I stuff her pink and brown plaid backpack, still smelling of newness, with medical emergency slips and checks for lunch and school fees this perfect, humid morning, I do so with a bit of heaviness clouding the pure joy that the first day of school brings to parents.

My baby is growing up.


I hope to share photos of this momentous day but my camera, once lost, has been found. But, it is 150 miles from home. I hope my neighbor will be kind enough to email photos that I can upload to you, otherwise I am going old school today....

Role Reversal

So, I posted on Saturday about how well my husband and kids survived while I was away shopping on Black Friday. I was feeling a little blue that I was shown up by my husband's apparent superior parenting and multi-tasking abilities. Fine. It's a fluke, right?

Well, I don't think so. RxMan is off work all this week so that I can take an intensive five night class. He went to the grocery this morning while the little monster, I mean, our son napped to buy supplies for the food he will be making for dinner each night. Dinner? What's that?

When he's working, dinner here consists of mac 'n cheese, grilled cheese, cereal, leftovers or soup for Her Highness and I. I always have veggies for the boy but the girl and I make do with easy. I know that makes me a crappy mom but, oh, I am so not trying to win any awards here. I am just trying to grow these kids up to not be delinquents and crackheads. (Of course, I am kidding. Every family needs a crackhead!)

I have a feeling, though, that my husband is going to prove that our roles should be reversed. He is by far the better cook, more organized and less distract-able than I. Not to mention, as so many of you did, that my kids act like little cherubs floating around the Messiah when he watches them. When I am here, the boy screams for hours and doesn't nap but when Daddy watches them, he takes 4 or 5 hours worth of naps, without fussing.

So, I fear that this week will be the week when I learn that my already suspect SAHM skills are proven to be incredibly sub par to RxMan's. He said I should get a job that would support us and he would switch with me. Hmmn. Tempting but seeing as how I still have a couple quarters left to finish my degree, probably ain't gonna happen and I don't have the bod to strip or hook so...

I Have To Tell This To Someone!

I just finished a twelve page paper for a course that is a, well, to be honest, BITCH!!!!! I took a test a few weeks ago and I almost cried because of it; I felt like I had never seen most of the info on it. I was lost. Somehow, though, I managed to pull a B-, mostly thanks to the fact that it is an internet course and I had all of the online notes on hand and I am a good BS'er.

Well, as I was sourcing my paper, something caught my eye on the syllabus:

Textbooks
Neuliep, J. (2006). Intercultral communication: A contextual approach. London: Sage Publications. ISBN 1-4129-1741-7.

Hmmn. I thought the author to my textbook was Jandt. (Found book and checked.) It is.

Uh. Oh.

Yeah, how freaking stupid am I? I bought the wrong #$%&*@$ text! Or, I should say, I was directed to the wrong book by the fifteen year-old work study flunkie who was manning the bookstore that day!!

No freaking wonder I felt like there was a party that I wasn't invited to when I took the freaking test!

I know I am very much to blame for not noticing this until the 9th week of the quarter. I didn't, though. This caught me out of nowhere. Apparently the texts are similar because I did all of the reading (well, not really, I realize now) and was vaguely familiar with many of the concepts mentioned but the minutiae of the test was like Arabic to me. Now I know why.

This dumbass moment was brought to you by BrainFarts, Inc.
Available to all new moms who have "too many irons in the fire".

Haiku Friday

She did her solo
And made her momma so proud
A perfect night

Tonight was the second grade musical that we have been anxiously awaiting. Her Highness rocked the house. She was not only the cutest thing there but also the best singer, if I do say so myself! (:

I am hoping to be able to upload video over the weekend but...I am not holding my breath that I will be able to figure it out so, dear readers, any advice would be ever so helpful.

(Please excuse the cruddy photo taken during the program. In Ohio, we do not build auditoriums in new school buildings because...well, 'cause we have stupid school funding issues. Anyway, this program occurred in a "cafetorium". That is Ohio-speak for cafeteria with a stage. Snazzy, ain't it? Anyway, the lighting was horrid and we were sitting waaaayyy in the back so we could make a quick escape had The Conqueror gotten fussy and loud because the music teacher told the children to have mommy and daddy get a babysitter for any little babies! Can you imagine!?)

It is Haiku Friday, wanna join in?

The Magic School Bus

It arrived this morning at 7:57AM. The big, yellow bus came and whisked Her Highness away for her first day of second grade. She awoke at 7:00 to the smell of blueberry muffins and the sound of a sneezing Conqueror. She was happy and excited to go to school. I was excited for her!

She and I went to meet the teacher, as I mentioned here, on Monday night and HH was thrilled that, gasp, she was the very teacher she wanted!? Yay! And, it gets even more exciting, she has a (drumroll please. I know the suspense is killing you but you have to wait just a few more nanoseconds to hear what my seven-year old second grader is thrilled to have) desk! HH has left behind the baby-ish tables of Pre-K, Kindergarten and 1st grade. She. Now. Has. Her. Own. Desk! (Did you feel the earth move just a little around 6:00 Monday evening?) This is a tremendously big step for those of you who are too out of touch with your own inner second grader. Honest.

I remember second grade. Mrs. Huggins was my teacher. She was so scary looking; she had very, very long hair and wore it pulled back in a tight and rather severe looking bun. Despite her witch-like appearance (hey, I was in 2nd grade!), she was a wonderful teacher. I loved her! She was a nature-lover and took our class on long walks in the woods behind the high school. She had eaten rattle snake and brought her camos and hunting rifle to school during deer gun season so she could hunt in those same woods after class (remember, this is pre-Columbine, Jonesboro and the like). We prayed each day before entering the cafeteria. Second grade was wonderful.

Truthfully, though, I loved school. I remember my very first day of kindergarten, which was also my first school bus ride. My mom and grandma (whom we were staying with at the time for some reason not worth mentioning) were going to walk me to the end of the driveway in their (gasp!) bathrobes and I wouldn't allow it. No way, Jose! I didn't want the older kids to see my terribly uncool mom and granny. I was way to cool for that, even at five years old.

HH loves school, too. She woke last night nervous and excited and had trouble going back to sleep; I did this every year of school- even high school. She was excited to wear her new clothes, shoes, undies and backpack. I loved that, too, as a little girl. The first day was always so exciting! The beginning of a whole new year of learning and new friends and growth.

I hope she has a great day!