Wednesday, August 26, 2009

C'mon, learn something!

Alrighty, then.

Fifth day of school for Mickey. Wouldn't it be funny if I posted something every day about Mickey's kindergarten year? I could post what he said at the end of each day, what he brought home in his backpack, and what he had for lunch.

(Please tell me no one thinks I'm serious. Talk about the best way to lose all seven of you as readers.)

But really, it's that little stuff is all I've been thinking about lately. As far as what he's actually learning, maybe he's keeping that to himself for some big reveal in the future. The way far off future, I suspect.

Thing is, we new parents were instructed to let the information lie for a while...don't ask too many questions, don't pressure the kids to recount every minute of their day.

Easier said than done. But I'm learning.

For now I refrain from "what did you learn today" and gobble up the tidbits that do come forth from time to time ("we got to choose a book to take home today...").

I'm just impatient to know how he's going to do...what he'll accomplish in school and what he'll need help with. It's almost like when he was a baby and I wondered what he'd be like as a five-year-old.

Yikes...that means the time right now, right this minute, is going to pass in a flash.

Scary.

Monday, August 24, 2009

The first day

Maybe by now I can write about Mickey's first day of Kindergarten without losing it. And I got The Big Camera out of its big case and put it to work (the mourning for The Little Camera continues).

In case you're needing to get to work or school and don't have time to read the rest of this post, the synopsis is that Mickey's first day of kindergarten was harder on me than it was on him. The whole family escorted him to his room where he dutifully took his place on the fun carpet with the other kids. Then we all just stared. Us at him, the other parents at their kids, him at the other kids, the other kids at him. Everyone just seemed to be waiting for some action to begin.

The only action, though, was me snapping photos. And after an awkward amount of time I finally decided to say goodbye, only when I approached Mickey and tried to call his name, I couldn't get the word out. Deep breath, deep breath, I'm thinking...please just look over here so I don't have to say anything. Finally I squeaked out something and he turned to me, which didn't help my state much.

But amidst the tears I gave him a hug and told him I loved him, and he gave me a really confused look...and then sat back down to await the action.

And then I beat it outta there with Pete and the ever-flitting-about Alex.

At the end of the day I tried not to badger him with too many questions because I could tell he was tired. On the way home he recounted a couple of details, and then, before we even got out of the parking lot: "...Mamma, when am I going golfing with Daddy?"

I'm thinking that's a sign of a multitasking brain, right?

No one was too happy about getting up and out the door so early.


A big pancake and sausage, as promised.

How old do kids get when they stop getting dressed in the living room?

Sorta looks like a mug shot, but I wasn't being picky. It looks dark outside because it was pouring down rain. Nice...

Pete said he was not nervous about Mickey's first day. But he's the one who put liquid Comet in the dishwasher that morning...

Ahhh, the new school supplies...seemed to be beckoning little hands to begin creating things.

It's as if they're saying: I'm a little unsure so I'm keeping to myself here. And waiting for some action...

...but in the meantime Alex can tackle me and loosen things up.

So here we go...Mickey's ready, I just hope I am.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

My poor littlest. Whatever.

I decided to start a new tradition with Mickey when school starts: he gets to go to the bookstore and pick out a new book. In order to protect Alex from the trauma he would surely suffer while watching Mickey get all this attention, I told him we would go to Target and he could choose a new CD. He's lovin' his music these days, especially putting in the CD and turning it on himself.

So after we took Mickey to school this morning (details on that later) off we went to Target to accomplish the task. Alex chose The Imagination Movers and talked about it the whole way home. He eagerly trekked off to his room, inserted the CD, and listened to exactly one-half a song.

Then he took the CD out and put in one of his old ones. And fifteen minutes later he's still in there listening to it.

So much for impending trauma...

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Night before The First Day

I had prepared another post mourning the loss of My Little Camera...it was a doozey, too, all about how sometimes losing things is not as much about the value of the item, but the inconvenience of replacing it, and how the thug who took it (which is the only remaining possibility) will get his payback when he looks up how much the camera is worth and realizes it may not be enough to buy his Vega a tank of gas. Yeah, had that post ready to go until more important thoughts started clouding my head, like

my oldest boy starting kindergarten. Tomorrow.

I thought to myself, my goodness, if this mommy blog doesn't have some sort of salute to that momentous occasion, then I say...what blog?

So I'm determined to post something about it, even if it takes me all night long to get it written. Although I have to get up earlier tomorrow than I have in several years to make The First Day happen with as little angst as possible.

There's laying out his the new clothes...uniform-wear, I should say. And I actually asked Mickey "what do you want to wear tomorrow..." Whoops.

And positioning the new backpack by the door, which is empty this first trip but for the new lunchbox. Mickey has informed me he wants to try the cafeteria selections, though...and soon.

Then there's the pancakes and sausage I've promised him...and for some reason he has requested a bigger pancake than Alex's. Doesn't make much difference if Alex is eating two pancakes to his one, but "okay," I told him.

And getting The Big Camera ready to go. And its battery charged. And getting my name and address on the bag and a small cluster of ink bombs stashed inside that will explode if it gets more than ten feet away from me.

And, tonight, trying not to think of this as an emotional thing. Trying to remind myself that very soon we'll have this school thing down-pat: the schedule, the homework, the activities. It'll all become second nature. Pete and I, and Alex for that matter, will slide into the school environment and the magnitude of the first day will soon fade in the shadow of the next milestone.

But I wonder if I can actually accomplish that last task: I think of myself as pretty level-headed when it comes to emotions. And then my nephews go off to college...and I get emotional not for me or them but for their parents saying goodbye to them. And I think of my niece recently becoming engaged, and I tear up not when she delivers me the wonderful news, but later when I celebrate it on the phone with her mother.

So how am I supposed to keep it together when I'm seeing my own son through a milestone? I truly don't know. I truly hope there will be at least one other parent taking it worse than me, someone else in the group who didn't wear mascara on purpose. Then maybe no one won't see me ugly-crying into a bank of lockers. 'Cause it's gonna happen...I can just about guarantee it.

But contrary to my rambling here, the day is so not about me. It's about Mickey and his First Day...one that I hope he remembers forever.

Or at least the sausage and the big pancake...

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Sicker

Today the boys and I went to the restaurant where I thought I left my camera to see if the person who looked for it was incompetent. She wasn't. No luck.

So I called Mickey's school. We'd been there that day for a function where I used my lost camera to take pictures...the whole reason I had it with me. No luck.

I really can't think of anywhere else to look, unless I've completely lost my head and stashed it somewhere in this still-unorganized house. Which could mean we don't find it until we move again. And by that time I'll be able to sell it to a museum for a lot of money.

So now I guess I'm forced to either by a new camera or learn to use The Big One properly.

Hmm, wonder which one Pete will vote for...

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Sick

That's the best way to describe how I'm feeling: I think I've lost my digital camera. Not my big one I just bought...no one could misplace that thing. My little point-and-shoot. I think I left it in a restaurant last Friday during lunchtime. The workers there looked once but didn't find it. I'm sick. There were a hundred or so pics on it...of the move, etc. And of the boys in our old house on the last day we were there.

I suppose it could be worse: the camera itself isn't worth a hundred dollars: it's almost five years old and it's limping along. If someone swiped it from the restaurant booth they'll be sorely disappointed in their loot. Good.

I'm almost as upset about losing the camera case it was in: a red Tamrac I've owned for probably fifteen years. It's been on every vacation, to and from the Caribbean a few times, countless kid and family events...and not a scratch or tear anywhere on it. They don't even make the model anymore.

And to finish me off...the fact that the case also contained misc. equipment that goes to my video camera. That'll be a cinch to replace.

I'm heading to the restaurant tomorrow morning to conduct my own search. And probably come home empty handed.

Sick, sick, sick...

Monday, August 10, 2009

Boxes and stuff

I'm starting to wonder if the boxes that have yet to be unpacked really need to be. After all, the last few I've unleashed were full of things I forgot I even owned. Could that be a sign I don't need them? Wait, one of them was full of old cheerleading uniforms...surely they will be of some use to me again someday.

The boys are lovin' their playroom. And as long as I hear them up there running back and forth periodically I don't worry. It's when the quiet ensues that I feel the need to check on them. Is that a universal parenting thing??

Little by little we are getting settled, but my word, it's gonna be weeks before I don't have something to put away. Although it seemed I was forever doing that at the old house so I suppose nothing much will change.

Alex asked me the other day when we were going back to the old house. I tried to explain as gently as I could that someone bought it from us and she's now living there, and we have a new house.

"Oh."

I know the questions will get more complex when they get older; for now I'm going to enjoy answering the easy ones.

So...eleven days until my oldest starts kindergarten and just a few days until two nephews and a niece start college.

And starts a new chapter on this blog...I hope.