Can you see what is happening?
(No, I'm not talking about the fact that my child is still wearing pajamas at 1:00 PM--it's spring break and we are getting into it!)
Last night while C was sleeping, a leprechaun bit him on the toe and this morning he awoke with invisible green spots.
I thought to myself, "It's okay. They're invisible. We can deal with this."
But now! Now, they are starting to show up!!!
What will we do if he turns completely green? How will the other children treat him?
Should I call a doctor???
Maybe it will be okay.
Maybe he'll start finding gold coins in his pointy little ears.
I guess we'll just wait and see...
I just sent my son to school with a slightly runny nose!
I've never done this before, but I was desperate.
He didn't go yesterday because he no longer goes on Mondays (long story) and he won't be going any other day this week because his preschool is closing for spring break...
And we just need a break from each other, some time apart to allow us to remember and miss all of the little things we love about one another. : )
So, I sent him.
But, at least I pointed out the tissue box and trash can before I darted out the preschool door so that's good, right?
He is, actually, doing okay today with only minor sniffles. No cough. No fever. No other signs of illness so I think that he is suffering from allergies--perhaps induced by the dog hair clinging to every single surface of our house no matter how much I vacuum or lint roller (yes, I used it as a verb). I think it's time for Max-the-Dog to visit the beauty shop!
So, now I need to decide how to spend my two glorious hours of freedom. Do I (a) continue with the painting project that I have already tired of; (b) go to Walmart--again--for more paint and other household items; (c) work on my classes--really, really need to do this; or (d) snuggle up on the couch with a novel and a cup of coffee?
We'll have to see...
I haven't posted in a bit. Things around here have been less than exciting, but here is a recap for those of you playing at home: (teehee)
- We took C to an Ice Cream Social for incoming Kindergarten students. He loved the elementary school and asked "Do I really get to go to school here?" J and I were slightly freaked out. It finally hit home that he'll be going to school soon.
- We got signed up for spring soccer and C proclaimed that--this year--he will not spend all of his time playing in the dirt and picking flowers. He's going to "help my team win the game." We'll see.
- I made a mental note to buy new running shoes for C and another one to dig out the lawn chair and blankets for me. Spring soccer = lots of running (or flower picking) for the kids, but lots of sitting in the cold for the parents.
- I went shopping on Saturday and discovered that the only things I really liked were purses and necklaces. What I really needed to find were shirts and shoes. Now what?
- I started painting the living room/dining room/kitchen/halls last night and I'm a bit worried that the color is too dark. I was hoping that seeing it in the daylight would help me to make up my mind, but it's so cloudy today that I still have no idea what it really looks like.
- I gave up sweets for Lent and I'm currently feeling about 24% homicidal. It's early yet.
- C has a cold (AGAIN) and is beyond crabby.
- I am officially on spring break this week, though in reality I have to prep the second half of the semester, compute midterm grades, and return countless emails.
And because I don't want to leave this on a work-related sour note, I'm going to think of 10 things that make me happy:
- Coffee
- Daffodils
- Sunshine
- Fabric
- Reading for fun
- Blogs
- Hardy house plants
- Taking a nap on a rainy Sunday afternoon (Oh, yes I did!)
- Being cozy at home when it's cold and rainy outside
- My sweet, sick, crazy, crabby boy
C is currently racing around the house on the dog food container.
A container with wheels + a boy = Impending doom.
Happy Monday!
P.S. C just gave me a ticket for being a "mean" mom and not letting him go to school on Mondays and Wednesdays anymore (long story). It will cost me "one penny, eight quarters, and one dollar" to pay for it. Good times!
P.P.S. He just told me that "one penny, eight quarters, and one dollar" means I owe him "three dollars and one cent." Holy cow! Is it just me or is this five-year-old a counting prodigy?
Here it is, Monday again, and I don't know what to do. I'm not bored. I have a to-do list that borders on ridiculous. I have a project sitting across the table from me, calling "Finish me!" as I type.
It's just that, after all of the stress and worry of last week, I find myself waiting for "the other shoe to drop." I'm filled with a sense of dread. Sounds dramatic, doesn't it?
Maybe I'm just letting the gloomy skies get to me.
Maybe I'm just lazy.
Okay. Enough.
I'm busting out of my bad mood. I'm off to do some laundry and house tidying.
But maybe I'll take a peek at the bird, first...
Well. We've almost made it through the week and I am so, so glad that it's Friday.
Yesterday was a better day at school. C only got kicked off the "quiet quilt" once during circle time so I'll count that as a success. J complimented C on his good day and C said, "Thank you. I'm just glad we don't have to have another one of those meetings." Ah, parenting is a delight.
In other news, we have a new sheet metal building going up in town and I'm anxious to hear what it's going to be. We already have three auto part stores, four pawn shops, and 27 convenience stores so I'm pretty sure that it's going to be something great like...Ikea? Perhaps a Pottery Barn? At the very least, a Target??? I'll keep you posted. This is riveting stuff, I know.
Finally... The other night I heard the sad news that Melissa Gilbert and Bruce Boxleitner are divorcing. It's always sad to see a long marriage end. Seriously sad. But I have to admit that if I was a single gal, I'd be giving Bruce a call right about now. Because when I was 18, my college friends and I would tune in every afternoon to watch reruns of Scarecrow and Mrs. King (after all of our homework was completed, of course) and we all had a huge crush on "Lee Stetson." In my mind he still looks like this...
...and I'm still 18. In reality, he's looking a lot like Bill Clinton and I'm looking a lot like the Pillsbury Dough Boy. Oh well! Have a great weekend!
Yesterday was rough.
Today, I pray, will be better.
We had our first official family meeting last night and it lasted a long time ("like more than two minutes" according to C).
We are expecting friends over after preschool today (a good idea a week ago, now not so much) and I still need to clean the toilet, buy food for lunch, clean out the microwave, and dust the living room.
I also need to pay bills, grade assignments, and write two midterm exams. Later.
Last night I went to bed at nine. Productive, I was not.
Today, I am going to channel the peace and calm shared by the mother and child in the Monet painting above. Today, I will not dream about tropical beaches and margaritas before noon.
Today will be better!
C is a talker.
He wakes up talking.
He goes to sleep talking.
Which is funny if you think about it because he was actually pretty quiet for the first three years of his life.
Maybe he's still practicing the skills he learned from his speech therapist two years ago.
Maybe he's making up for lost time.
For the most part, I enjoy C's conversation. He's often really funny.
Other times, I'm just tolerant. I find myself saying "uh huh" or "oh, really?" when he's telling me about Star Wars super battle droids because I'm honestly incapable of anything more sophisticated when it comes to the topic of Star Wars, Return of the Jedi, Empire Strikes Back, and/or Clone Wars.
And sometimes, I need for him to just stop talking. Quiet down. Hold his tongue. Keep mum. Zip it.
Usually when I'm on the phone.
Frequently when I'm trying to respond to a student's email.
Occasionally when I'm deeply engrossed in a magazine article.
And, I'll admit: Sometimes I yell. I lose my temper and I'm not proud of it. I wish that I was one of those parents who can say that parenting has made them more patient. I'm not. I struggle with patience every single day of my life, usually on an hourly basis.
Which is why preschool has been so good for us. Good for C. Good for me. Two and a half hours a day of goodness that allows me to be alone in a mostly silent environment so that I can prep myself for the chatter-filled afternoon ahead.
But yesterday, C came home from school and talked about how his teacher had "physically redirected" him because he was talking (too much and at the wrong times at school).
And that made this Mom feel like a little mad...
