Category: Activities

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Activities Cole Family & Friends Mothering Parenting Ryan School

The First Day of Kindergarten

It doesn’t seem possible that, this day is here already- Ryan’s first day of school.  How did five and a half years pass so quickly? 

Ryan was so excited to start school.  He has been asking everyday when school starts.  The other day he said he wished he could stay home and play with Cole, but he had to go to school.  He said it in such a grown up voice.  Yesterday he was sitting at the kitchen table with his backpack on.  When I asked him what he was doing, he said he was practicing riding the bus to school. 

We went yesterday to meet his teacher, and Ryan got to sit at his desk, and get a feel for the classroom.  He is going to school two and a half days a week, and there are 19 children in his class.  His teacher, Mrs. G., seemed wonderful, and was very organized.  All the children seemed nice, and I am positive Ryan will have a great year.

From the day Ryan was born, I wanted  him to be confident, and happy when new experiences arise.  I was painfully shy as a child, and the first day of school every year filled me with dread and anxiety.  So I am very happy Ryan was so excited and confident to take this next step. 

But as a mother, it is bittersweet.  This is my baby and starting school is a very real reminder that, well- he isn’t a baby anymore, and never will be again.  I knew this day was coming, but yet- it still seemed very far off- other people’s children grow up and go to school.  There is a part of me that wished Ryan (and Cole) could stay little forever- there is nothing in the world like a baby.  If you are a parent, you know what I am describing.

But every milestone your baby reaches, brings them closer to this day- the day they go off to school and start their life more independent from you.  When Ryan was born, a friend gave me a book- mediatations for new mothers.  In those early days, as I sat for hours rocking and nursing him, this passage stuck in my mind- for every milestone Ryan took as a baby, and today:

“Yes, it hurts when buds burst, there is pain when something

grows.”–Karin Boye

I shed tears of joy when Alexander first crawled across the

floor. I clapped and cheered. Moments later, I realized that life

with him would never be the same. His baby days were over, he would

soon be a toddler. Then I cried again as a sense of loss washed

over me.

We provide support and encouragement for our little ones. we

help them learn to crawl, to walk, and to stand. Yet, with every

accomplishment, there is a twinge of sadness. Maybe our children no

longer need us? They do need us, but they must keep growing,

developing, changing.

(From Meditations for New Mothers by Beth Wilson Saavedra)

Ryan waved good-bye to us as he walked into the school- not with me, or his dad, but by himself, following Mrs. G., I silently said good-bye to my baby, and hello to a confident, independent little boy.  This is the way it is supposed to be, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Here are a few pictures from the last five and half years:

 Ryan in Feb. 2004- he was just barely a month oldRyan February Batch 004

First day of pre-school- Sept. 2008008

Yesterday, at Meet the Teacher008

Cole says good-bye to his big brother019

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First day of kindergarten- Aug. 2009

Categories
Activities Cole Mothering Parenting Ryan School

Pre-School Graduation

Ryan graduated from pre-school today, and it was a big milestone for him.  He has been excited about graduation all week. 

His school had four classes with graduating kids.  This was my first time at a school performance, and it was such a treat.  Each class got to sing a song with props and costumes.  It was like a little comedy show.  One girl was so happy to have spotted her family from the stage, she spent the entire time on the stage with the biggest smile on her face, waving as hard as she could to her family.

During one of the performances, each child in that class, got to go up to the microphone and sing what animal they were dressed as.  They were all so quiet, and would barely whisper into the microphone- but not the boy who was the lion.  He got up to the microphone and roared- not once but a few times.  

After the kids had received their dipolmas (yes, they handed out diplomas to all the kids), two boys were singing a song, “Kindergarten, Here We Come.”  It was supposed to be a duet, but one of the boys must have watched American Idol last night, because it was all about him.  He grabbed the microphone stand in his hand, away from the other boy, and sang as loud as we could, “Kindergarten, here we come,” over and over. He had a great voice too.  Finally, the teacher asked him to let the other boy sing, and he had the saddest look on his face, as he handed the microphone stand back to the other boy.  

The funniest thing that happened, in my opinion, was after the third class walked across the stage, an hour had already passed.  Cole was being so good, but he was getting tired, and he had been promised cake, afterwards.  He heard the teacher say the class had graduated.  Everyone clapped, and the gym grew quiet as we were waiting for the last class.  That moment Cole announced, loudly, “Okay, it’s over.  Where is the cake?”  So many people around us laughed and it was just precious. 

As I watched my little boy, who isn’t so little anymore, sing with his class and walk across the stage for his diploma, my eyes filled with tears.  This isn’t the same little guy I was just holding as a baby is it?  Wasn’t he just learning how to walk, and when did he grow up so fast, to be walking across a big stage all by himself for his diploma he could wave? 

As Ryan’s picture showed up in a slide show, I realized this was my baby, and he always will be my baby.  Ryan doesn’t need me the same way as he did when he was a baby, but he needs me in different ways now.

As they played an incredibly sad country song to go along with the slide show, when he spotted me from the stage, and smiled at me, I knew that even though we have reached this milestone in Ryan’s life, they are endless.  There will also be another milestone to look forward too, and I am so lucky to be able to share these moments with my now kindergartner. 

Congratulations on your first school graduation, Ryan. I am so proud of you, and I love you.  

P.S. I found out the song they played is called Universe from Mark Wills, if you want to listen to a sad country song.  🙂  Who doesn’t love that?

Now for the pictures: 

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Walking down the aisle to the stage to get his diploma

009c

Checking out the diploma

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The Graduate

         015c   The proud Mommy

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With the cake-loving little brother, Cole

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Activities Ryan Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday- Childhood

With spring upon us, this is one of my favorite pictures of Ryan when he was a baby.  I took it in May of 2005- he was almost 1.5 years old.  He was playing in the wheelbarrow at his grandparent’s house. 

may-05-068-copy

See a variety of other pictures at Wordless Wednesday.

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Activities Me Shopping

Costco Fiasco

Murphy’s Law: Whatever can go wrong will.   

This law follows me to Costco.  Every. Single. Time.

I spend money at Costco- I don’t know why there is bad karma surrounding me there.

The first Costco I ever shopped at, was SO crowded- it took an hour to check out.  It was not a fun experience, no matter how much I was saving on diapers. 

We would walk up and down the aisles deciding we needed that 120 oz. bag of chocolate chips.  I think it took us a few years to use all those chocolate chips, and by that time the ones that were left, had turn to ash. 

Chocolate chips are just one example of the many items we have brought over the years at Costco, thinking it was such a good deal at the time, but then as we threw away rotten chocolate chips, we realized it wasn’t such a great bargain. 

Maybe that is where the bad karma comes from-doubting Costco’s true money saving ability.

The new Costco I go to is exactly backwards from the Costco I was used to shopping.  This is a big deal to me, since I have mommy brain.  I still revert to the floor plan of the first Costco I shopped at for many years, and instead of ending up in the cereal aisle, I am in the automotive section, looking at Armerol.  Something always goes wrong for me when  Costco is involved.

On Sunday I thought I could sneak in a quick trip to Costco, before I was supposed to pick my mom up, who was visiting from out of town.  I left an hour ahead of time, thinking that would give me  plenty of time to pick up a few items, even on a Sunday.  About ten miles away, we got stuck in a traffic jam from an accident.  By the time we are moving again, there was only fifteen minutes left  before I was to meet my mom, and that was just not enough time.    

Today I took my mom to the airport, and Costco is on the way.  Brilliant.  We had a half-an-hour before she had to be at the airport, and we were already half way there.  My mom said she would wait in the car with the boys, so it would take even less time, and I would be in and out.  I only needed five things-coffee being one of them.  For home and for work.  I needed two bags (this information comes in handy later.)

The parking lot was practically empty, so I thought it was going to be a breeze, and it almost was.  In under ten minutes, I remembered where everything was, and was ready to check out. 

But I underestimated Murphy’s Law.  In front of me was the slowest person ever to unload her groceries.  Then she was one of the few people left on the planet that writes checks.  Then she couldn’t find her I.D.  I wasn’t too worried at this point.  Finally the pers0n ahead of me was done, and I checked out with no problems.  I took the two bags of coffee beans to the grinders. I opened one, and poured all of the beans in, and turned it on.  Only problem- it didn’t work.

There was a nice sign hanging up that said, “If coffee grinder doesn’t work, use the spoon and push the beans down in the grinder.”  The spoon they had sitting there was gross.  I didn’t want to use it to push my coffee beans in the grinder.  But I didn’t have a choice.  So I did, and turned the grinder on.  Nothing. 

I looked underneath to make sure it was plugged in.  It was.  I tried scooping some of the beans out, and trying again.  The grinder still was not working.  I used the spoon to scoop more beans into the other grinder.  I turned that one on, and nothing.  Clearly pushing the beans into the grinder with the disgusting spoon was not doing the trick.  I looked around for an employee- any Costco employee- but they had all magically disappeared.

I finally spoted a cafe worker, wiping down some tables.  I thought about asking her to go clean the spoon while she was at it, but I politely asked her who could help me with the coffee grinders- they were not working.  She looked past me and said, “You just have to push the beans down with the spoon.”  After I informed her as nicely as I could, that was not working, she told me to go to the customer service counter.

By now, it was time we should have been leaving for the airport. Fortunately, there was a customer service employee who was standing at the counter.  I asked him, if he could help me with the coffee grinders.  He looked at me and said, “You just have to mush them down with the spoon.”  I wasn’t so nice this time- I told him I did that, and neither one was working.

He got to the grinders and took out an equally dirty brush, and started brushing the lever.  (Like that was going to do anything.) Then he picked up the spoon and stirred.  (I guess he thought I was lying to him, and I really hadn’t tried to push the beans down.)  Then he turned on the switch, and nothing.  He said, “That’s funny.”  Then he looked to see if the machines were unplugged or not.  He dinked around with them for a few more minutes and told me they were not working.  I told him I knew they weren’t working- that is why I had looked him up at customer service.

He told me if I could wait, he’d see what the problem was. I told him I was late now getting someone to the airport- could I just come back at some point and get some new coffee.  He told me sure, but I needed to keep the empty bag, and then bring it to customer service the next time I was in.

This man did not know that I have two boys, who destroy everything- I can’t keep track of their shoes from one day to the next, and I was certain an empty coffee bean bag was not going to be on my list of high priorities to keep track of.   

I asked him, “Really?  I have to keep the bag?”

He told me yes.  Unless I wanted a refund- he could do it very quickly.

I opted for the refund.  He refunded one bag very fast, and then his register locked up during the second refund.  I waited.  While he was waiting for the register gods to unlock his register, he called a manager and told him the coffee grinders were not working.  A second later I heard someone announce over the PA system, “Reset the breaker for the coffee grinders.” 

A few minutes later I had the second refund, and I noticed a woman was at the coffee grinders, grinding her coffee as I walked out. 

I had no coffee, just wasted fifteen minutes, and was ten minutes behind- but at least the the grinders were now working. 

I wonder if my karma would change at Sam’s Club?

Categories
Activities Mothering Parenting

The Perfect Mom

Lately I have started to notice The Perfect Mom everywhere I go.  I think it is because of a book I have been reading, Life Swap, by Jane Green.  The story asks is the grass really greener on the other side, and one of the characters in the book, Amber, is The Perfect Mom. 

The town Amber lives in, Highfield Connecticut, is so competitive among the mothers- they have to have the right clothes, the right shoes, the right running-errands look, the right car, the right body, enroll their children in all the right schools and activities, the right husband, and of course make this look effortless.

Reading the book, I thought it was a little exaggerated- or was it?

I live in Northern Colorado, where thankfully, most of the mothers I know, are more concerned about making playdates for their kids, and talking to the moms there, then checking out which moms have the latest designer handbag.  But I work in Boulder, which is a lot like the town in the book.   I get out to lunch every so often and see the mom crowd at noon, with the latest baby gear, designer diaper bags, designer clothes, and they look perfect doing it.

Today I took the boys to the Children’s Museum in Denver, where for a minute I thought I was anywhere but a children’s museum– where there are children- you know- who are dirty. 

I saw more moms than not, in designer jeans, high heeled (like several inches) boots, beautiful jewelery, gorgeous sweaters, and scarves.  Their hair was perfect- their make-up was flawless, and they had the latest designer handbags. I watched them like they were from another planet, because to me they are. I find it fascinating. 

Don’t get me wrong- I like to dress up like that when I am going out to dinner, or to a movie, or to a party, or out with friends- but to take my two active boys out with dirty hands and runny noses- not so much.  I like to save my designer jeans and my ONE beautiful expensive sweater when it will not be used as a tissue by my two-and-a-half year old.

Yet I noticed something- The Perfect Mom’s children did not wipe their hands on their mother’s 7 for All Mankind Jeans.  They didn’t drool half eaten bananas on their calfskin leather boots.  Their two year olds, didn’t tug at their just-out-of -the salon haircuts.  The children certainly were not using their mothers cashmere sweaters as tissues.  I wondered what planet were these were children from?

Since Ryan and Cole love playing on the fire engine there, I get to sit and mom-watch.  As some of these perfect children belonging to The Perfect Moms from Planet Perfect started to melt down, it was back to Earth.  Even a mother in a $500 outfit for a day at the children’s museum gets that look of dread in her face when her child starts screaming and crying.  My group of mom friends just seem to go to our kids when they are crying and hug them, or pick them up.  That is why I don’t do Perfect Mom- it isn’t very practical.  It was interesting to see that I didn’t see very many Perfect Mom’s pick up or even touch their kids, while they were crying.

I am not judging- just stating an observation that I saw today.  One mom told her daughter, who was about four, and who was screaming so loudly I wanted ear-plugs, that she was going to leave if the daughter didn’t stop crying.  The daughter did not stop crying, and true to her word, the mom started to walk away- really- like out of the room.  The girl started screaming even louder and the mom didn’t come back.  She really had left.  This was upsetting to me- I can only imagine how this little girl felt.  I was ready to go comfort her, when Mom came back and the little girl was beside herself, whimpering and telling her mom she wouldn’t cry anymore. 

Everyone in the room was watching this, and it was upsetting.  I can’t judge someone by the type of clothes they wear, but I saw a few more incidents like this as well- not as extreme, but the women who were dressed perfectly, didn’t seem to pick up or touch their children- at least not when I saw them.  I am not saying that they don’t, but I just didn’t see it when I was watching today.  

As we were leaving the museum, a little boy ran right into me. His mom came over and apologized and told me she was sorry.  She immediately swooped down, and picked up her little boy and held him.  She had on jeans (probably from Old Navy) tennis shoes, and a fleece jacket.  I smiled and told her no problem- and I felt like I was back on planet Earth-for real. 

Most moms I know, myself included are not be perfect- we struggle.  If we can get dressed, get our kids dressed, and manage to get out of the house before lunch time, we are doing well.  I know the last thing on my mind some days is how I look.  One day I was out for six hours running errands with the kids and had a playdate.  At the end of the day, when I was getting undressed, I noticed my shirt was on inside out, with the label sticking out.  I wondered how many people had noticed that, or more than likely, no one had. 

Perfect moms look beautiful, poised, and put together at all times.  I admire someone who can do that, I really do.  But I would rather be able to hug my child and not risk, ruining my outfit if he happened to have dirt on his hands, or a runny nose.  If my kids can feel free to give me hugs whenever they want, then I know I am the perfect mom to them- that is all that matters- even if my shirt is on inside out.