Hits and Misses

Yesterday was a funny day. Hit the ground running with the gym with my friend Lynne, walking dogs, and getting my new planner/organizer in line. Then ran my son to the pediatrician's only to find out I got there early. The receptionist said, "wow you are really early for your appointment!" I thought to myself, "look at me, I"m killing it today, early and everything!" And then she looked at me and said, "You are actually 2 days early, the appointment is on Thursday." This is the explanation of how I live my life to a tee. Mostly hits, but also the comic misses. At least I ended the day on a high note, hosting a few friends to make healthy salad jars. I don't have a picture of the look on my face at the pediatrician's, so I give you the jars and the one I just ate for lunch. Life is not linear, focus on what you get right and learn from the misses. 

Small Moments

Every morning I put him on the school bus. I kiss him and hug him very tightly and say "I love you and be smart and be kind and be a good friend". And though I swore I wouldn’t be one of those moms who did this, I get a little teary-eyed and I miss him.  I count the time until this moment, when he runs off the school bus in the afternoon.

 Every day he yells the same thing “I love you mommy!”. I cherish this age and this little boy energy and affection as I know it becomes fleeting as he gets older. I wanted to freeze this every day ordinary kindergarten moment. Because I know in the days ahead and as he gets to be a big boy, you don’t miss major milestones. You miss the day to day life small moments.

First Week Of School With A Kindergartener

It goes something like this....

Day 2:

8:30am

First phone call from school today. 

Mrs. Sullivan: Hi, nothing's wrong, but Nicholas is insisting that he is getting hot lunch today. He's very concerned that it's cheeseburger day and he doesn't have a lunch card yet. By the way, it's not cheeseburger day. And I notice he has a full packed lunch with a sandwich. Just checking. (laughing as she tells me all this)

Me: Yes, he has a lunch and is not getting hot lunch today.

Mrs. Sullivan: Ok 'll let him know he needs to eat his packed lunch. (Pause) He is really crazy for cheeseburgers! 

Me: Oh Nicholas....

Mrs. Sullivan: Just in case, cheeseburger day for lunch is tomorrow. (still laughing)

****Updated at 1pm
Nicholas as he’s walking off the bus: Why didn’t I get to have a cheeseburger for lunch? It was on the menu!

Me: Hi how was your day?

Nicholas: I’m not telling you because you wouldn’t let me get a cheeseburger. 

Me: you had a lunch and today was not cheeseburger day.

Nicholas: Well that’s gyp. Someone needs to get yelled at about that.

****Tomorrow he will be able to participate in cheeseburger hot lunch for anyone concerned.

We Don't Like Planks or Pranks

Today’s morning car discussion (from July 16th):
We are listening to Z-100 and the phone tap comes on. He’s listening and it’s a girl pranking her dad. Pretends the school is calling and she’s flunking out and skipping school. Nicholas is listening to the whole thing very intently. He keeps sighing and mumbling to himself.

Nicholas: Mommy what IS THIS that is happening? Why is everyone yelling? 

Mommy: well, it’s a called a phone tap and they are playing a prank on someone. 

Nicholas: I don’t know what a plank is but it’s not good! Everyone is mad!

Mommy: it’s a prank not a plank, and it is a trick they are playing on someone. At the end they tell them it’s a trick. 

Nicholas: this is the worst thing ever! I don’t ever want you to play a trick like this on me. I know you want to mommy, but if you do I’ll call Papa and tell him to put you on a getting grounded. You’re a stinker, and you think this is funny. You’re nuts! 

Mommy: wow you really have strong feelings about this! This is adult humor, usually they have songs on here.sorry.

Nicholas: I don’t like this and it’s not nice. You better tell them we like the Jonas Brothers better than this crap!

Guess I need to monitor the Satellite radio more closely. He doesn’t like this crap. 😳
Note to all, please do not play a “plank” on my son.

I guess it always takes a child to point out the obvious. Some things that should be funny these days just aren't. And not because there isn't some humor in a prank. I think right now with a contentious political climate in this country and people always being black and white, offended or not offended, maybe humor like this isn't great in this season of discontent. Maybe there's something bigger to laugh at that isn't as mean-spirited as our general vibe in the US. In any case, not everyone thinks a "plank" is that funny to begin with. Glad my son can figure these things out for himself!

Daily Conversations With A Kiddo

A friend who doesn't have kids asked me what you talk about with a kid all day. Here is an example, this was just this morning between 8 and 9 am. This is pretty much how it goes all day long.

N: Why do you call me kiddo? Im just a kid.

Mama: Well, my first grade teacher Mrs.Heckendorf always called us kiddos and so did my third grade teacher Mrs. Losee. I think that was the cool word back then.

N: That must’ve been a long time ago mama, I never hear that word again except when you say it. Was it like an old people word?

Mama: No! It was the 1970s and it was a cool word.

N: 1970s? Thats when it was all Panic in the Disco right?

Mama: It was just disco, Panic in the Disco is the band you like that sings High Hopes.

N: Oh that’s a good one. And he likes to sing with Taylor Swift, Me-ee-ee! She’s a girl singer. She's a girl.

Mama: Yes, I love that song.

N: That’s the one with the umbrellas and dancing.

Mama: Yes, what other songs do you like?

N: I like Gonna Take My Horse to the Old Town Road. 

Mama: Oh yes, I like that one too.

N: Also Pour Some Sugar on Me and Detroit Rock City.
(Pause)

N: Columbus Bue Jackets. Where is that?

Mama: That’s in Ohio.

N: Have you been there? What about St. Louis Blues? Id like to go there. It looks beautiful and it has a big arch and they watch hockey outside.

Mama: Haven't been to either place

N: Mama, what are we even talking about, I forget.

That last sentence says it all. If you know me well, then he is exactly the same. Lots of talking. Not really sure what we are talking about half the time but I love that he wants to talk to me.

Talking About Life Decisions With A 5 Year Old

Discussing Rob Gronkowski with a 5 year old.....

5yr Old: I think Gronk is the best player on the Patriots.

Mama: Well Nicholas he is not coming back, he retired.

5yr old: Oh then he can spend time with his baby.

Mama: He doesn’t have a baby yet.

5yr old: What’s he going to do? Get a new

job?

Mama: Yes Nicholas he’s already done some acting and he probably has his own company.

5yr old: Oh he should really just get married and have a baby. But maybe he’s still thinking. He should think about who he marries then have a baby.

Mama: I hope you do lots of thinking about who you marry. But not now, a log time from now.

5yr old: (Laughs like crazy)

Mama, she’s got to like sports and legos and my house.

Mama: Our house now or the one you’re going to buy?

5yr old: Oh the one I’m going to buy. It’s going to be huge!

Mama: Wow! Are you going to buy it yourself or with the girl you marry? 

5yr old: Well, I’ll still be thinking. So first I go buy a house. Then I get married.  (Pause)She better want 13 kids.

Mama: 13 kids?!?

5yr old: Yes mommy, if I have a house that big, I’m gonna have 13 kids because that’s fun. And then they all fill the house. 

My girl will have her own room

Because she has 13 kids and she’ll be tired. And she’ll want to sit by herself after all the sports and the legos. And I’ll make her dinner.

I hope Gronk knows how to do all that. I already know and I’m 5 1/2!

The kid will probably end up making better decisions than Gronk.

Because You Can

So I write a lot and about 90% I don't share and about 10% I do. Today I was just having those thoughts I wanted to share. I've spent a good amount of time working on my interior dialogue and who I want to be as a person. I think I'm right where I need to be with myself and being comfortable in my own skin. (but as always, I am open for room to improve when I can) Once you get to that point, I think it's important to share what you can with the world. There's a lot of narcissism and bullying and whatnot on social media as well is in real life. I challenge us all to be different. Be the person who lends a helping hand. Set aside judgement and be a listener to someone who needs it. Go the extra mile and don't ask for credit for it or accolades. Just be a good human.

 Because you can. 

Ask someone what you can do to help. Be there for someone without them having to ask. Step up to the plate, be willing, be open, stand up for someone, quietly support a struggle, just BE THERE AND BE A REAL HUMAN UNDERSTANDING PERSON. Encourage someone to say their truth out loud and then stand back and embrace it without judgement or criticism, just support. Drive that person to the airport who needs a ride. Take someone's child for the day to give them a little break. Bake it, make it, buy it, bring it to someone who absolutely needs it and is unable to reach out and tell you they are in need. Make an extra trip, go out of your way, take on an another task because someone's life is made better by you doing so. Life is hard, motherhood is hard, parenting is hard, work is hard, adult-ing is hard, human-ing is hard. Be that person who makes it easy. Because life can also be great.

Because you can.

***Feel free to share this. But in this case make sure you give me the credit. I am a writer after all.