Mommy, what do you do?

Saw this at APL (who saw it here, I think...)

According to this quiz, (and we all know I can't resist a quiz!) My top careers should be:
1. Communications Specialist
2. Professor
3. Management Consultant
4. Economist
5. Researcher
6. Political Aide
7. Adoption Counselor
8. Corporate Trainer
9. Market Research Analyst
10.Foreign Language Instructor
11.Librarian

My current job is a combination of numbers 1,8,and 9. But what I wanted to be when I was a kid - my whole life until I got to college - was 11. I would have made a darn good Librarian too.

And then I'd have an answer for my kids when they asked, "Mommy what do you do?" Seriously, they think I sit at a computer and type all day long on the days when I go to work.

Actually, now that I think if it - they aren't that far off...Is it too late for my Librarian dream to come true?

But sadly, I don't think a part-time Librarian job would support my Banana Republic/Ann Taylor addiction.

5?

As I was putting son D. to bed tonight, I realized that my BABY is going to be 5 in five short days. How did that happen? Five-year-olds aren't babies.

But then he started whining about how he wanted to open his presents tomorrow. He didn't want to wait 5 days.

Yep, there's still some baby in that kid yet.

The more things change...

A letter came home in the backpack today to let us know that they are creating a new mixed-age 2nd/3rd grade class. Evidently there are too many 2nd graders and not enough 3rd graders.

I just got back from the PTA meeting and our 2nd grade Daughter D was waiting up for me to get the details. She is now sobbing in her room - terrified of the prospect of being in a new class with a new teacher with (gasp) third graders.

I kept telling her that it would be OK. She got moved into a combined 1st/2nd class last October and it worked out wonderfully. (Although technically, she had the same teacher, so she didn't move physical classrooms - the 2nd graders came to her.)

I hope, hope, hope that we get to stay with this wonderful 2nd grade teacher we have this year. But I also know it will work out if she does get moved. We survived it last year - we'll survive it this year. (Someone please tell me how to transfer this confidence straight into my seven year old?)

At least this year, they are doing it in September. It was hard to move things around in October last year.

But really, couldn't they have sent the letter home the day AFTER my PTA meeting?
: ) It's hard enough to run these things with happy parents, you know?

39 and holding

Every year on my birthday, I do the same exact thing. I head down for the basement storage unit and find the one pair of jeans I've held on to for the last 20+ years. A pair of Guess jeans circa 1986, complete with tapered legs and zippers at the ankles. Every year, I try them on. And so far, every year they have fit (except for 1999 and 2002 when those pesky pregnancies got in the way.)

I figure if I can still fit in the jeans I wore in high school (no matter how un-stylish they may be,) how old can I really be?

This year, however, we made the mistake of going downtown for lunch. Big mistake. You see, tomorrow, our fair city is hosting the "Ironman." That is where people swim for a long time, then bike 112 miles, and then, just for kicks, run a marathon. All in the same day. It's absolutely insane.

Now, I run marathons. I run lots of marathons and other events. I ran 18 miles last weekend. I will run 20 mile next weekend. I still fit into the same jeans I wore when I was 17. You'd think I'd be reasonably confident in my physical fitness. And I am. Until I run into those Ironman Freaks. My god - they have no body fat. They are 100% muscle. They are super-humanly fit. And this weekend - they are EVERYWHERE. You can't turn a corner without running into one of them.

Luckily, the rest of the day was so wonderful that I forgot all about my feelings of inadequacy in comparison to my Ironman brethren.

We had a fabulous lunch. But I kept fixating on the voice at the next table. I couldn't help myself - it was such a familiar voice. NPR junkie that I am, I knew that it had to be someone from radio. Sure enough, it was Michael Feldman (host of NPR's "Whaddya Know?" - and he was very nice and didn't even mind my interrupting his lunch to tell him I was a big fan.

And tonight, our neighborhood had a huge block party. Tons of kids and adults with fabulous food and great conversation. It was so fun that I completely forgot that our children normally go to bed at 7:30. We *all* left the party at 10:18 pm. Yes, almost three hours past bedtime. Tomorrow, there will be hell to pay. But tonight - tonight I thoroughly enjoying my last year as a "30 something." Next year - the big 4-0. (and no - I will NOT be doing the Ironman!)

Week one. Grade two.

We made it through the first week of school. Despite putting our daughter on the bus in tears every day this week...

There were a lot of changes this year for her: new principal, new teacher, new bus driver, new rules at school, new bus route (this week - a ONE HOUR bus ride home!) And finally, due to the boundary changes, less friends at school. Nothing earth shattering. Nothing unmanageable. But, when you are seven, these can be big changes.

She *begged* us to drive her to school and go in the classroom with her. We said no. On the very first day, I followed the bus and quickly ducked in the classroom with her supplies - but that was it. I didn't stay. She burst into tears. I hugged her quickly and left the room.

Each day, she said she couldn't do it. We told her she could. She said she was scared. We hugged her and told her we loved her but that she still had to go and do this scary thing.

It's so hard. I want to do all the scary things for her. But we can't. I've read about the "Helicopter parents" and I can see why they want to move into their child's dorm room with them. It's hard to watch your child get scared. I get that. But I never want to be that parent. Our thought is that if we start fostering small steps of independence now...hard as it is...by the time she is 18 there will be no way in hell she would ever consider letting us accompany her to her college orientation!

We managed to luck out for the third year in a row and get a PHENOMENAL teacher who "gets" daughter D. Even after only 4 days, I can tell that she has found herself another "remember all your life" teacher. Three years in a row. What are the odds?

Oh, and son D? He ran into his Pre-K classroom with a huge smile on his face and didn't even turn to say goodbye. These kids come from the same gene pool?

First Day of School - buzz, buzz, buzz

This year the first day of school was brought to you by....

The Mosquitoes.

I have never seen so many mosquitoes in my life. Evidently, having two weeks of torrential rain and flooding followed by warm, sunny beautiful weather is just the recipe for a bumper crop of the little buggers.

Because of a brand new bus schedule, we ended up being outside for 35 minutes waiting for the bus. Son D. now looks like he has the chicken pox. The bug spray? Not so effective.

Inside the elementary school, there were children, teachers, parents, school supplies, signs welcoming the children....and.....MOSQUITOES. Hundreds of them, flying around.

I've never seen anything like it. I wonder if they mosquitoes will participate in circle time? I imagine that art class with mosquitoes might be interesting. They might add a new tone to music class, I would guess.

Overall, the first day went very well. Daughter D has a wonderful teacher who didn't think it was silly at all when D. burst into tears at the thought of spending 5 *whole hours* without her brother. (They've been together all summer, it's going to be a tough transition for her.) Other siblings fight like cats and dogs. Mine - they burst into tears at the prospect of being apart. I'm not sure which is better.

More photos can be found here:

http://web.mac.com/dnelson1822/iWeb/Photos/School%20Sept07.html

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The economics of Fabulous

At dinner last night, Son D turned to me and asked, "Mama, what does 'imported' mean?"

My eyes lit up - finally, someone in my family who is genuinely interested in the economics of global trade! I envisioned evenings by the fire, debating NAFTA with my second-born.

I launched into an explanation of world trade, giving specific examples where possible (i.e. why Daddy spends so much time in Asia...)

After I concluded, I said, "So what made you ask that?"

He replied: "Well, Sharpay uses towels imported from Turkey. And she's fabulous."

High School Musical Two wins again.