Well, now that summer break is over, let me just say……
1. I am one happy mom to have my kids back in school. I loved every dance party (just please, no more Girls Just Want to Have Fun!), every homemade cookie, every craft, and every sister hug that summer had to offer. While I love, love, love my kids. I love them even more when they go to school, and we get a little break from each other. After having my kids around all summer long, and teaching them things (crafting counts, right?) – I am always reminded that I am not meant to be a homeschooling mom. However, I’d still do for my kids, if we didn’t have such a great schooling option that fits our family.
2. I haven’t updated on our music lessons recently, because the girls came no where close to practicing their violin and piano 50 times this summer. There was three times when I completely forgot to take the kids to music lessons. I just plain forgot. But we’ll keep trying. Summer is not officially done yet. And the violin teacher has started texting me (thankfully) on the day of lessons so I don’t forget. Seriously.
3. Last summer my kids watched one movie a week and zero TV. This summer we set out to have another TV free summer. However when the olympics started I gave the kids full reign of the TV to watch the Olympics. Hey, it only happens once every four years. And then I let the cat out of the bag, and I taught my oldest daughter how to flip the channel to PBS kids. She taught my middle girl, the mischievous one, how to do the same. Then they started saying, “We are going to watch the Olympics,” and quickly turned the channel to kid shows. I acted like I didn’t know they were doing it. Just to get a moment of quiet. Until one of them turned it off and the other one had a melt down. Then I was reminded why we have no TV in the summer.
4. I planned on taking the kids to the library every week. We went to the library one time, got the summer reading program, filled it out, met the goals, and missed the deadline to return it for the prize bag. I don’t really like the library. They don’t serve coffee and I end up with so many late fees that I might as well as have bought the book at the store, while enjoying some freshly brewed coffee. At least that way, we can resell the books at McKay’s, our mega, locally owned used bookstore. We will never do the summer reading program again. My oldest daughter who loves to read and does so often because it’s fun, became obsessed with making sure every five minutes of reading time counted towards reaching the goals of marking off the paper tracking her reading times. I’d rather have them reading for pleasure than rewards.
3. My soon to be three-year-old started school full-time Monday. And I am completely okay with it. I didn’t cry a bit when I said goodbye. And neither did she. I love that she will take take nap at school, on a little nap mat because that’s what everyone else is doing. She still nurses to sleep for nap time, or sleeps in the car, or not at all which make for a very cranky toddler come 4:00. She has never lied down and gone to sleep independently. However, I know from doing this twice before, that she will be FINE. The teachers are patient back rubbers and she will sleep. When I pick her up at 2:30 she will be well rested and thrilled to see me. I will feel the same in return.
4. I wanted to tell you guys about the awesome Big Latch On Knoxville that happened last Friday. I wanted to go and support all you great young moms, like I used to be. But now I feel old. It’s no secret that I’ve spent a long time nursing babies/toddlers. And I just didn’t want to drag my two older kids, on their last day of summer, out of the house at 8:30 AM to a nursing party. Moms who nurse rock. I will always support nursing moms. Always! But I think I’m done nursing. And, opposed to where I was in January, I am finally okay with that. Which is a really good feeling.
5. Despite my husband’s disappointment that my girls have never done a team sport. I’m really glad to not be a soccer mom, or a basketball mom or a lacrosse mom. I don’t want to have multiple commitments for one activity in one week – for three seperate kids – ever. I hope. Right now our semi-private swim lessons that both big girls take together, while I swim along side with my toddler who thinks she is in the class, is just perfect for us. (Minus the chlorine part. That kind of icks me out.) The big girls are learning to dive now, and swim the breaststroke. I encouraged them to watch swimming during the Olympics more than gymnastics. I am 5’9″. My husband is 6’3″. His sister is 6′ tall. There is no way I am raising a gymnast. So our summertime swimming lessons will continue into the fall.
6. Our house is undergoing major renovations, and it has been all summer long. You would think I would be DONE having contractors in my house everyday. But the truth is they, the Clinch River Custom Builders, are really nice guys and I enjoy having grown up conversations with them throughout the day. I like making big decisions on a moment’s notice – like where I want a wall to go, or a closet, or an outlet, or YES I want a laundry chute there! It’s exciting, the options that come with having a handy man around on a daily basis. Which is a good thing, because they are not leaving anytime soon. The kitchen renovations are still to come!
For more humorous, straight up parenting confessions, check out Playgroups are no place for children. Her post inspired me to do the same, here.
