Preschool Graduation

Graduations from anything but high school and college (at all levels) are corny and overdone. Any more it's preschool, kindergarten, 8th grade, Sunday school, etc. etc. etc. - all with little caps and gowns and speeches... unnecessary, even silly - until it's your kid.

George's day care held a graduation for the two kids who completed preschool and are going to kindergarten in the fall. They invited Jayden to graduate with them since she is the only kid at her center moving on next year. That made it even more special since Jayden is one of his best friends from the neighborhood, a little girl he has played with his entire life and will be going to school with in the fall.

My little man did great, and it was amazing how much he has grown and matured in the past year (let alone the 5 he has been at Best Hands). He stood up in front of everyone, he wore what he was supposed to (including a shirt with a collar and non-sweat pant shorts) and he spoke out loud.

and he looked darn handsome in his little cap and gown, and I got a glimpse of the young man he'll be at the end of high school... and the adult at the end of college, should he take that path.

 My little man, walking to his seat.

 

Leah (from his center), George, and Jayden.

You're motoring

So I've just been down and out of sorts all day, in a total funk. Shortly before it was time to pick the kids up from day care, I went outside and shoveled the snow and slush and put down a good coat of ice melt. Then I hopped in the car and slowly started driving with my mind churning.

The roads were horrible, they hadn't been treated or plowed and were getting packed down into ice. I saw an accident a little bit in front of me - 3 cars, people walking around them - so I slowed down even more... and the asswipe behind me in their big 4-wheel drive SUV gunned their engine and sped around me, in the oncoming traffic lane and right at the accident they could not see because of the snow and sleet coming down. Thankfully it turned out ok, they didn't hit anyone or anything, but it just made me burst into tears.

I turned on the radio to listen to the road reports and a song came on that brought back memories of my 17 year old self tangled up in a back seat with the first boy who really made me all tingly, and who *really* taught me how to kiss. The boy everyone couldn't believe I was going out with, because what would a guy like him want with an overweight geek from a low-rent family. And no, the answer wasn't sex, because we never did. But the kissing, necking, making out... oh my. Chapstick's value went up that glorious summer.

I started laughing through the tears, and things were a bit better.

Night Ranger: Sister Christian

(sorry for the ad at the beginning)

Treading water

We woke up late this morning. My damn clock has an AM and PM designation on the alarm, and I had it set for 5:30 PM somehow. Of course this is the day Tom's insomnia and early rising didn't wake me up, and the kids slept in. Even the damn cats were quiet. Nothing like waking up leisurely from a good dream, all warm and comfy, stretching and yawning and looking towards the window and HOLY HELL THERE IS LIGHT OUT THERE!!!!

Got the kids ready (it is more awesome than I can say that the boy will pick out his own clothes and dress himself) and Tom took them to day care while I threw on clothes and hit the road. Get to the Greenbelt station and Metro has once again screwed the pooch. Seriously, I think announcements should be made only when things are running well and on-time, it would be easier.

Got to the office late for a 10:00 meeting which then ran long, finally sat down at my desk to return email and phone calls... looked at my clock when I could finally come up for air and it was 1:30. Ate lunch at my desk while reading the news, then back to the regular grind. The good thing is I accomplished a lot today and crossed off most of my to-do list for the week.

Coming home, Metro was Metro. Walked in the door at 7:00, reheated leftovers for my dinner while calling a couple people on the west coast that I didn't have time to from the office, collected the girl to get her into bed and intended to fold laundry and clean the upstairs bathrooms after she was down.

Only she wanted to cuddle. "Read, Mama. Read to me." So I did. She picked a new book, one Santa brought for her: If Animals Kissed Good Night And every time a baby animal got a kiss good-night, she would lean back and kiss me, wrapping those tiny arms around my neck to kiss my nose or lifting my hand to kiss my palm. When it was over she asked me to read it again. And then again.

Damn the laundry, it's already wrinkled. And the bathrooms can wait. I managed to tread water today without going under, and got extra snuggles to boot. I call today a win.