An Update on Laundry... and other sundry news...

When I put E in school, I wondered how I would feel about it.  To me, many of the arguments for homeschooling make sense, and so it was difficult for me to let them go and send her off.  And while some of those arguments still make sense to me and I often tell Justin that I'm still slightly irritated by the whole thing, there have been some great benefits as well.

One worry I had was that I - personally - would become school dependant.  As in "here's my family, please, take them away."  I thought I might be pre-disposed to this because my life has not been a life of loving children.  I love my children, I like teaching ballet.  Do I love children in general?  Um, not so much.  When Laura and I used to run kids' camps in the summer, they all loved her.  I was the one that told them to behave.  So, I worried I might appreciate school too much.  Instead, I wanted to be one of those mothers who is ready for her children to come home and to go on vacation.  I just wasn't sure how it would all come out.

On Monday, E woke up with a case of the hives.  And I found - to my relief - that I was so excited to have her home with us.  Other than visiting the Dr. to make sure we were safe to return to school and host four ballet classes the next day, we played outside, made a craft, and read books.  And M and GQ loved having their big sister around.  It was a really great day, and I was soooo glad.

Other benefits to school time include a big positive upswing in M's behavior.  Now that E is not around, M gets to be the one who is good at cleaning up, good at obeying, good at helping, good at being an example.  It's like she's just been waiting for the chance.  I am so glad we've got to see this side of her.

I also love watching the reunion after school.  I love watching M and GQ run up to E and give her big hugs.  I love how they yell at her as soon as she steps out of the door.  I love that E gets to see that they actually love her and that they don't spend their days plotting ways to irritate her or steal her favorite toys.  I love that E picks library books at school that she thinks M and GQ would enjoy so that she can come home and read to them.  I love that M won't let me leave the school grounds in the morning until the bell has rung and E has gone inside (helicopter sibling instead of parent.)  It has been wonderful to watch them all show their love for each other.

It has also been great to watch E make friends.  To see her give hugs to other 5 year olds she's known for 10 minutes.  To race up and down the hills with them and look for berries with them and - hey, this is E, you know - boss them around.  I've also been glad to hear that she can be a good example to them by telling them to include other children.  I'm glad she gets a chance to go out there and make decisions on her own.  She is growing up.

So, school has been good in many ways.  Although I am still highly irritated by full-day kindergarten, and I still resent her long hours away, we are gaining good things too.

*****

In other news, after going almost 80 years - I am sure - without buying new shoes because I am:

a) too lazy to look around when I go shopping
b) too frightened to spend any useful money
c) too picky to settle down on something

I found my favorite shoes - that cost WAY too much - on sale for "buy one get one free" and bought WAY too many pairs.

Yes, they are all the same.
But they are lots of different colors.
Yes, they are summer shoes.
No, I just won't go outside this winter.

E and M quite enjoyed trying them all on.  E was glad I FINALLY bought some shiny shoes that were actually pretty.  In fact, she put on a whole FHE about not stealing with my shoes lined up in a row.  It went like this:

E would point to the black pair - which I wear most often because they match - and say:

"I have money for this ugly pair of shoes."

Then she would point to the silver pair - which I have not actually had the guts to wear and only bought because they were "free" - and say.

"But I want these beautiful shoes that are too expensive."

Then, she took turns pretending to either steal them, or make do by buying the ugly shoes.

M and GQ preferred the stealing scenario... apparently it was much more interesting to watch.

*****

Also, in answer to questions:

1.  The walking post was not meant to announce the new baby. I hate announcements and decided to just not pretend I wasn't pregnant.  (Besides, it kept me from sounding too lazy in my refusal to pick GQ up and carry him when he fell.)

2.  I do not know if the baby is a girl or a boy. I think it is a girl.  My mother says she will laugh hysterically at me when it turns out to be a boy.  We do find out on Thursday.

*****

Since Libbi says I am "mean, mean, mean" to make GQ walk all the way to school, I would like you all to know that I did get M and GQ to agree not to fight and we now take turns with the stroller.

Now M complains about being cold, which means I let her wear her heavy coat today even though it was merely long-sleeve weather.

Since she had her warm coat on, she complained that her head hurt.

*****

Justin is going out of town this weekend... to Utah.... by himself.

I am going to go buy as many cookies at Barnes and Noble as I want and eat them all.

*****

the end