Dancing with the Mom

Sam was sick on Monday, so Monday night was pretty sedate at our house. The three of us watched "Spy Kids" and finished in time for some "Dancing with the Stars." We've long been fans of the family-friendly show, but due to my busy meeting schedule, I can't really remember the last time we all watched together. I can tell they watch some with Grandma, because Kate's first question was, "I can watch 2 dances, right?" Sure, sounds good.

We sat on the couch watching, and they had such funny comments. At the very first, Kate said, "See that girl in the blue dress. I like it. I want to buy that dress." I thought it was funny that she was watching the clothing, of all things, and it wasn't even on a dancer, but someone else. Wow. No wonder she's picky.

Later, Sam and I were watching and he looked at me and said, "You could be on Dancing with the Stars, Mom. You could do it."

I said, "I'm not a star!"

"Yeah," he said, "but you could do it."

So, if I'm missing from the next JSL meeting or family event, it's due to my new rigorous training schedule. I can do it. Sam said so.

What's that? Oh, it's Kate singing

My mother is a hummer. You know, one of those unconscious types that hums while cleaning, ironing, driving, shopping, whenever. She knows it now, but is helpless to stop.

Kate has inherited a derivitive of this trait: she sings. Constantly. Not real songs, like preschool songs or church songs or hannah montana. At least not with any type of recognizable tune. She sings about whatever she's doing. Just now, she was in the tub and she's singing "I am in the tub. I am looking at my toes. Something is wrong with my toes. They need painting. The paint is gone."

It's cute and simultaneously incessant. It's the music of my life.

Mission accomplished!

I'm getting so lazy on my days off. Since I'm going to exercise after I drop Kate, I've taken to laying in bed as long as possible then throwing on clothes and going. Gross, huh?

Well, about 15 minutes before Sam had to get on the bus, I was trying to look presentable, and Sam ran up the stairs declaring "Look what I did Mom!"

So, i looked. To my surprise and amazement, he'd done it. He'd tied his shoes all by himself! After working on it last winter, and starting again on PE days for school, he really had never done it completely by himself, but was getting closer. Sure enough, in his own time, and without my help, he did it.

What an accomplishment. I kept wondering if we'd have to send him to high school graduation in velcro. I'm sure he wouldn't be the only one-- I think that's why the trend of those converse shoes with the untied laces has become popular.

Hurrah!

In trouble?

Kindergarten is a big wasteland. I have no idea what's happening over there, but am happy to report that we are getting "monday mail" now that attempts to keep us boy-moms somewhat informed.

Therefore, every sentence from Sam about school is a treasured gem. I'm looking for anything and everything that will help me glean some sort of understanding about his day. So last night in the car, you can imagine my surprise when his comment about his day was:

"Well, I didn't get in trouble, and I didn't have to have any meetings."

"Have you been having a lot of meetings?" I asked. (Meetings are some sort of new disciplinary code for getting called up to the teacher's desk, I think.)

"Well, yeah. Sometimes I have meetings."

"What for?" I asked, shocked. I think of Sam as the good, compliant one, so I'm shocked to learn of his newfound rebelliousness.

"Just doing things I'm not supposed to, breaking rules. Like talking in the hall, and stuff like that."

I'd heard about a talking in the hall incident before, but I'm not sure where the other meetings have come from. I guess the fact that I haven't been called in to meet with the teacher means that it's not too serious. Right?

Trading in

On the way home from Jo's the other day, Kate told me that she is going to marry Lincoln. This was a surprise, because just a couple of weeks ago, she declared that Riley would be the one. (Poor thing.) So I asked her, why the change?

"Riley takes toys, mom. So I'm going to marry Lincoln," she said decisively.

"Who is Riley going to marry?" I asked.

"He can marry Kennedy."

"Okay, well what about Gracie?" I said.

"I don't know mom. She could marry S..." and then trailed off-- I don't think she's willing to give up Sam. So when I asked who, she said, "I just don't know mom."

I'm really glad Kate could figure all this out for everyone. Takes a lot of the guess work out of dating.

First day of school, Kate edition

Kate had her first day of preschool on Monday. I have to admit, with all the kindergarten hype, I nearly forgot to prepare for Kate's first day. And it's a big deal! Her first day of preschool. I didn't buy a new outfit or even have the video camera out. I did do better than my fellow fourth-year preschool mom who lost the supply list and didn't bring her family picture-- preschool felon!

So, we woke up, got dressed in our outfit we picked the night before, which happened to be new. And which happened to make her cry for 10 minutes about how it was NOT what she wanted to wear. I found the camera (still, not video) and managed to snap a few pics of the two kids before school, and Kate outside school. I took Kate to her first mom and me breakfast, which is supposed to be donuts, but she campaigned for the cinnamon roll store and I caved. She wore her backpack all morning, even to breakfast, because she's a big girl and going to school.

When we got to the school, she went right in her class with no problem. No tantrum. No tears. It was great. I did warn the director about her, how do I put it, strong will? No worries.

She reported having a great day when I picked her up after school. She said she played with puzzles (of course) and watched the fish. She did not like her cheese that I packed for her lunch. It was "weird."

Pictures to come.