Although I love summer, for all its delicious foods and more delicious memories, I also love routine. I’m all about knowing what’s coming next. I worship my Day Planner so much that I’ve already ordered next year’s book (in a lovely shade of maroon with a silver embossed monogram — woot! woot!).
Oh, and I’m Color Coding next year’s book. Blue pen for Big Brother activities. Red pen for Little Brother. And, I can’t wait for it to arrive in the mail so I can sit down and get to work.
I’m a loser.
So, Big Brother started Kindergarten last week, without much fanfare on the Swooper blog. Mostly because I recognize that all the emotion I felt during this little rite of passage was pretty much exactly what all the other Moms (and Dads) experience. Excited, a little sad, nervous, hopeful, proud. And, as someone who reads a lot of Mommy Blogs, I felt it had pretty much all been said. And said eloquently.
My Dad told me that my Mom cried when I got on the bus for the first time. Which, I admit, made me feel really glad that I live in a town too small for school buses (“busses” always looks wrong). Because I made it through the whole day without shedding a tear and if I had to see my little first-born climb aboard a great, big bus and drive away, his little face peering out the window at me…well, let’s just say I’m glad I didn’t have to go through that.
Big Brother did discover a new friend this week. And, no, not a fellow kindergartener. Big Brother has recently discovered that Lazy Labrador kind of rocks. BB has been showering LL with attention, games of chase and kisses. And, lo and behold, it turns out the dog’s got a little spunk! Bernie happily pounces along behind as BB races through the house giggling wildly. I suspect there are some table scraps and “mistakenly” dropped Honeycomb coming into play here but I’ll take it. These two have spent five years living together and are really only now discovering that they might enjoy each other. It makes me smile.
THEN
NOW
I’ve been asked to serve on the PTO at Big Brother’s school (which, apparently, is Marblehead-ese for what I always knew as the PTA). I’m looking forward to it.
In small part, because I’m happy to be involved with any efforts designed to enrich the quality of Big Brother’s education.
In large part, because it means a boatload of meetings I get to add to my rockin’ Day Planner. Yippee!
I’m thinking Color Code Green.
I used to be a total day-planner junkie (my fave is the August – August one they have at Spirit of ’76…loved that it went by the school/summer calendar), BUT I have retired the analog agenda in favor of the iCal/iphone/Notes and I gotta say hallelujah to the digital revolution. I’m a complete convert, and still use my color-coding (by the way, green was my PTO color!). You’ll come over to the dark side eventually….
Awesome! When Scotty went off to Kindergarten, my mom thought it would be a good idea to suggest that Scotty bring pictures of our family to school- all he wanted was a picture of his dog, Duke:)
Ah, Duke. One of the world’s greatest dogs. I don’t blame Scott. I would have chosen Dukie over my own family members.
Oh, I LOVE calendars, too 🙂
I use Google calendar and, like you, have pretty color tags.
YAY for the return of routine!
I feel our sisterly bond pulling a little bit looser. I am NOT a calendar girl. I try to be, but I get tired of it after a week or so. I write in the unexpected appts, but the regular routine dance class, swim practice, etc. I just have in my head. I rely on drs to call me the night before to confirm an appt. that I made 6 months ago.
Wicked awesome!! (never get to say that to anyone now)
I had my planner out the other day and a coworker said “Wow! I didn’t know anyone used actual hard forms of those any more…”
I love planners, and I love to fill them up. I hate when my days are empty. I feel useless and adrift…I obviously have issues, but we won’t discuss them now.
I have been color coding calendars and day planners for years…. a different color for every family member!! And I have to admit, I do enjoy it!!!! Sad, huh? I sometimes even add stickers, I am such a preschool teacher! ha ha ha So, you are not alone!
and p.s. it was so good to see that big kindergarten-er yesterday!!!!! His smile made me smile! 🙂
He was SO thrilled to be back. Everyone made him feel so special. Thank you!