Her New Bigger, Brighter World

5YO is officially a kindergartener.  I mean, I guess you could say she has been one for a week or so now. 

She.  Loves.  It.

I mean, it helps that both kindergarten teachers at our school are AH-MAZING.  Our school is truly blessed to be able to say that. 

In my last post, I was talking about how great it will be to get these kids out of my house for 6 1/2 hours a day.  Just the thought of being alone in my house with no television or other distractions sounded like a dream-come-true!  (Oh...and it really is that good!)  But that's not quite why I'm so excited about school now.  School is giving 5YO what I realize that I no longer can.  She is learning about things in a way that I could never teach her.  She is skipping around the house singing the songs that she has learned at school.  And she is excited.  Soooo excited!  She is learning to deal with other people in a place where I cannot always be there to help her.  These are life skills that aren't always easy to learn when good 'ol mom is always around to fix things.

Up until now, most of her stories are stories about things that I was there to see happen in the first place.  She was my shopping buddy and sidekick for most of my errands and appointments when her sisters were in school.  Now, she comes home with a bunch of stories that are just her own.  And while she's always been my most boisterous child, she has a new sparkle about her that hadn't been there before. 

True independence.

I know this is the part where a lot of stay-at-home mothers start to either feel guilty for enjoying their kid-free time or mourning the loss of their 'babies.'  Not me.  I am so excited to see all my girls grow and I can't wait to see all the changes they'll go through and situations they'll encounter.  They have lives outside of me and that is fantastic. 15YO already has so much of a life outside of us that, if she could drive (and had unlimited funding), she would barely need us at all!  That kid has a life alright!   

Hmm....a life.  Maybe I'll have to get me one of those this year!  In the meantime, I love getting a chance to miss them, reclaim a bit of my sanity, and maybe even weed out some old clothes or toys that they'll never miss.  Plus, I will still help out in their classrooms. 

Oh my gosh!  I'm turning into one of 'those moms' aren't I? 

Why not?  I already have the minivan and the capri pants.  ;-)

Is it Monday yet?

Yep.  5YO is now officially a kindergartener!  She even woke up bright and early the first day and told her sisters to, "move outta the way, because the kindergartener has to go potty!" 

Because she's that grown-up now.

Yeah.

8YO is loving the third grade, though she did confess after her first day that she didn't "feel like a third grader yet."  If it makes her feel any better, I don't feel like she should be a third grader either.

And then there's 15YO.  She is a sophomore now. 

*shakes head*

I definitely don't feel like I should have a tenth grader!  She's taller than me and her hand-me-down shoes no longer fit me.  I've entered that strange territory that not all mothers get to:  When their children are bigger than they are.  Seriously, I've tried to stop feeding her....but she just whines and whines and whines....

You know I'm joking, right?  I really do need someone to invent a sarcasm font.  That could clear up a great many misunderstandings on the good 'ol interwebs, dontcha think?

BUT SCHOOL HAS OFFICIALLY STARTED!!!

(Okay, so it's technically a *weekend* right now and they are home, but school started last week!)

*HAPPY DANCING*

Yeha, I'm that happy!  I would dance for you myself, but my lack of basic coordination would be sure to result in me breaking somethting I probably value...like a limb!

I had my first experience at being at home alone with all of my offspring in school.  I must say, it was pretty great!  I am hoping to...no, I'd better not say.  Everytime I commit to something and talk about it in this sort of forum, I don't follow through.  The only consistency in me is my INconsistency. 

I do plan to get things more organized here.  I will have more uninterrupted shopping and cleaning time.  I can actually develop some sort of schedule that can't as easily be disturbed by the mood of a smaller, yet more powerful person.  My house has the potential to not only get more clean, but to actually stay clean for up to six hours every single day. 

I can even go to my annual 'icky' appointments at the doctor without having to arrange for childcare.
(I apologize to the men for the possible visual, but the women reading this completely understand!)

I might even blog more regularly! 

But don't hold your breath, because this seems to be something that is far too easily overlooked lately.

Hmmm...maybe I'll make my own....I JUST CAN'T JINX IT BY TELLING YOU!!!

You understand, right?

I do know for sure that I plan to knit more.  I have to say that I am on the verge of being completely addicted to knitting socks.  Attending Sock Summit 2011 a few weeks ago really got me motivated to become a better sock knitter.  Because taking two years to finish one pair of socks does not a good knitter make.

In fact, I need to wrap up the dinner details and continue working on my latest sock...which is a mystery!  (It really is.  It's called a 'Mystery Sock.'  Even I don't know what I'm making yet!)

Maybe I'll post something new this week.  Gosh, I hope so!

Until you read again...

Hold on tight....we're in for a bumpy ride!

I hear little footsteps outside the bathroom door.

"Mom!  Where are you?"

"I'm in the bathroom."

"What are you doing?"

"What do YOU usually do in the bathroom?"

To be completely truthful, I was really sort of hiding out in the locked bathroom looking at Facebook on my phone.  They must wonder if I have a stomach bug sometimes, but they don't need to know ALL of my secrets right?

It's not as if I'm just avoiding them, really.  I'm also avoiding the Disney Channel and iCarly and the fact that they like to play with the DVR and make the characters say the same lines over and over.  And the arguments. 

Okay, so maybe I really am avoiding them!  But, that's all about to change because...

SCHOOL STARTS NEXT WEEK!!!

I know, right?  My youngest child will be starting kindergarten and this is a whole new chapter of life for me.  (I jokingly like to refer to this time as the 'BonBon years,' but most of us know better than that.)  Life is sure to become both easier and harder for me.  I think.

Honestly, I'm not sure exactly what to expect.  I'm sure my delusions of getting more done will be shattered quickly.  Grocery shopping and trips to the gym will be more peaceful and efficient.  The five-six hours that they are in school will be quieter.  (Maybe)  But, I will now have two classrooms to volunteer in (and no excuse of a small one to care for to get me out of it!) and TWO girls to help with their homework.  8YO has been pretty 'homework-resistant' in the past.  I have no idea how 5YO will be with the whole idea of homework, but kindergarteners usually need a lot of help regardless.  5YO usually races through worksheets with minimal problems, but I'm not going to count my chickens before they're hatched and think it will be easy.  She could decide to follow in her sister's footsteps and fight me every step of the way! 

15YO will be starting her sophomore year as well.  She needs no real help with her homework (though she does like to be quizzed quite a bit on an upcoming test!) but her need for a taxi driver is ever-increasing.  She is getting more and more of a real life and has places to go, ya know!  (BOY do I ever know it!)  Between cheer practice and football games and her AP class and friends and church and...I'm really not sure how it's all actually going to happen!

I guess it's a good thing that I love a good roller coaster.

I guess I can either choose to brace myself in fear, stick to the kiddie rides, or throw my arms in the air and enjoy the ride.  However I handle this, there's sure to be some screaming.  :-)