The wailings of a 1st grader's mother

It's coming, the month of August is approaching quickly. Some of you would ask, what is so special about August. August is a nice month, still quite warm, still plenty of days for swimming, doesn't get dark until after eight at night. Sure, that is all swell, but that is not the reason I am grousing about August.

August, Latin origin, the eighth month on the Gregorian calendar originally named for the Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar in 8 BC. August was originally known as sextilus on the Roman calendar. But I digress, with the approach of the month of August this means there will be only 17 days before she wakes up, gets ready for school, AND STARTS THE FIRST GRADE! HOLY COW FOLKS THIS IS BIG!

Has time sped up? Have I dropped into a worm hole? What the hell, my kid will in the first grade and I have turned 40. These things, my age and she starting first grade, are to the best of my feeble mind not compatible.

I look at her and she is different. I think I must reconcile with myself there are many, many more events to which I will look at my dear, darling daughter and not recognize her. I am still looking for the pudgy cheeked baby and before me is a strong, agile little girl. I am not sure my heart can take it. I am as nervous as a cat on a block of ice in the middle of a pond. New teacher, new kids, more opportunity for her to become independent of me. I want to keep her snuggled under my arm, kissing her forehead.

So I am taking suggestions. How do I keep her little. Is that an option? This is legal right?

Help me,

Disenchanted, discombobulated parent in the burbs

P.S. Please send all sympathy cash, gift cards to me. Do not, I repeat do not put The Husband's name on any of the envelopes. Really, just send it to the P.O. Box I have provided, he doesn't have the number or any idea the mailbox exists.

P.S.S. Just in case for those who may have put The Husband's name on the envelope, or if The Husband happens to read this entry, please don't make multiple mention of the incoming envelope. He has a short attention span and really if a squirrel would run by the window he will be distracted and days will pass before he senses there may have been something he missed.

P.S.S.S. To the husband, you really didn't read anything. OH LOOOK!!! A SQUIRREL!

Hello Mommy Dearest!

This is Bitsy. This is Bitsy using her toy cell phone, making important phone calls, about her latest novel which is perched in her lap. Although she has a room, she has chosen to place her office in the laundry basket I keep the clean socks in. Yes, I am that lazy to keep the kids' socks in the laundry basket rather than putting them in the drawers.

This is Bitsy catching me taking her picture while she is in the middle of her pitch meeting for the latest mommy dearest novel. I am hoping it is fiction. The look she is giving is telling me she does not consider the book to be fiction. I think she is giving me the stink eye. Oh boy, don't look her straight in the eyes, that would be dangerous.

This is Bitsy giving me the business. Bitsy is informing me that I have interrupted her meeting and can't I just stay out of the way. This is Bitsy letting me know that her laundry basket is not open for visitation and that I need to give her some privacy. Why did I not know that?

Go Speed Racer, GO!

We have cool neighbors. They are young, hip and very sweet, especially to my weasels. So our neighbor is outside and the kids frantically climb out of the van when we get home and start yelling his name. He graciously comes out of the garage to welcome my little whirlwinds into his life for a few moments. Of course their garage is filled with cool stuff like a ATV! Oh geez, I am fear for my medical bills.

Oh those lovely little faces........

I recently took the kids on an excursion with their gma to a local park. Somehow I convinced them to let me take some pictures. The eldest darling made me pinkie promise to send her photo to a local magazine in hopes it will be chosen to grace its pages. I am honour bound by the pinkie promise. This is just a sneak peek of the day. I am just in love with these shots of my monkeys.

Monkey Spotlight: My Emma Kat

This is my eldest monkey Emma the Kat, Big Curls, Sweet Pea, Rosebud, Cakes. Oh vey, look at this face! I could not love this little girl any more than I do.

The Basics

She is the eldest monkey of three. She came into this world with a wholelotta hair, dark brown eyes, and the sweetest smile. My main monkey girl weighed in at 8 pounds and some change, 20 inches long. This baby girl would whirl in utero to her own drum beat and even now she has her own Salsa dance to perform each day.

The Special

She is fierce, strong willed, head strong, passionate, SMART, joyful, loving, cuddly, silly, and that is all in the first five minutes after she wakes up in the morning. You know how there are some people you are just drawn toward? Em is one of those people, she is just dynamic. There is always a good time to be had with this monkey.

The hair, oh how I love the hair! Geez, this kid has the best hair! Thick, soft, long and ringlets at the bottom. She came in this world with a full head, and never lost a piece. I find myself snuggling with her and braiding her hair when she is very still.

She is a hoarder. Now, this could be a problem later but the damn gene is strong in this family! Although she has a million stuffed animals, crayons, pens, books, dollhouses, whatever it is, she has all her stuff organized with precision. One night Emma went to bed and I walked in a few hours later to check on her. I opened the door, looked at the bed, no Emma. I thought, this can't be, I sent her in the room, I could have sworn she climbed in the bed. All I saw was a pile of stuffed animals. I moved closer, what I saw was completely amazing. She had built a fortress of animals, and she was curled up in the middle. I will share the picture another time.

She is an artist. She paints, draws, dances, acts, and loves to tell stories. One of her favorite things to do is make her brother and sister laugh. She plays kitty cat, puppy, queen, fairy princess, Jedi Knight, anything, she loves it. I see musicals in my future.

Her smile and dimples are beyond all cuteness for me. I fall in love with her all over again. Those round apple cheeks are so kissable that she has to put me on time out. I could just hold her and kiss her face all day long. Just love this little lady beyond crazy.

She is thoughtful, Emma demonstrates great compassion. There was a few days when I was not feeling well and in bed. Emma would bring me tea, sit with me and ask me how I was doing. She would hold my hand and tell me I would feel better soon. Just so caring, as Emma would say "it made my heart grow". So for her kindness I let her paint my face. It is a good thing I did not have to work the next day, I looked like a raccoon.

What can I say, for six years I have been the luckiest mom to have healthy, loving kids. These kids make those awful days I've had not feel as bad. So to my Monkeys, I love you more than luggage. ::smile:: Thank you for all the thrilling hours of loving you, making me smile, and all the belly laughs.

Now GO TO YOUR ROOM!

Monkey Spotlight: My Ethan Taterbug

This is my monkey Ethan Taterbug, Hootie, Dr. Destructo, the Tank, Ethanator. I wanted to share some some things about my baby monkey.

The Basics
He is a twin, born last in line by only a minute. This little "Big" guy came into this world a whopping 6 pounds, and some change. He was incorrectly measured at 19 inches but I believe he was only about 1/2 inch shorter than his "older" sister. He is a "man" amidst a harem of women. If and when the boy gets to speak, his sisters do most of the talking, it is usually very important boy business. He was sooo very blond when he was born it took almost two years before we saw eyebrows.

The Special
His personality is very sweet and gentle. He is my lovie, every day I get the biggest of hugs and an unsolicited "I love you mommy". He melts my heart and God help the girl that tries to marry my baby boy. When he hugs you, his little fingers give an ever so gently pat on your back. His spirit is genuine, he loves and protects his sisters. This is not to say he won't give them a what for when they push his buttons, that is what brothers do I guess, he is not afraid cuddle on the couch with his girls and watch movies. He also is a willing participant to play Prince Charming in many adventures to save the damsels in distress. I think he is well on his way to being a good man.

When he was a infant, because as you all know he is still my baby, he would softly hoot when feeding. This is how he got one of the many nicknames Hootie. He has not hooted in awhile, well since he stopped drinking from the "nottle" (a mixture of homegrown milk source and the manufactured style).

The boy does not like change in his environment. Now, he succumbs to the event, but on his own terms. I recently made some decorating changes to his room, since the boy light turned on I thought I would make his room a little more masculine. The Husband and I got decorations for the walls, trains, you know, boy-ed it up. So when he came home from a weekend at Gma's house, got excited and oohed and ahhed, then just at the last few moments before going to sleep he said to me, "Mom, take the stickers out of my room" I say "Son, they stay on the walls", he said "no, I don't want them in here" I said, "Son, the glue is permanent". Still if any of us leave items in his room which do not belong there, shoes, towels, whatever, you will find a little pile of stuff outside of his bedroom door.

He is very ticklish! It doesn't matter which part you go for, neck, tummy, toes, the result is the same. Total pee in the pants laughter. His little face turns red and he sounds like a wind up toy. I only have faint memories of laughing that hard, courtesy of Doc, Heather, Bambi, and Godzilla. After he begs you to stop, he promptly asks "Tickle me again!"

Dreamy blue eyes. The boy has hound dog, round dreamy blue eyes. They twinkle, and if I ever get to be a great photographer I might be able to produce a picture to prove it.

All boy, all the time! The light came on, so fast in fact he went to sleep and the next morning I was being invaded by boom sticks. How do they know this stuff? He is hard pressed to even take a nap, uncorked amount of energy could light an entire city.

He is a man of few words but when he speaks he has something to say. He recently has been developing a collection of stories he tells me in the car about when he was a baby, and how he had to go down the tracks. It is very similar to Abbiedo's one time at band camp. The story usually starts, "Mommy. MOOOMMMY! This one time when I was a baby I had to walk a very long way across these tracks."

He L.O.V.E.S. trains. Can not get enough of them. On a weekly basis he would like to take a ride on a locomotive. If only I lived closer to a train museum, I think we would be there every weekend. He will sit in his room for hours playing with his toy trains, loading the cargo cars, standing over the tracks so the train will go through his legs. Like I said, all boy, all the time.

I love this boy. My children are very special to me, but a mom and her boy, that is special too. I will dearly miss those days when the hugs and kisses are not as plentiful or freely given. So for now, I will take what I can get.

Monkey Spotlight: My Abbie Doodlebug

This is my Abbie Doodlebug. I thought I would take some time to share special things about my little monkey.

The Basics

She is a twin and a middle child all rolled into one powerful package. My introduction to my Abbdo was that she firmly kept her brother at the bottom of the womb right up to the time she stated unequivocally she was coming out first. Even in utero she and her brother have been squabbling for space and attention. She weighed in at 7 lbs and some extra change, 21 inches, with a good run at a head of hair. Oh man, thinking about it, I can hardly remember the tiny little body I held in my arms, I know she smelled good.

The Special

Her personality is powerful. She may be small but this little girl is determined. I knew from day one this baby was going to give me a run for my money. Little miss bossy is in the house! Born to organize, tell people what to do, fiery temper, easily negotiable for better terms for her benefit. This one will watch the action and find the right combination of buttons to bring down her selected targets. Brains before brawn is her motto.

Her sweetness is beyond comprehension. As loving as she is fierce, there is not a moment when this one will pass up an opportunity to lay on the smooches and hugs. She is cuddlely, genuine, and motivated to do for others.

Her laugh is like a toy doll. To get her to laugh, I mean really give a belly laugh, is often hard work. She makes you earn the giggle or two. But when the laughter begins, it is all you can do not to giggle because of the itsy bitsy laugh filling the room.

She will be 4 years old in a few months and she can still wear clothing from 18 - 24 months. She is within 1/2 inch of her brother, and consistantly 10 pounds lighter. Eats a lot, but hardly puts on a pound.

She has Bowie eyes. One is blue and the other is green/brown. I used to think it was lighting issues when I would take photos, but when I really looked at her eyes, by golly they are different colors. Her eyes are just as unique as her personality.

She has a bald spot on her left temporal. She was born with this little bald area, well there are baby hairs, but the rest of her hair just grows longer and covers the spot. Sometimes it makes styling her hair a little difficult.

This little girl is a talker. She has the capacity to talk or sing for hours, and when I say hours, I literaly mean HOURS. Road trips are interesting, the other two will drop into slumber and this one will talk her way into sleep. She can go into a routine of "This one time I was walking on the ice.........." her version of the time at band camp.

I love this little girl, my life is richer and more challenging with her in it. I am so curious to know what life brings before her, I know that she is going to kick life's ass.