Home

We left Omaha on Monday, later than anticipated of course, and got back to Rochester at about 9 pm. Matt grumbled about having to start work on Tuesday and we set about unpacking. I unloaded the car while he readied the kids for bed. Between 9 and 10:30 I don't think I sat down. Between putting kids to bed, feeding Lyndee and unpacking, it was just a blur. Right in the middle of this Matt says, "Ready for bed?" Daggers shot from my eyes. "Ummm...no, I don't think so. Do you not see everything that has to be done before I can relax?" And in all reality, he doesn't. He could go to bed with things piled everywhere and it wouldn't bother him. Sigh, sometimes, I wish I could be more like that. Needless to say, Matt went to bed. I cleaned up a bit more, then sat on the couch, downed 4 pieces of friendship bread and a water, and read the paper. Downtime and alone time are necessary things after a togetherness weekend!

And then it was Tuesday and the first day of school. Matt made it out the door on time. I had to wake Gabe up so that he could get ready because we had Meet the Teacher for preschool. Mom came to babysit the little ones and Gabe and I were off. I had combed his hair, sprayed it and made him wear a collared shirt. What I hadn't done was prepared myself for this. I had to admit, I was nervous! And anxious. And a little sad! This was my baby, going off to school for the first time! Gasp, sob! Okay woman, get a grip. It's preschool, and it's only Meet the Teacher for crying out loud. You're not leaving him there! Deep breath, here we go.

We walked to room 7, met his teachers, found his cubby and signed in. He explored the science table (yay, bugs!), the water table, the painting table and the blocks. Then he got to go outside with one of his teachers while I and the rest of the T/Th am parents stayed to listen to the teacher. I have to say, it is quite different being on this end of the parent/teacher relationship. I admit I was a bit intimidated. And worried about how I was going to be judged as a parent. If anything, this will definitely make me approach teaching differently. During the presentation, the back door creaked open and in walked my son. He walked straight to me and said, "Mommy, I'm going to play inside now." Ummm, not you're not and I took him straight back outside. No sooner had I sat down in my preschool chair than I heard the door creak open again and heard my 4 year old sobbing. I knew before I turned around that it was him. Yep, I'd know that sorrowful, "I've been injured" cry anywhere. Turns out, he had fallen off the swing. Nope, no ice thanks, it wouldn't help anyway. As we walked off the hurt, turns out the thing he wanted most was to play in the three year old playground. It did look a bit more enticing with its brighter toys and other climbing things. And no basketballs were out in the four year old playground. My son the ball boy! We were finally calmed and able to leave without a scene. I hope his teachers didn't look at each other after we left and go, "yep, he's the one this year, he's the crier." I am a tad apprehensive about how Thursday will go. We'll just have to wait and see I guess.

The funny thing that happened today actually occurred in the van while running an errand. We have many great conversations in the van.

"Mommy, why do rotten eggs smell?"

"Well, I don't know. I guess it's because they don't hatch right or something inside goes rotten."

"Oh. Maybe they're rotten because they come from rotten birds."

You can just hear the wheels turning all the time. I mean, that would be logical, wouldn't it. Rotten eggs come from rotten birds! "No, I don't think so honey. I think the eggs just go bad sometimes."

"I think I know why Mommy. I think it's because their mommies don't take care of them."

"Oh, I don't know honey. I think sometimes it just happens."

"Yeah, and maybe it's because sometimes their mommies don't take care of them," he replies.

What could I do but agree with him. Maybe it is because their mommies don't care for them. There are so many questions to which mommies don't know the answer. Not the least of which is why rotten eggs smell bad!