When I woke up this morning my alarm clock was flashing. I spent the first five minutes I was awake trying to figure out what fucking day it was and if I’d overslept.

I hadn’t. BOOYA! Jumped in the shower and got dressed, got the kids dressed, did Julia’s hair, made sure teeth were brushed and hands were washed and went downstairs to make breakfast for the kiddos – peanut butter and jelly toast, if you’re interested.

Threw back a coffee, checked my email, stopped the kids from strangling each other and made Julia’s lunch – a bologna and cheese sandwich, two tangerines, a granola bar and a cheese stick, if you’re interested.

Wrangled Oliver to the ground and put his hat, mittens, scarf and jacket on, somewhat forcibly at times, and made sure Julia had everything she needed for school.

Checked the clock once we were in the van – 8.51am. Right on time.

Pulled up to the school and noticed immediately that there was no teacher waiting at the gate as usual, nor were any buses lined up at the curb. The schoolyard was empty; there wasn’t a single, solitary soul outside.

I sat there for a minute, stumped, and then I remembered – slowly – seeing the list of parent meetings Julia’s teacher had scheduled for today posted on the wall outside of her classroom when I was there last night for my meeting. And it dawned on me – slowly – that today’s meetings had started at 8am and ran through the day.

And then I remembered that today was a PD day.

31 Comments | In: life, in general | | #

…to laugh at your son when he runs up to you, a screwdriver clenched in each of his fisted hands, and shouts, "LOOK, MUMMY! I'M SCREWING! I'M SCREWING!"

I didn't think so. 

34 Comments | In: life with oliver | | #

I was in the living room the other night picking up the never-ending assortment of scattered toys when I heard Dave shouting from the bathroom, where he was giving Oliver a bath.

“Babe! Grab the camera!”

Thinking that Oliver was doing something deliciously cute in the bathtub, I dashed into the kitchen, grabbed the digital camera and took the stairs two at a time. I arrived at the bathroom door slightly breathless – a sad statement of my current state of physical fitness, or lack thereof – and looked over at the tub. Oliver was in there and yeah, he was deliciously cute, but for the life of me I couldn’t tell what the Kodak moment was.

Grinning, Dave grabbed the camera out of my hands and turned it on.

“What’s up?” I asked, leaning against the doorframe. Dave stopped snapping long enough to point proudly at the tub wall, where this was on display:

“Giving them baths isn’t going to be nearly as much fun when they’re older and they can like, read,” he said when he handed the camera back to me.

He’s got a point.

**Something Blue’s having some sleep issues, the issue being she ain’t gettin’ any – sleep, that is. Head on over to Ask Mama T to see what advice I offered up and hey, feel free to leave some of your own, too.**

28 Comments | In: life with dave | | #