BACK TO SCHOOL BITCHES. BACK TO SCHOOL.
I have to admit that for most of this month, I’ve had a countdown going of how many days were left until school starts again. On my fridge.. IN BIG BOLD LETTERS. We’ve had a good summer: gardening, grilling, walking, parks, riding bikes, and scooters, playing ball, and swimming more times than I can count. My boys have played and had a ton of fun. My daughter loses her mind when outdoors.... I wouldn't be surprised if she buys a tent and sets up shop in the middle of a field and grows excessive body hair when she is older she enjoys nature so much.
But there’s just something about August: being out of school for two months already, the kids getting on each other’s nerves from too much togetherness, the building intensity of “I’m bored,” and just knowing these summer days are coming to an end. I'm ready for this shit to be OVA.
Once school starts, I won’t have to try as hard to balance everything. I love the structure of the school year. There is TIME FOR EVERYTHING. And this is the first year my youngest son will be in school 5 days a week. ALL DAY. PRAISE JESUS. It will allow me time to work more with my daughter, and to prepare for this baby who is going to be here before I know it.
So there goes my countdown: less than a week until I can go more than 10 minutes without being asked for a snack, being asked to go swimming even on 72 degree days, being asked to go here, there, and anywhere that is not just staying at home. Less than a week I won’t have to break up fights until after school hours. When I can start a project or take a break to go tinkle and know that I’m not going to be interrupted. Or at least, not interrupted as often as I am in summertime.
And right now, on a morning when I’ve had to yell things like “Don’t hit your brother with Super Mario!”, “your sister isn't a football!” and "you are not having chocolate ice cream at 8:30 in the morning.." that sounds heavenly. Truth be told, I’ve enjoyed the days of summer when we didn’t have to be dressed and out the door by a certain hour. And therefore not in bed by a certain time either. When our schedule was just ours: no school, homework, sports, or anything else dictating when we needed to be where. Soon this house will be quieter during the day and then filled with homework, karate, and stricter bedtimes at night. Oh and not to mention a screaming newborn soon. And while the quiet will be welcome, albeit for just a short time, I’m not quite ready to go back to such scheduled days. Not ready to let my boys go. My 5 year old is beyond geeked to get on that cheese wagon the first day. And I stifled back tears helping him shop for his supplies and organizing his book bag. I am going to be brave and smile and wish him luck and then cry my eyes out as they get on the school bus and drive off because I cannot believe how fast time flies. My oldest is going into 5th grade, and it truly seems like I just delivered him yesterday. He is all about how his clothes look, how his hair is styled, how SICK his new shoes are, and what buds he will have in his class. Gone are the days of Incredible Hulk and Spiderman lunchboxes and light up gym shoes. TEN. When the hell did that happen?
So I’ll enjoy these last days of the freedom that comes with summer. And these last few months of chaotic calm until this family of five becomes a family of six. Yikes.
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