Finally Friday

Finally Friday is all about breathing a sigh of relief that the week is over with a photo and its “short” quote.  Yes – similar to Wordless Wednesday, but created for those who have no capacity to be wordless such as myself.   I’m Italian and I am just getting over trying to say things in 140 characters or less on Twitter.

This Friday, another season of summer camp comes to a close.  It’s hard to believe that nine weeks flew by…..

…9 weeks of rosy red cheeks

…9 weeks of sweaty heads, hair askew

…9 weeks of very tired children fighting to stay away at nightfall

And then there are those milestones….

…passing the deep water swim test

….spending the ENTIRE day outside

…mommy NOT following the buses on Field Trip Days – even the one to Peddlers Village!

There are just two weeks left until the school bell rings and the children return to their classroom.

Wait, two weeks?  WHAT?

Finally Friday

Finally Friday is all about breathing a sigh of relief that the week is over with a photo and its “short” quote.  Yes – similar to Wordless Wednesday, but created for those who have no capacity to be wordless such as myself.   I’m Italian and I am just getting over trying to say things in 140 characters or less on Twitter.

Today, I am thankful that my Little Man made it through his first full week of Big Boy Summer Camp.  It was a week of many first – First time at the new school.  First time on a bus.  First time on a trip without Mommy as a chaperone.  And if this week wasn’t stressful enough, as I mentioned yesterday, my oldest took her swim test and is cleared to swim in the deep end of the pool.  My babies are babies no more.

Each fear and stopped heart beat equals two gray hairs AND a very proud Mommy!

Now it’s your turn.  Share with me your Finally Friday.  Find me on Facebook.

Happy Friday!

….And I Didn’t Drown!

My phone rings at 3:02pm. I am sitting in my office. Call is from my father-in-law’s phone and my daughter is on the line.

“Mommy, Mommy… I took the swim test today…..”  My heart stops. This was not discussed and I had no idea she had any intention of taking the test.

“….And I passed…..”  Of course she passed!  She had the best teacher – her Daddy!

“….And “E” and “E” were in the deep end with me and guided me through the entire length of the swim and I didn’t have to use the emergency rope….” My heart stops again.  What emergency rope is part of a swim test?

“….you know it’s a rope to divide the deep end from the shallow end but we use it just in case we drown…..”  I was not ready for this to happen.

“….and do you know that the best part of all is, I didn’t drown so now I can swim and jump and play in the deep end of the pool everyday at camp and don’t worry, there is this boy who is the lifeguard …..”

I took solace in knowing that at summer camp, my timid daughter contentedly played in the shallow end of the pool.  This is no more.  My little timid daughter is spreading her wings a little farther each day and my hair is getting grayer.  I want so much to keep her this age, this size, this way forever, but I know the effort would be futile.  She is my daughter and the daughter of my husband – watch out world!  I suppose I should just do my best to guide her and make my visits to the salon more frequent.

“…….and the lifeguard is older, you know old, like 17 years old ………….

 

It Never Gets Easier – And it’s not even my kid!

To date, I have experienced the Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten and Summer Camp Drop-off jitters.  But never have I experienced Summer Camp Drop-off jitters for children who are not my own – that is, until this morning.

A seasoned vet to this process, my daughter mingled with her friends and paid very little attention to me as we stood waiting for the camp doors to open.  As I stood nearby (because any closer to my daughter is “not cool”),  I recognized my good friend and fellow Mommy Blogger dropping off her twin boys as Summer Camp Newbies.

Perhaps because my daughter didn’t need me, as they approached us, I instantly was consumed with Summer Camp Drop-off jitters.  I quickly tried to connect the twins with another little boy who we also know and love who was also a Summer Camp Newbie.

“Twins, meet our dear little friend.”   aka……Dear Little Friend, meet these darling twins who know absolutely no one so please be their friend.

The twins clung to their Mom and my dear little friend, kindly accepted my request as he clutched his Dad’s hand.

As the campers were ushered in, my daughter quickly gave me her hug and kiss and excitedly went off to fun.  The twins and my dear little friend, cautiously made their way with their camp counselors, as their parents slowly walked backwards easing the detachment between parent and child- afraid that any sudden movement would cause panic.

And what happened next – happens all the time.  And it doesn’t get any easier.

The boys (all three of them) walked into Summer Camp leaving us all behind without looking back.

As the door closed behind the Summer Campers, I hugged my friends fighting back my own tears for three boys that weren’t even mine!

Summer, Bring it On!

I pride myself in being a fairly organized person.  Almost everything has a place in my house and when it doesn’t, there is a catch-all basket that it can call home.  I can light up the screen on Google Calendar like it’s 4th of July all year round, and of course – it syncs to my iPhone and that of my Hubby’s too.  Need an email from last year?  Chances are, I have that too.  Both my work and personal email have folders and sub folders because you never know when you are going to need THAT email again.

Let me add, this is not something that came about recently either.  I have been “like this” for years.  Some people call it organized.  Others call it obsessive compulsive.  I call it CMP – nope, not Certified Meeting Planner but Certified Mama Planner!   And never does this skill come in more handy than when the summer months fall upon us.  Thirteen weeks (and sometimes 14 weeks ) of combining camp, beach, day trips, nannies, vacations all while working a full work week at the office.  Granted, the element of “do your homework” and “it’s bed-time” are eliminated from this time of year, the summer truly puts my planning skills to the test.

And this summer is no different!  At a recent end-of-year event, my fellow CMP’s were comparing summer activity notes. After some time was spent discussing carpool days, pick up, drop offs and vacation schedules, it was difficult to wrap my head around who I was to pick up, when I was needed for drop off and which camp I was going to.  Frustrated, my one fellow CMP declared,  “It’s going to be in excel. You’ll get the schedule this week!”  My friends, this schedule is elaborate.  Three sets of parents carpooling five children to three different camps for the coming 13 weeks.  Google Calendar is going to balk when I try to upload this schedule.

So as the school year comes to a close, I happily embrace what summer will bring.  Prepared and organized, with Excel and my fellow CMP’s at my side, we can enjoy everything summer has to offer us.  Now the laundry it will bring……

that is ANOTHER post entirely!  Why do less clothes produce SO MUCH MORE ………..