The List and Other Randoms

This morning I woke up with the list of ‘things-that-need-to-get-done-holy-hell-school-starts-tomorrow” spinning in my head. I’ve had kids floating in and out of my class – moving to PM Kindergarten or full day and so I haven’t even written their name tags yet. Worry not, that task is on The List. I intentionally left my notebook, which is keeper of The List, at school over the weekend because I wanted to really enjoy this Labor Day weekend with not too many distractions and school pressures. Translation: I sent myself e-mails about what needs to get added to The List.

Yesterday we squeezed every, single ounce of the day out and by the time our heads hit the pillow, we were satisfied with our weekend. Friday, when we had our ultrasound,  seems so long ago and the things we did in between then and now aren’t really important, but boy did we enjoy the weekend. After we left the ultrasound, Barry and I set out on a mission to find a perfectly round pink balloon. We were successful in finding the balloon; however, it wasn’t until we got out to the parking lot that we realized that perhaps the balloon wouldn’t fit in our car. It was that large. We did some maneuvering and got it to work and next time I have a need for a balloon, I plan on getting another rad huge one. The instant we walked through the door with the massive thing, Maggie was enamored. It didn’t take much convincing to get her to ‘take the balloon to get some pictures taken.’

And that was the start of our weekend. We went to Bellingham to visit Barry’s family on Saturday and Maggie got to spend some time playing with Greg and Linda. I slipped up to Bellingham to run some errands and by the time I got back, they were still having a great time. It doesn’t matter where we go, Maggie always remember who has what toys at their house. I suppose we’re all that way as kids, I can clearly remember toys that both sets of my grandparents kept for the grandkids. She just seems so young to be remembering!

I wish I was better at writing down more of Maggie’s day-to-day anecdotes (maybe I should add that task to The List?) because she has become so dang funny. Like the other day when I was changing over our duvet cover in our bedroom, a long process, and suddenly I heard fake snoring coming from the corner where she was playing. I looked over to see her curled up inside a pillow case with her head sticking out making sleeping face.  Then she’d pop up and yell “Good Morning!” and instantly fall back in to sleeping face/snoring/ball curled inside pillow case. She then insisted on finding a rubber band “I need rubber band right here. I need it now” and tying the pillow case closed around her waist like a potato sack. She kept the pillow case on to hop to her table and eat a snack and for quite a bit of time afterwards.

She’s also trying to figure out who her friends are and anytime we mention some of the little people she knows, she says “they my friends, mama.” She also is figuring out that mama and papa have friends too. We’re working on helping her distinguish between family and friends because as we were pulling out of my grandparent’s driveway the other day, waving to them, Maggie informed us that ‘them my friends.’ She’s right that my grandparents are her friends, but they’re also her family.

 [Other side note, the other morning Barry dropped me off at the Farmers Market and waited in the car with Mags and Syd. I guess while they were waiting for me, Maggie started to ask “Where’s Janet? Where is she? Where’s Janet? Where is Grammy” Barry tried to explain to her that Janet/Grandma was at her house. I wish I could have heard her ask for my mom by first name. So funny.]

But trying to figure out  the friends & family concept is a tough one, because what happens when you have friends that really are like family? How do you explain that? We’re not going down that road quite yet….instead we’ll settle for pillowcase wearing

Doing Nothing

We’re on the brink of some pretty big changes around here. Next week I’ll start teaching Kindergarten half time and Maggie will spend her mornings with another caregiver. We’ve got an amazing nanny that we’ll be sharing with another family and I feel really good about the situation, but I still have a lump in my throat knowing that this change is coming. I have been lucky enough to be home with her for these past two years and I’ve been savoring our mornings together lately and know that soon I’ll be rushing out the door leaving her with Barry to start her day.

I’ve also been feeling like I haven’t really SEEN Barry in a while. We talk, text, e-mail all the time, but sometimes our days seem to start off with a BANG and don’t slow down until we’re crawling into bed….so we scheduled this weekend on the calendar about a month ago  to just Be and Do Nothing. Oh, boy. My parents were gracious enough (you know, it’s like pulling teeth to get them to take Maggie…I kid, I kid) to take both Maggie and Syd for two nights. Barry and I had countless conversations about whether we should pack up and go somewhere, but what we just came back to was that we just wanted to spend time together without interruption. So, we’ve been home and it has been a perfect Do Nothing Weekend.

We did go to Ballard for a bit, downtown Edmonds, out to eat a few times, a movie, a bookstore, and this morning we read the newspaper in bed until our fingers turned black. So, we haven’t exactly done nothing. But we have successfully ignored some projects that need to get done around the house and both of us are fine with that. Yesterday we were both up and out of bed by 7 o’clock, but we had french toast this morning at 11 o’clock and I think on this final morning of our Do Nothing Weekend we’re finally unwinding. It feels good.

But having a quiet house is a bit odd and uncomfortable. There isn’t a Pug snuggled in between our legs on the couch and a child running around entertaining us. We’ve been able to talk, touch, and converse freely for two whole days and it has left us both wondering what in the world we did before we had Maggie. What did we do with our time?

Most of all, I feel recharged and ready to approach this next phase in our lives. Busy mornings, missed moments, and trust in others to care for my beloved child….I’m ready and I know that Barry is too. Because, lord knows, we’ve had enough time to talk about it.

Until the next change…..which just so happens to be a little baby….in January.

Eeeeeek!

****WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE FIRST PHOTO, ALL IMAGES TAKEN BY MY MOM. THANKS, MOM, FOR KEEPING US UPDATED!!!!****