Imperfect, but okay

I needed this today.

To accomplish something.

To hold something in my hands and think "THIS. THIS IS WHAT I'VE DONE."

It was one of those days you know? Mental inventory of life. Resume flashing through brain, me trying to catch glimpses of exactly what is on there. An informal, panic stricken, self-judgmental, personal inventory of my life.

It came early this year.

Then I finished this.

** spoiler alert** If I have you for a stocking you will not be surprised come Christmas.

This.

This is what I've done.

It's imperfect, but okay.

Like lady like apron.

I Knew This Day Would Come...

He tries to be good. I know he does. But the way he lets his frustration out is bad...

B...A...D.

He's a biter, and it happened today at daycare.

I have gotten one call already, the one where they call me Mrs. and I feel really old. They told me he had fallen off the chair, bumped his head, it was cleaned, iced etc, etc. All was good.

But today at pickup it was more on the sly, back door, a kind of BTW, he bit someone and that's that. And I felt awful, judged, terrible. The biter and bitee are not known to each other. Or at least the parents aren't. Which I guess makes for less awkward interchanges in the parking lot. But still, he's the one.

But maybe not. My hope is not. I scoured his little body today looking for signs of a battle, toothmarks that might indicate a tete a tete, rather then a one sided gnawing. I am convincing myself that a new bruise on his arm, the size of a pencil eraser is sure sign of some other little germy mongrel sinking their chompers in...but I will never know. He's not saying.

But really, how could you be mad at that face? And those teeth?! How sharp they are! All the better to...

Oranges?!? Oh' the good ol' days.

*Not oranges. But they are orange. Slack please. Cut me some. This photo is all I had.

Rice kris-pee treats, dunkin donuts, nutter butters....

For snack during a pre-K soccer game?

***

When we were assigned October 3rd as snack family for Dec's soccer team, my mind began to spin... what to bring? What does everyone else bring? What will make the kids believe that Dec has the best parents?

I decided that "we" would bring tiny Gatorades and individual serving bags of Rainbow Goldifsh crackers. Awesome. Awesome?!?

Supermarket trip with 2 kids in tow sealed the deal. Dec's soccer snacks were done. DONE! And, it wasn't even Tuesday. Was I the best mother in Town or what?

Or what?

But then soccer was canceled. Oh brother!

The gatorade was quickly (shockingly fast, actually.) consumed by Dec's dad in the coming days. Boxes of goldfish crackers hid away in case we get the "you're on snack dooty" call this week. P.S. we didn't. P.P.S. yet!

Fast forward to this evening, playing "math" (a lively, after-dinner game with 'dessert'). Juicy, bold oranges. Scrumptious oranges. A bright, juicy orange was the dessert. There, I said it, just in case you missed it.

Declan peeled an orange for the first time. "Good job!" and "Where did you learn to peal an orange like that?!?" flew across the dinner table. We talk fractions, subtraction, addition - all with that prize orange as our teaching tool.

During these shenanigans, the orange brick comes and smacks me clear on the noggin. Oranges. Oranges!?! Yes. Oranges.

When I was a little girl, we never had goldfish crackers, rice kris-pee treats, or dunkin donut munchkins for snacks at soccer. Never. NEVER EVER! We ate oranges. Oranges! The delicacy of a true athlete. (As described in detail this evening over a simple game of "math" with Dec.)

And now, back to those oranges. Oh, we LOVED THEM. LOVED THEM! (didn't we girls?) . How then, did snack time at soccer become filled with pre-packaged rice kris-pee treats, packaged gatorades, dunkin donuts hot cocoa and munchkins? What happened? I don't even know.

But as if the Gods up above have heard my angst, we got an email notice from the coach this week that all canceled games will be rescheduled. Hip hip....

And when our game is on. When we are declared snack family for the day.... you can be sure that this family will be bringing oranges and water to the game.

Oh yes.

Oranges!

Just like the good ol' days.

Question

Don't it make you wanna

JUMP JUMP?

My First Date

Dec was sad when I picked him up from school today. He felt a bit left out. Friends around him were partnering off, heading to playdates, whispering in the corner, and tripping him on his way in from the playground.

So this evening, I took him on a date. First trip to the movies. Left Dame and Nonie at home.

These are the things I learned:
1. Norwalk, CT has 2 movie theatres. And we were in both this evening, made it to the right one just in time for the show!
2. Cloudy With a Chance of Ice Cream is not the name of the movie. But it does make Dec laugh when I call it that.
3. Sometimes, I just need a little time with my first born. Alone. That's when I get the non-stop "I love you mommies" that make it feel like it is raining ice cream and chocolate kisses.

Autumn is...

Packed Hayrides

Washing Apples

Apples Being Put To Good Use By Amazing Babysitter

Foliage

Donuts on Strings

And Mini Maple Creamy. Maple Creamy. Maple Creamy.

Tada!

I present to you...

my bag.

While this may look like an ordinary, streamlined, state of the art, coordinating colors, square bag WITH a zipper - might I add - it is, in fact, EXTRA ordinary and do you want to know why?

Well it's because I made it.

Yup, that's right. With my own two hands. And the two helpful hands of my sewing teacher. She had to come and help when my zigzag seam went haywire.

And she had to look at said seam and exclaim "I have NEVER seen anything like this."

And she had to tell me "I think you're done for the night."

And she had to say goodbye to the other students as they left.

And there I sat. Slaving away. Ripping, zigzagging, and repairing.

My bag.