Without his lifelong friend, Puff could not be brave

About a month before kinder started for Annabelle, we had a little get-to-know-you play date.  This was a key day for us, because we knew only 2 kids in the whole school.  As soon as we got there Annabelle told me, "I recognize that boy.  He was at s______'s party.  I remember him becuase he had on a weird shirt."  "What was weird about it?" I asked.  "It was glow in the dark"

I introduced myself to his mom and we chatted and talked. When we left, Annabelle told me that she hoped he was in her class.  He was, and then he was in her first grade class too. 

To say they are friends does not really do it justice. They are more like kindred spirits.  I don't like the word soul mates, because 1. I don't believe in soul mates and 2. It inherently implies something romantic and there is nothing romantic about the two.  

They are simply very content together. They play, they sit in silence, they eat their snack together, they discuss science and look for animal tracks.  He likes Tallulah.  They never fuss, and he has a box of rocks in his room too. They ate  lunch together every day last year, and they know when to give each other space.  "I let him play with the boys today, mama, it seemed like that is what he wanted to do." 

We asked for them to be in the same class again and our request was not honored.  So despite the fact that annabelle has the nicest teacher in the school, who is young and pretty and likes to teach with songs, and doesn't yell, all those awesome things, despite this-- she is unhappy.  She was in tears tonight.  She is not saying she misses him, but she is pointing out every negative thing about her day, which included a boy saying "La La" in her face as loud as he could.  I explained how boys do silly things, because they are incapable of saying, " hi, annabelle, I like your suspenders, you are pretty and nice, will you be my friend?"   And because they are such simple creatures they scream la la instead.  

Response: 

"H______never does that."  

I am trying to ignore this.  It is the second day of school, after a long, fun summer.  So we are going to plod on, but I can't help but feel sad, so sad, because the beginning of school last year and the year before were so joyous.  And second grade, out of all my grades, was the very best one-- which is perhaps sadder for me that I peaked so early. 

But I know if he was in her class, there would be a boat with billowed sails, and pirates lowering their flag.  

Trying to get my girl out of her cave.  

What I did over my summer vacation, part 1

I went to Florida.  With some very dear friends and my parents.  This was the first time that we have been on a vacation with my parents-- not a weekend get away, but a full week long vacation.  At the beach.  My dad is not really a beach person, and he is certainly not a sit around and relax person.  He is more of a project person-- as in, let me dig a trench and put in a pump that will allow me to water my yard with river water and the trench will be dug uphill, and there will be much sweat and a possible trip to the ER.  He's that kind of person.  

But I think he had fun.  You have never lived until you see a septuagenarian jump into the Gulf of Mexico to chase after a manatee.  When you see that, you have about one second to decide, "yeah, me too," and then you have got to jump in.  Because if your 72 year old dad is going to jump, in then, hell, you have to too.  

My mom and the girls had fun. They played lots of uno and there was lots of cheating. Like-- I-am-going-to-pee-but-I-am-taking-my-cards-with-me-because-I-trust-no-one kind of cheating.  

I also reaffirmed why I won't ever leave the kids with my mom for any length of time-- and that is because she has no filter and is completely inappropriate.  To wit: we were discussing, in front of my children, my friend's sister who is dating a guy who is very particular.  He is the type of person who gets mad at you for opening the chip bag wrong(it's chips how can it be wrong?  Open the bag,eat.) and since I am married to that guy, I can tell you that life is too short to give a shit about how you open the chip bag.  Don't get me wrong, we have two lovely children and love each other very much, but he annoys the hell out of me.  So I was advising for a breakup.  My mom agreed and added, in front of my innocent children, who she wants to be good Catholic girls, "well, all I can say is, the sex better be great."  

Sweet Jesus.  She is now the gym teacher sub at the catholic school in her town.  That's not a typo.  That said gym.  When this septuagenarian tells you to do jumping jacks, you have about one second to say yes, ma'am. Because if Toni stevens is your gym teacher, you better jump, and jump high.  

We also had surf camp, the 4th of July parade, swim team, days soaking up the last bit of fun we could with some very dear friends who moved to Kazakhstan-- which involved lots of water parks.  At one point, the girls were so tan that their surrogate grandmother, who we know from church, didn't recognize them.  

And then, just for kicks, we adopted a puppy.  At first hyphen was dead set against it.  Then I told Tallulah he said no.  You can see her reaction, which I sent him via text message.  A few days later, I had my dog.  I told my parents how cute she was, but that she had pooped in the kitchen shortly after we got her.  My dad: "the first of many." Yep, that's about right.  Many. 

Then we went to Colorado.....and that's when things got really interesting.  

I'd write more tonight, but I have to go.  The dog just crapped on the carpet.  Again...

Winning at being a mom...

I never watch the news, because it is too depressing. People are killed, society is down the toilet, congress is broken, politicians embarrass me, Twitter is newsworthy, isis exists, sex drugs and rock-n- roll are glorified-- all the basic stuff that makes me blue, so I ignore it completely.

I get my news from my parents, who find it just as depressing as I do, but watch it constantly.

But here is my news for today.

Today my daughter drew a picture of mermaids. Look at it closely.

Never, in my history of drawing pictures as a child, did I ever draw anyone's skin, with any other color than a peach crayon.

So I am here today to say-- fly your rainbow flag, fly your stars-bars-- whatever, man. I don't care. My kid sees the world in a different way, where mermaids are brown. I am winning at being a mom, my neighborhood, my school, my church, we are winning at what we are supposed to be doing.

We are winning the hearts and minds of the people that matter.