So when he was dropped off from school on Tuesday the bus driver yelled out, “MISS MARY, MISS MARY”, all the while curling his big thick finger up and down showing me I was wanted on the bus for a little talkie.

He proceeded to say, “KP has something to tell you and then you can call me tonight.”

SWEET!  Being a parent is awesome!  What the hell?  What on earth did you do?

Once we got inside he told me the whole story, he didn’t even try to hide it.   Then around 9:00 pm I got to call the bus driver at home (that’s weird…am I right on that one?) and get his side of the story.

Then KP got to write him a little note of apology.

It says:

Dear Mr. Chuck,

I am sorry for poking holes in your bus seat with my pencil.

KP

Then he had to hand it to him the next morning, THAT was the hardest part of the whole deal.

He woke up with a temperature of 100.2 and a cough. 100 degrees is the point where the school suggests to keep them home due to spread of germs.

He was so excited to stay home.

As the bus pulled up yesterday morning he was yelling at the top of his lungs, “I’MMMMM SICK! I’M SICK, I’M STAYING HOOOOOOMMMMME!!!!!!!!!”

Yup, the rule girl in me just had to keep him home.

Do you follow the school guide line rules?

We were at the pool yesterday.  He has never gone down the body slide or the tub slide by himself.  And yesterday, not only did he feel it was time to do this by himself but he also decided to add the drop slide and the diving board to his repertoire of bigness.

He was absolutely sure he could do it.  Swim all the way to the edge.

I was not so sure.

So what does a mother do?  Let them try.  Even though it might make me feel like I’m drownding just waiting and watching at the edge of the pool.  Let them try.

I can always jump in and grab him from a watery tomb right?

So off he goes, on his own, all on his own.

I sat in the reclining chair watching as he circled back to jump and slide again and again and again.  All I could think of was how funny the timing was.  The diving board today and off to all day Kindergarten next Tuesday.

As the sun warmed my body, that was simply resting on the chair (not grabbing limbs, not helping to swim, not playing with) I knew I had gotten to the next chapter.

OMG…what happens in the next chapter?

Which one would find the knife that was left in the sand and want to play with it?

Yup…you guessed right.

And then, what would you picture happening next?

Yup…you guessed it.

Just another Life Lesson.

After his injection of neon green icee that spilled all over his white shirt and a spattering of drool from the bright blue airhead juice, he sat down in the dirt and dust of the ball park to pull some weeds, that turned into a bouquet for me.

He brought them over and climbed up into my lap.  He looked down at the mess that was all over himself and said, “Mom, I need a bath.”

I responded, “Oh, we’ll get you all cleaned up tomorrow at swim lessons.”

The mom sitting next to me burst out laughing and said, “Well…at least you have a plan!”

Dad, husband, father-in-law…whatever kind of daddy you are, have a GREAT day.

Happy Father’s Day!

We have kicked off the summer with cleaning chores for everyone, everyday.  Why should I have to do it all?  Once said chores are done, we can move onto fun times.

Now we have also started our Summer Adventure List and the hope is we choose one fun thing to do a week (depending on the week).  These things range from bike rides to the Sculpture Garden to The MOA to hiking and going to the zoo.

But then there is this fighting that keeps happening.  So we have made a rule.

Rule:  If you fight and you can’t resolve it, BOTH parties go to their room and stay there until I say they can come out.  I have found waiting until the next meal allows them to really think about what they have done.

How this summer goes is totally up to the choices these kids make.  Get along…we will do real fine.  Fight…you will find out just how much paint was put on the walls of your room.

I’ll keep you posted.

But the two things that I do know are these:  he worked as a bellhop for most of his life at a very fancy hotel in Ohio and he always told my dad to make sure to check a woman’s teeth before he married her.

It must have been the weather.