Just a sandwich!

Having a little boy in full-time kindergarten means having to pack a little boy's lunch every. single. day. for the next fifteen plus years. This is the one (and probably not the only) thing that I am not looking forward to, but its something that I accept and will try to do my best at.

Last week was our first week on lunches.

The first day, I made a signature ham and cheese wrap, with some grapes, a cheese stick, yogurt, mini muffins, and some fruit snacks.

The second day, I went with crackers, cheese, pickles, and ham in a little container, plus carrots and dip, a few other snacks thrown in.

The third day, I tried the bagel with cream cheese & jam, a yogurt drink, mini muffins, some pickles, and the standard snacks on the side.

On the evening of day three, the conversation I had with E at the supper table went like this:

Me: So how was lunch today?
E: It was good. But how come you put butter on my bagel?

Me: I didn't, it was cream cheese & jam.
E: But it wasn't toasted, you are suppose to toast bagels.

Me: So you want a toasted bagel another time?
E: Ya, toasted, no butter.

Me: What do the other kids in your class bring for lunch?
E: Just sandwiches.

E: So, can I just get a sandwich tomorrow?
Me: (surprised) Okay.

E: Not a wrap, not a bagel, just plain bread and stuff, nothing fancy.

Perhaps, I was trying to hard?

Friday, he got just a sandwich. Plain bread, some ham, cheese, and mustard.

Nothing fancy.
 
 

T'was the night before kindergarten!

So here we are... the night before E's first day of school, first day of junior kindergarten.

I am filled with so many emotions tonight... a bit of excitement, a bit of nerves, and the urge to cry just a little.

How can it be, that the little baby boy who stole my heart almost four years ago has now grown into an independent little man who is now able to hop on a school bus and start kindergarten. Every day for the last four years, I have been amazed at this little boy - and I am sure tomorrow will be no different.

I hugged him just a little tighter tonight, and told him I loved him about a dozen extra times above normal. His excitement is contagious, and I am hoping that my nervousness for him is not. I am excited for what is to come for him, all of the new opportunities, and a different way of exploring the world around us, but I am also nervous for the many encounters he may experience, where PC or I won't be there to help him or give him that extra nudge of encouragement that I know he sometimes needs.

This going to school thing is turning out to be harder on me than it is on him. I wish I could bottle up his enthusiasm for riding the bus (and then shoot it back to him when he's 16 and hating the bus). I wish I could somehow protect his innocent view of the world and head off any cruelty that may come his way during his school years. These are little things that keep me up at night lately. The unknown world of what the school years will hold for him. Will he be kind, will he be smart, will he be sporty... there are so many paths this first day of kindergarten can take... and yet all I want for him is to enjoy learning and have friends that like him for who he is.

As much as I am dreading the negative things that come along with going to school, I am too looking forward to the personal accomplishments he will experience by being a member of a classroom, and all of the wonderful things he will bring home, telling us all about what he has learned, or what he got to do at school.

Of course, there will be moments where I am sure I will less than impressed by something he may be involved with, but I hope that in some small way PC and I can be there to keep him on the right track and guide him down the path that allows him to make good decisions in difficult situations.

Ahh, the pressure that is going to kindergarten!

Tomorrow will be a big day all around. Big for E, and definitely big for Mommy & Daddy.

Emery, I want you to know how very special you are to both Daddy and I. We can't wait to see you take the bus in the morning, and meet your teacher, and unpack your school bag in your new classroom. It's going to be a great day all around (even if there will be a few tears).

Good luck tomorrow on your first day of school... and as always, lots of love.

xoxo
 

Friday the 13th.

Everyone always jokes that Friday the 13th is destined to be a weird day and before I wasn't really believer, but after today, I totally am.

This Friday was to be a fairly typical, routine day in our household, and it started out just that way... the kids were up as per their regular waking hour and PC and I got them shuttled out the door as per usual. Normally I would drop the kiddies off on my to the office, but today PC took them as we both had dentist appointments in Ottawa and his was first.  I stayed behind, logged into work briefly and then cleaned up the house a bit with the extra 45 mins I had before I had to leave.  I left in decent time and was putting on a car concert to some Maroon 5 when I saw the dashboard light up with the  'low tire pressure' message. I really didn't read to much into it because that light has come on in the past in extremely cold temperatures and I wondered if it was just another false alarm with the extreme heat we've been experiencing this week.

I cleared the dashboard warning light, and continue my concert, but as I am literally one exit away from the dentist, I hear a loud 'wop wop wop wop wop', and another exclamation light appears on the dash. Immediately, I knew it was trouble and pulled over the shoulder of the road to find out that my back rear tire was completely flat.

Just as I get back in the car to make my emergency call to roadside assistance, the guy on the radio says 'anybody having bad karma today? Remember, its Friday the 13th, so be careful out there'!

THANKS TIPS!

It was not a good morning... needless to say I missed my dentist appointment and a good portion of the day. Since PC was at the dentist and just leaving when he got my call, he was able to come to the scene and assess the situation.  I was pretty lucky that A. traffic was light on the 417 this AM, and B. that PC was close by to rescue me (and C. that the kids were not with me). Roadside assistance took for.ever. but PC, my hero, managed to get my spare on so I could atleast get myself back home (doing 80km on the 417 with my four ways on all the way home).

I actually spent a good chunk of the day shopping ... FOR A TIRE! My flat tire was no where near patchable... so I had to shop around for a replacement tire. Not my idea of a great time... and trust me I would have rather spent the $250 on something like a new purse and coordinating shoes, but Friday the 13th would not allow it.

The next Friday the 13th that roles around, I think I'll stay in bed.
It will definitely be cheaper!

 

Hunger Games Virgin!

This weekend marked the opening of the movie Hunger Games (in Ottawa), and a few days ago, my besties asked me if I wanted to join them to see the movie.

I accepted the gracious invitation... not because I've read the book and was dying to see the movie, but because I was dying for an excuse to have a night out and a little break from my Mommy duties.

I think I am probably one of the rare few who were in the theater and had never heard of Hunger Games, let alone the names Katniss and Peeta. I went in blind, totally blind, and... I LOVED IT!

My besties are die hard Hunger Games fans... as they were Twilight fans! I never got into Twilight - my interest was not once peaked by the whole vampire love story. The whole Hunger Games movement is also one I did not jump on. I have to admit if it weren't for the odd snippet of info on Ellen and the entertainment pieces on my local radio station, I don't think the words Hunger Games would mean anything to me.

However, I really thought the movie was fantastic... super intense, and although based on a semi-unrealistic storyline, it was totally believable to watch. I loved the character of Katniss... she was phenomenal on all accounts.

Having enjoyed the movie so much, I am actually thinking about adding a copy of the book to my nightstand in hopes of reading it before... 2022!

Thanks to @erinseller and @ericaclapp for putting up with my virgin HG questions, but also for insisting I join the party! It was a great night out, followed up by some good laughs at Moxie's!

I am so pumped for Catching Fire... (whatever that means)!

 

Break-ups and daycare relationships...

Breaking up with anyone is not an easy thing to do... you have a relationship, and no doubt there have been some great things you've experienced with that relationship, but some relationships change, circumstances change, people change, expectations change... and before you know it, you're headed towards a break-up.

And let's face it, break-ups are awkward, and uncomfortable, and hard to do, but when its done, the feeling of relief, and new beginnings is enough to assure you that you did the right thing.

Back in November, we had to break up with our daycare provider. It was not an easy decision, but in the end it was the right decision for the boys and us.

We had a relationship with our daycare provider since October 2009 and it was one of those situations that went swimmingly good for a while, but then, as time elapsed, we got a little too comfortable with each other, and before you know it, things derailed quickly, and the business side of things lacked a lot of professional courtesy in the end.

Deciding it was time to cancel our daycare services was probably one of the more stressful mothering experiences I've had to date... and ending the relationship has since left a lasting impression of what not to do in future daycare relationships.

I write this post as the conversations on Twitter regarding the number of people who are switching daycares seems to be more common than not.  From talking about my experiences, I've learned that many people change their childcare arrangements from time to time, and while circumstances differ, I think there are a few pieces of advice I can pass onto others who may be in a similar situation.

So here's my personal opinion... and its speaking from my own experience on how best to keep a daycare relationship going strong.
 
1. Don't mix business with friendship. Daycare providers have hearts of gold and are extremely friendly, but at the end of the day they are a running a business. You are the client, they provide the service. You can have a friendship with the daycare provider, but it is in your best interest to keep your relationship business oriented, much the same way a real estate agent would do with a couple trying to sell their home or purchase a new one. You can send Christmas cards, or buy them something special here and there (or vice versa) but you're still the client and there still providing you a service for a fee.

2. Speak up. Relationships with daycare can be great one week and make you doubt your choice the next week. If you don't like something that is happening at your current daycare, whether it is meals, activities or lack their of, tv consumption, discipline, travel arrangements, etc. the best thing to do is address it the first time you feel uncomfortable so that you don't come off as too easy going or accepting of the procedures at the daycare. If you are up front with what is important to you from the start, then it will be less likely that any major surprises will be thrown at you as time elapses.

3. Be respectful. If you have an issue with the daycare provider, address it in a respectful manner and in person.  Sending emails is an easy way to get out of the face to face interaction, but conversations in person or by phone can resolve issues much easier than by email.  Often times you don't see your daycare provider long enough at drop off and pick up to bring up a difficult issue but find a time that works for both of you to discuss things in person or over phone so that the tone of each others words are heard and not implied.

4. Get it in writing.  Its nice to think that your friendly nature with the daycare provider is enough to be able to make little adjustments to the contract here and there without having to get things in writing (and sometimes that is the case), but for the safety and protection of all parties involved, you should really work to negotiate the contract so that both sides are comfortable and neither side is being taken advantage of. If things come up throughout the relationship, and it isn't in the contract, don't expect special treatment (and that goes both ways).

5. Stick to the contract. As with any business relationship, a contract is in place for a reason. If you've agreed to something, and its in writing, stick to it. If the contract specifies late fees for every 5 minutes you are late, and you show up late 4 times in a month, offer to square up with the daycare provider at the end of the month, don't wait for the daycare provider to get annoyed and feel taken advantage of. Vice-versa, if the daycare provider is allotted special paid holidays or sick leave in the contract, and exceeds it, bring it to the provider's attention and seek reimbursement before the month is out so that you aren't left keeping a side tally of freebies you are owed.

As mentioned above, this is me speaking from my own my experience with our recent daycare provider. Yes, there are many daycare relationships that last for the entire duration that you require daycare services, but there are also many relationships that only work for so long.  I have come to realize that sometimes its not so much about the daycare provider as it is what you want from a daycare.  What is right for one year, may not be the best thing in subsequent years, but with any luck, you'll develop a fantastic relationship with your care provider for the duration of your needs, and have a lasting, respectful, business relationship, with a little friendship on the side!

Good luck to those Mommy's (and Daddy's) out there who are contemplating switching daycares.  If your on the daycare search I can assure you there are options... and just when you think you've exhausted every avenue, something fabulous will turn up! Hang in there.

As a side note... we completed an extensive search for a new daycare provider, and we have found something that suits our current needs and that we are very happy with! Based on the trial days, the boys have both come home happy campers and with CRAFTS!!! Looking forward to having them start full-time in the New Year.

Calling all December babies... how is your birthday best separated from Christmas?

So... I am trying to plan a 1st birthday party for my sweet boy who will celebrate the big ONE in just a few short weeks.

The problem is, I am also trying to get my Christmas shopping done in a few short weeks too!

I am sure I am not the first Mom to come across this challenge, but I do know that I try to make birthdays in this house a big deal, and this is my first experience with party planning when another mega holiday is staring me right in the face.

And, I know that every December I am going to be facing this challenge, as H blows out his first big candle on December 16th, just 9 days before Santa Claus comes to town!

I'd like to hear from the December babies out there, or the parents of December babies, to find out how you or your parents separated your December birthday from Christmas in this very busy month of holiday hoopla.

I feel like there should be some code or book out there that I'm missing... you know the one titled 'how not to f'up your baby's December birthday'! I can't seem to get my hands on a copy, but my desire to know whats in that book is borderline obsessive!

For this year, I am hosting H's big party a bit early so that I won't have the house all decorated up for Christmas... but I know this won't be the case every year.  I guess I am wondering from all the December babies if you prefer to have your birthday looped in with Christmas or if you wish it was a completely separate event?

I do know that I vow never to wrap H's birthday gifts in Christmas paper... and to always give him the special birthday attention that anyone in our family would get on their special day... but I am still concerned that because his birthday is so close to Christmas, he'll be gypted just a little in the birthday department.

So... let's hear it December babies... what's the secret to having a fabulous birthday in the month of Christmas?