Seasons

I am unbelievably glad that it is the first week of October.  I am filled with happiness not only because my birthday is fast approaching and few things bring me joy like celebrating my birthday since I get to choose where we get pizza (which will definitely not be the cheap pizza that the kids love) and I get to have cake and champagne.

That would be reason enough to ring in the fall season.

But if I am being truthful, I am relieved that summer is safely in the rearview mirror.  It was the most difficult summer I have had in a long time.

Leading up to the season, we were faced with a string of complications. 

Marie had a confirmed diagnosis of scoliosis, and she needed to be fitted for her back brace.

I got braces on my teeth to prep for a tooth implant that needed to be done ten years ago.

Then there were ALL of the end of school events which relentlessly shoved us right into our summer routine.  This new schedule had me viewing the first few weeks of summer through my minivan windshield while chauffeuring the kids to swim, theater, gymnastics, and Lego camp.

All while Harrington was home for approximately 12½ days in June.

I felt disorientated and frustrated as I drifted further away from my center.

The cat was frustrated, too, and vented his feelings by spraying the walls with urine.  Also my underwear drawer because he really needed to drive home his point.  Message received, Scott Awesome.

We both dealt with this in our own way.

Scott Awesome went on Prozac.

I went to a yoga silent retreat.  One reason being that we couldn’t share the Prozac.  When I made a joke about sharing to the pharmacist, he did not laugh one bit.  I feared that he would call the authorities about a wild-eyed mother who appeared to be drug seeking the tiniest about of controlled substance through her cat.

I was desperate to take a moment away from my mom duties.  Although jail would give me a break from my kids, I don’t think it would have been as restorative as the preplanned yoga trip, which quite honestly, was life-changing and deserves its own post.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention a few good memories that were sprinkled through the season.

Like the time we went to Myrtle Beach.  We played on the beach (when we weren’t dodging jellyfish).  We also ate Krispy Kreme donuts right off of the assembly line which was more magical than I anticipated.

Or the times we went to the park and they played so nicely with each other I thought that my heart would explode.

But overall, it was not easy.  Everything – life, writing, being a mom and a wife – it felt clunky and heavy.  I often wondered what business I had writing a book while mothering young kids. 

With all my mixed up feelings of guilt and relief, I ran towards the first day of school with the promise that balance would be restored.

Of course our transition from summer to fall was not smooth at all.

But because I am writing my book, I will need to talk about all the things like mom guilt and how much space I really allow myself to fill up in next week’s blog post.

How was your summer?  How’s your fall starting off?

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The Daily School Routine

Um, I’m not sure if you noticed, but the first day of November begins next week.  When did that happen?  It seems like just last week I was getting ready for the first day of school, and now it’s days before Halloween with Thanksgiving sneaking up very soon.

Even though the leaves have been changing colors and I’ve been indulging in everything pumpkins spiced (except coffee creamer because that tastes how I would imagine pumpkin spice scented soap from Bath and Body Works would taste like), I feel like I have finally settled into a routine. Part of the reason may be because Harrington has been traveling a lot or maybe time just seems to be moving that fast.  Who knows?

What I do know is that after this *supposed* last day of mild weather, any remnants of summer will be gone, and with it, so are the days of sleeping in until 8am (which is the equivalent of sleeping in until noon since before that my kids were waking up at 6:00am) and not having to urgently rush to some place.  There will be no more ice cream on the swing set as the sun sets.  Week-long family vacations adventures will be on hiatus, too.

But the pressure of managing two kids all. damn. day. is gone, too.  I won’t be stressing about my lack of motivation to do something other than turn on the TV because the weather is so hot.  (I try not to complain about the weather and find the good in each season as I wrote here at the Detroit News MichMoms blog, but I have learned that heat and humidity sucks my will do anything faster than any cold snap).

However, as the very wise man Jerry Seinfeld once said, “You can’t have the this without the that.”  The tradeoff is getting up early to work out and making lunches.  It’s also kind of sad that I don’t see my babies all day, and I find myself reminiscing about the days of being on lockdown due to the nursing/nap schedule.

I need to be honest, and I know this might not be in line with the popular consensus, but I’m OK with getting up early and having to be at the bus stop at a certain time; it keeps me motivated.  What can I say, I thrive on a deadline.

I may not see Marie all day, but I try to make the time we spend together count, whether it’s when we do homework or driving to swim.  Because going to school all day and exploring outside interests is the natural order of things, I really stress quality over quantity.  Also, I am able to have some valuable one-on-one time with Thomas, which he really needs right now.

I am sure that when June rolls around I will be more than ready to ditch the schedule for new adventures.  I can also promise with great certainty that I will be excited for September when balance is then restored.

What do you think about your school routine?  Love it?  Hate it?