The Back To School Post

          This week has been a tricky one- so much has changed around here in the past few weeks- with the biggest change happening on Monday when our Littles headed back to school. The Boy of course was beyond excited to be back in the classroom- amongst his friends- even the girl who claims to be his girlfriend. He thrives in a structured environment like school- teachers shaping his days predictably in a way that is foreign to me- The Boy though loves knowing whats happening next and the moodiness that had been lurking has quickly disappeared.

      My girl- she started kindergarten- this has been though on us both- but if I'm being honest mostly just for me- I miss my girl so much. Miss Lo who is usually bursting with confidence and full of beans is a bit more subdued- particularly today when I dropped her off for her first day with the entire class- up until this point the class had been divided in two- today all twenty two children were together- my girl was a bit overwhelmed but went gamely ahead with no complaint up the stairs. She already has a friend who conveniently lives right downstairs.

         So with these littles safely squared away my days are about to change- the hours between 9:00am and 3:00pm are- for the most part- my own. Even today- which was a short day- I sat in a coffee shop- reading an actual magazine- the whole way through. One look around our apartment reveals a change is happening- most toys are away in their homes- the living room tidy- pillows on couch- no crumbs on the floor. Backpacks and shoes litter the front hall closet- our dining room table is covered in permission slips and library books- a change from the usual sea shells and sticks.

         When you are in the thick of raising babies- the tough days when you have had very little sleep or foul moods are catching- when you are sitting in the middle of a living room that looks like a tornado blew through- you think it will never end. We had our babies eighteen months apart- we had two babies under the age of two- it was intense- it was crazy- at times I have sat in the bathroom and cried- life is like that. I feel like we have come out the other end of that- I'm not saying that there won't be times when I want to scream- what I'm saying is I can catch a brief glimpse of a calmer and more tidy life.

       I am sad we are done with the baby stage and even with the trying toddler years- somewhere along the line I blinked and both my babies are kids- kids in full day school! So I guess what I am trying to say to all those Mommas who are in the thick of it- don't fret over the crumbs and finger prints- seriously before you know it your babies will be in school- your days will come back into focus again- stay present and as challenging as it may be- enjoy very little second.

        I'm not sure how my days are going to shape up yet- I'm hoping to take advantage of some dry weather next week to bike around Stanley Park- The Mr. and I have a standing coffee date and my friend and I are headed to a favourite cafe- kid free. As I struggle to find a sense of self without my children by my side every minute of the day I know they are learning- having fun- growing as little individuals- the important business of being a kid.