Thursday, February 23, 2006

Awake Too Late

This reentry week has been difficult in many ways. The transition from the roar of the ocean to the roar of children arguing has made me squint and yell. I've been ignoring the increasing soreness in my throat. I can't seem to keep the dishes all washed and the kitchen clean for even thirty minutes at a time.

Tonight, I am up too late, watching Olympic figure skating and cringing when Sasha Cohen fell on a couple of her jumps. She won the silver, but still. How devastating.

My daughter has been wearing old swimsuits for the past three days. She's even wearing one to bed at night and switching into different ones throughout the day. I cannot understand this. Yesterday, she played in the backyard in this crazy outfit--a swimsuit and sneakers--no jacket, no coat, no hat in the nippy February air.

Oh! Tonight, my son told me he was a fun boy. I said, "Are you one hundred percent fun?" and he said, "No. Seventy-five percent." Yesterday, when I begged him not to grow up (his 8th birthday is Sunday), he said, "Mom, it's the law of physics!"

So it goes. The kids keep growing up and I can't stand to lose them and I can't wait to push them out the door.

15 Comments:

Blogger oshee said...

I have read through some of your posts and I am so happy I found your site. You have a fun perspective. I also have a son about to 8. Such a smart age. I was sad to see Sasha fall, but she had such a great program otherwise.

Anyway, I plan to return so please keep writing!

12:35 AM  
Blogger deedee said...

I too, recently came across your site, like how you write and am looking forward to reading here often. My 5.5 year old loves to put together strange outfits, in total disregard to the weather, too.

2:33 AM  
Blogger portuguesa nova said...

Ha!

My baby brother, now 18, spent basically one straight year wearing zubaz (those awful zebra print pants that were very popular in the early 90's), a batman t-shirt, some faux snakeskin cowboy boots my grandparents bought him in Mexico and a batman cape (naturally). We tease him about it a lot today.

Around that time he also could not accept the fact that he was not allowed to go to communion at church and would throw a huge fit everytime we got communion wafers and he did not, so our priest started slipping him a little Teddy Graham cookie. We have a really sweet photo of our psychopathic looking three-year-old receiving the sacrament in his favorite outfit. Ahh, those nutty Catholics.

Do your kids tutor? I could use some help with chemistry.

3:39 AM  
Blogger Ginger said...

Ugh. Coming back from the beach to real life is never fun. Coming back to a 75% fun kid and a swimsuit model...well, that's gotta make the transition just a tad bit better.

6:01 AM  
Blogger tab said...

I know the feeling....can't wait for them to go off to school or visit others but yet miss them after a little while. You gotta admit that they are kinda cute though!

6:21 AM  
Blogger Judy said...

Oh, their growing up isn't so bad.

Once they get married and start to reproduce, the fun starts all over again! But...without the expense or lost sleep. What a deal.

I once wore my bathing suit all summer with a big straw hat. My otherwise reasonable parents made sure to capture this in pictures.

6:30 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I really like you! I'm going to add you to my reading list!

6:32 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Has she been watching the Olympics with you? Maybe she feels like the swimsuits are her skating costumes. :)

6:42 AM  
Blogger Deb Heller said...

At least your daughter doesn't wear rubberized red boots to bed. My Megan used to where her boot everywhere. If we didn't stop her, she'd wear them in the bathtub, too!

Although a swimsuit, outside, North of the Equator, in February does beg a question about a child's common sense.

Let me know when commone sense is supposed to kick in. My 8 and 10 year old still show no signs of having it.

sigh

12:12 PM  
Blogger Jenn said...

nothing like the ocean...I agree. I cannot wait to have my house clean like I like it. I know when the kids leave there will be some big adjustments (my oldest is 9 and my youngest is just turning 3 this mo.)

1:08 PM  
Blogger Jenn said...

ps. Did you read My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult? Was it good?

1:09 PM  
Blogger Pilgrim said...

In heaven there is no flylady,
so why do we have her here?

(The polka substitutes word beer for flylady.)
No guilt, Mel.

2:29 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mel, your son is smart. I think it is supposed to be a mix between wanting the nest empty and wanting it permanently kid-filled.

Julana---I thought it was:

"In Heaven, there is no beer,
That's why we drink it here."

At least that's the version on my dad's polka albums.

3:12 PM  
Blogger The Bizza said...

Ahhh... and the circle of life continues...

3:33 PM  
Blogger Krisco said...

I'm sorry you are feeling sickerlyish and I hope everyone is better over there soon.

8:53 PM  

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