The final countdown

Don't tell me you don't remember that bad song. Hey, when I met FG he was a DJ at a hard rock station in the early 90's. He played that a lot.

Anyway, this weekend is the final countdown to 3rd grade. So what does a good mother do? Why pawn her kids off to the grandparents all weekend, of course!

I deserve a break. I spent 5 1/2 hours at the waterpark yesterday hauling a big ass double tube around and being called "Chicken!" by my kids. I spent way too much money, applied enough sunscreen to them but not quite enough to all parts of me, ate like crud and tired them out so DD was in tears at 7:30 asking for a quick bath and into bed. uh huh. That's what a good mother does.

This afternoon I will finally get my children dressed and take them to my parents house where they will swim and watch a movie and eat too much junk. They will spend the night and tomorrow will be catered to with fresh pancakes or french toast, more swimming and making an apperance at a 1 year old's birthday party that my mom is obligated to attend.
Tomorrow afternoon they will get picked up from there by another grandparent and be taken to the state fair. There they will again be indulged with too many sweets and rides and every want will be satiated. THIS is the grandparent who doesn't follow the rules. I expect them to come home green from rides and cotton candy, clutching to some random crap that will fill their room/playroom/the stairs. *

Sunday they will agin belong to FG and I but they will spend the day with yet another grandparent as well. MIL is coming along for a boat ride for the day to watch her daredevil grandaughter give the continual "thumbs up" sign from the tube behind the boat. That is "boat speak" for FASTER. My blood pressure will rise and I will envision all sorts of horrid things and threaten to cut off FG's manhood if he dares go any faster.

Monday though... Monday morning will be bittersweet as I compromise with DS about his choice of clothes for the first day of school, try to remember my camera (forgot it last year -bad mom!) and struggle with what the heck to pack in his lunch. I'll fight back tears as I write him a little note and tuck it in his lunchbox and ask him if he wants me to pick him up or to ride the bus home. Then I'll send him off to 3rd grade. Where he gets to be his own little kooky self and have a life that I'm not always privvy to. School is weird like that. There's an anonimity that I struggle with. When we are out and someone sees him and starts talking to him and I have no clue who they are, that's weird. Just another thread being snipped off the old apron string as we begin yet another school year.

Stay tuned for a post about DD's first days of Kindergarten. She and I have a week together before she heads off. She's admittedly nervous - all those big kids can seem scary. There will go another apron string that is tied directly to my heart.

*note: I have to work all day on Saturday. Sure, they could stay home with FG but knowing it's supposed to be very hot, they will have MUCH more fun swimming their little gills off than hanging with Dad for the day while I work. Also, FIL likes to take the kids to the fair. I would rather they come home tomorrow night and we all have dinner together but FIL asked if he could take them. We really had no reason to say no other than the fair is sorta creepy.