Dear Andrew, Today is your last day of Kindergarten. I have mixed emotions. I am so proud of you, but I am also sad that you are growing up so fast. You really have grown so much in the past year. You went from being so insecure about school. You would battle a nervous stomach every morning and I would have to guide a teary child on to the bus. But having a wonderful teacher and class in a very cute school has made a huge difference. You now cheerfully run out the door to the bus, and have even told me you wanted to go to school on one occasion when I thought you might be too sick to go. You love your class mates and your wonderful teacher Mrs. Martin. You are beginning to read books and you love numbers and math. Your artwork has gone from being timid squiggles to recognizable drawings. I am so proud of you Andrew. You rock! And I love you so so much. Congratulations on completing your first year of school! I love you, Mommy

Pete and I are heading to San Fransisco and Napa for four days. It is a much needed grown up getaway, and yet, as I lie here, all I can think is that I am leaving my kids. My sweet wonderful kids who drive me crazy much of the time, but who I love so much that at times it feels like my heart will break. I know they will have a wonderful time with their grandparents, and I know that we will have a great time and all too soon I will be back home, probably wishing I was away again. But right now I feel just a little bit sad. I love Andrew and Katie so much.

I am sitting watching Katie play waitress with Pete. Apparently she needs several pieces of paper, various pencils, a legal pad and as Katie calls it, an “iThingy”(also known as a nook) order to place an order. It also seems to be incredibly hard to actually get any food or drink, and you can only order what she tells you to order. There are frequent sighs and signs of exasperation, and that is from the waitress! Any laughing from myself or Pete are quickly admonished with a “you are really annoying me now.” All in all I think Katie will make a great surly teenage waitress!

There is nothing like having your kids gaze into your eyes while saying that they love you. It makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside and you feel so special…that is until they shift their gaze and start prodding you in the face asking you why you have spots, and why do you have moles, and spots on the moles and then hair growing out of the moles. How quickly I went from feeling like a cherished mother to an old hag with a pointed chin, crooked nose and of course spots and moles. The kids will be having worms for dinner.

Katie is very particular about what is allowed to stay in her room at night. And it can vary from night to night. It also depends upon how tired she is and how long it takes her to fall asleep. Because she had a nap today, she is having trouble falling asleep. Pete and I were just chatting downstairs when we heard some banging and crashing upstairs. It turns out that her new ride on suitcase is out of favor. Out the door. Her large stuffed horse. Out the door. Assorted books. Also out the door. The other night she claimed that one of her stuffed animals preferred sleeping right outside her door. The previous night she was mad about something and her new embroidered owl was unceremoniously flung out the door! For the large part her antics are amusing and she is good at putting herself back to bed. It is even a little exciting to see what we will find at the top of the stairs when we head up to bed. Ah Katie, she is a strange bird that one :-)

As we started taking down the Christmas tree Andrew expressed concern that Christmas could not be over. Why? According to Andrew snow is very much part of Christmas and we have not had snow yet. He was in fact quite concerned Christmas morning that it had not snowed overnight. He really wanted the whole show. I of course had also forgotten to buy chestnuts to roast over the open fire, which given the 55 degree weather, we had not lit. Poor disappointed little boy. Better luck next year.

Katie: Andrew sir

Andrew: don’t call me sir, call me regular Andrew

Katie: Okay…regular Andrew…

It is almost midnight and I just had a huge battle with Katie to get her to wear her mouthguard. It breaks my heart.

I was putting Andrew to bed the other day when he asked why our friend Chandra had such a big belly (Chandra is six months pregnant). To which I answered that she was going to have a baby.
Andrew: how did the baby get in there?
Me: (after a pause) special baby seed …….(lame, I know).
Andrew: and how will the baby get out?
Me: ehhh,uhhmmm, well I think they will cut a small hole in the belly and “easily” take the baby out. And then they just sow up the hole and everyone is fine…(again, I know this is lame, but Andrew is only four and a half………)
At this point Andrew seemed somewhat satisfied so I just started reading a book about pirates. More his speed I think. I know it was mine!

Katie, perhaps in an effort to be more like her big brother will now suggest to me that she go on time out, or she just puts herself on time out.

Katie: I drop cwayon (after deliberately throwing it across the room)

Me: Really? Cause it looked like you threw it…

Katie: I go on time out (running towards gate)

Me: No, that’s okay..eh…this is your warning….

Katie: Okay Mommy (looking downcast)

Earlier she had been put on time out because she threw a fork of food on the floor, so I guess she figured that she would be in less trouble if she put herself on time out before I had a chance to. Is she already outwitting me…..