February ended on a high note. After a long and relatively boring week where I didn’t have much to do, Feb. 29th proved to be the busiest day of the month!

Friday, Andrew couldn’t find his coat in the morning (or his shoes), Alex missed the bus, and Aidan was too “tired” to go to school. By the time I got the kids out the door and started doing my drop-offs, we were late. Andrew got to school 15 minutes late and as a result, Aidan was 20 minutes late. I had a conference with Amanda’s school scheduled for 9:30 and had hoped to have time to get a shower before going. Instead, I raced home with Zoe, scrunched my hair, tossed on some make-up and ran out the door again.

And…oh-ho…the agony of meeting with her vice principal. I was there to talk about the Germany trip with her and to see where Amanda was at right now with school…and was completely unprepared to have to deal with little girl drama that apparently has reared its head at her new school. “Don’t worry, it isn’t just Amanda…it’s the whole group of 6th grade girls”. Oh, gee, that’s a relief. Apparently though, Amanda had a falling out with her best friend. The little friend was being mean and moody and Amanda called her a jerk and told her if she was going to be a “beyotch” that she wasn’t going to be friends with her anymore. The real kicker though is that Amanda wrote WTF on the chalkboard in response to her friend and another little girl “playing the whisper game”. Oh, I’m sooo proud.

“Mrs. Math, do you know what WTF means? I didn’t. I had to be told.”

Seriously? You DID????

“Yes, yes… I’m vaguely familiar with what that means.

The friend spent the week crying. Amanda spent the week upset. Teachers intervened and asked the girls to write a letter about what happened. Amanda’s letter? “Dear Mr. Neron. We aren’t babies. Let us solve our own problems. Get out of our business and let us handle these things ourselves.”

Ummm. That went over like a lead balloon!

While the vice principal was sharing this with me, Zoe was busy tearing the little paper tags out of the filing drawers and ripping them up.

“It’s ok, just let her”

“ummm…..ok?”

So….after we came to an agreement about how to deal with my child (I said let the hammer fall on her sassy little butt…I want her to squirm!) I grabbed Zoe and headed to my first Mom’s Club meeting. I haven’t been in a playgroup since Andrew and Amanda were little, and I was really excited/nervous.

I got Zoe buckled in and headed out realizing that I was going to be a few minutes late. When I got there and went to get Zoe, I discovered that she had somehow managed to get a hold of Alex’s markers. He had left them in the backseat and she had colored all over her hands and face. Of course.

So…I made my first appearance as a mom of five with an almost two year old that had colored on herself. I guess at least I already know now who the moms are that I’m going to get along with. I could instantly see which moms were the freaky “OMG” moms and the more laid back “OMG, when my son was two, he smeared himself in butter” moms.

I had to leave early to meet a friend for lunch…someone that I haven’t seen in a long time but who was in town and agreed to be an active participant in a Happy Meal catch-up date! We had the chance to talk and reconnect while Aidan crawled underneath the seat to get back to his side and Zoe spilled her chocolate milk under the table onto his head. I am not sure if this stuff is supposed to faze me anymore. It…didn’t. I pretty much wiped him off and let him go play!

By the time lunch was over, I felt so peaceful. I had a great time. You have to stay connected to what is important in your life….

When I picked Amanda up after school, she proudly announced that she and her girlfriend were once again “best friends”. “See, we didn’t need any adults getting involved. We can solve our own problems”….and then the story tumbled out…her friend got her period during library time…and they bonded together in the bathroom again over tears and maxi pads…” Holy moly. Her friend came over for a sleepover later and they spent the night connecting and talking….and when her friend got up in the morning, she asked me for a cup of coffee. After all, she is…a woman now.

It's been a lazy weekend...I can't believe it's already Monday again tomorrow. Boohoo.

The kids got up early this morning...and when Zoe woke up, Alex came up and took her to "babysit" so that we could get some extra sleep! It was such a sweet gesture. Of course, I couldn't sleep, but I laid in bed listening to Alex make breakfast for Aidan and Zoe. I finally crawled out of bed when the sounds of chairs being pushed around on the floor and books falling gave me a good nudge. They built a fort using the piano bench, a chair and....our living room carpet! I wish I had thought to take a picture, but before I have a good cup of coffee in the morning, my brain doesn't generally turn on!

We did enjoy a really lazy day though. I don't think I got out of my pajamas until after noon...then I laid down on the sofa at 2 and took a two hour nap. Ahhhh, the good life!

It did warm up today and the kids were thrilled to be able to go outside and continue with the work on their snow forts. Zoe even went out with the boys for about...2 minutes before deciding that snow really isn't her thing! She didn't like the two pairs of mittens, thick clothes and two jackets she got stuffed into, and the snowpants made her fall over. Her boots didnt' fit so she was stuck in street shoes too. She was happy have a chance to go out with the boys though!


Alex is inside of the snow cave!


I came, I saw...now I'm DONE!


Andrew, Alex and Aidan stayed outside working a little longer....but Aidan was the next one to come in!

Scouty had the right idea all along though. While the kids played out in the snow, check out where he was perched!

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