You are here: Home / Babies / It’s the end of the school year as we know it (and I feel fine)

It’s the end of the school year as we know it (and I feel fine)

June 27, 2013 by 4 Comments

Hello there! It feels like a long time since I’ve posted, so I’m hopping right back in the saddle. Things have been busy around here. I’ve oscillated from overwhelming love for the city and all the generous and kind people in it, and overwhelming despair that it will never be enough, no matter how hard I try, I will never be able to help. It’s a silly feeling because of course change is the sum effort of individuals, and every little bit matters, and with that attitude I bake more cookies and muffins, buy more diapers, offer to do laundry, etc., etc. Things are improving, but it’s taking time, of course.

Because of the flood school was cancelled until today, which is a half day merely to say goodbye, clean out desks, and pick up report cards. It was very strange to go back to school today; almost as strange as not being in school for four days just before summer vacation.

 
 
As usual at the end of the school year I’m a little verklempt at the thought that they are now FINISHED another grade, in this case Grade Two and Three. On the one hand, it feels like all the awesomeness of having older kids, who I am closer and closer to launching into the great big world, and I feel like I’m doing well with preparing them for that. On the other hand, time makes you bolder, children get older, I’m getting older tooooooooo….
 
A while back I read this fantastic post by my friend Swistle that really summarized how I feel. It’s ALWAYS the Best and Worst of Times is extremely apt when talking about children, right? There has been some discussion lately about favourite ages and least-favourite ages and I can say, firmly, that I don’t have a favourite or least favourite. Part of this is because I don’t remember the stages very well. I think this is due, in part at least, to extreme sleep deprivation over the years 2004-2010. You would think that such sleep deprivation would lead me to say that those years were not great, but you would be wrong. Such memory lapses means that I can be like one of those sweet old ladies who only remember nice things and not the horrible ones. Sure, there were gross diaper blow outs and incessant crying and no sleep and terrible worries about introducing vegetables before fruits and would that ruin their eating for the rest of their life OMG he is trying to eat playground gravel. But there was also this:
 
 
 

And this

 
Also this
 
 


Actually, that last picture reminds me of the baby screaming while I tried to bathe him and the very young toddler falling off the stool while trying to help and everyone crying and…well…I like my biggish kids very much.

In any case, we can’t stop time so we may as well enjoy it! Here’s to another great summer!

Filed Under: Babies, Fleeting Time, Hello Calgary, Luckiness, Playtime, Testosterone-y

Comments

  1. Nan says
    June 27, 2013 at 5:10 pm

    I don’t have a favouritte stage/age because to pick one seems like self sabotage. BTW it’s only just occured to ke that I should buy the boys’ teacher an end of year gift! Etsy hereI come.

    Reply
  2. clara says
    June 27, 2013 at 8:38 pm

    Your eyes in that last picture are saying to me, “You are taking my PICTURE? Right NOW? How’s about you give me a HAND?”

    Or maybe that’s just transference?

    I have been in the park recently with my husband..the one I had to convince to have babies with me…and I saw some year old babies walking around, about to get booted in the head by the swing, their slouchy moms following them (slouchy because you have to bend over so you can scoop the dumb baby out of the way at any moment) and I said “Gosh, I am glad I have no more toddlers.” And my husband said, “Aw really? Because they’re soooo sweeeeet.” He remembers the good times. I remember the drudgery.

    Leave it on a high note Clara, come on! Yay summer vacation!

    Reply

Leave a Reply