Spring Break officially began today…as in today was the first day we were able to turn off the alarm. We have been talking about what we wanted to do over our week long vacation from school when McK decided that we needed to come up with a plan. So here it is…an almost 4 year old’s spring break bucket list.
G wet through his overnight diaper. Again. I strip the bed and gather all the laundry from his room. I walk to McK’s room and grab hers along with all visible yellows. Those things need to be cleaned. It all gets tossed into our giant front loader washing machine. It’s 9:30 AM.
I hear the musical notification to let me know that the load has finished and toss it into the dryer. A takes the kids on a walk to the park and I run to the grocery store for my weekly shop. When I open the door from the garage, I can see that A has started the laundry from our hamper. The kids’ laundry remains in the dryer. It’s noon.
I pull a clean yellow from the dryer for McK and the kids go down for a nap. A and I snack on some cheese and crackers and we each work on finishing up a few small tasks. I settle in to watch a show before we leave for dinner with Great Grandpa. The laundry continues to sit. It’s 4:00.
We get back from dinner and the nightly bustle begins. The kids run around with their second winds. We try to organize for the week and so I make the laundry switch. G is off to bed and McK starts her bedtime routine. The kids clothes go into their laundry hamper and our first load finally makes its way to the dryer. I toss the rest of our laundry into the washer and leave everything to sit in the laundry room. It’s 8 PM.
I finally sit down to start the big fold. I drag the fox embroidered hamper to the living room and fold all their tiny clothes. I shout to Aaron to grab our clothes from the dryer and make the last switch of the night. He announces that I never actually started the washing machine an hour ago. Of course I didn’t. I fold everything I can and wait for the never ending cycle to end. It’s 9:45.
I am writing for the 2019 March Slice of Life Challenge
It’s rare that my husband and I get to go out on a really real date. Between classes and homework, kid and homeowner responsibilities we are too busy or tired to fit it into our already overfilled schedules.
I wasn’t always nearly as type A as I am now. Something happened somewhere post college to make me need to micromanage most parts of my life (just done look in my purse). I became an organizer and planner. Not having a plan gave me super high anxiety.
It’s the end of the day. One child is in bed and the other is stalling with requests for the bathroom, her song, and just one more hug. I am emotionally exhausted. This last push before spring break has taken its toll on me. My house looks like a tornado went through it. G-man has discovered the joys of the Tupperware drawer and McK has every doll she’s ever played with on the floor.
Every mom needs a tribe. I have several I turn to for different reasons. My BFF is practically my sister. My sisters have been stand-ins for my mom as I learn how to navigate parenting. The PTA is always ready to grab sushi while we gab about our children, jobs, and the next kids’ event we are planning. My fake friends know my deepest, darkest secrets. My classmates keep me sane through the most insane of semesters. My Mac pals are always up for a girls’ night out even if we can manage it a few nights a year.
I teach students with multiple disabilities. Some are more complex than others. Today I was working with a 6th grader I’ll call Jessie. He’s a cool kid who uses a wheelchair to move about the building. Jessie has a lot to say but has difficulty actually saying it. You see, even though he is very vocal, his actual voice doesn’t work the same as yours or mine.
