Time After Time

We love Nora Ephron and mourned her passing with everyone else. Therefore, we were touched when Deborah at Mannahatta Mamma asked us to honor Nora’s  list of What I’ll Miss/ What I Won’t with our own for this week’s Monday Listicles on Stasha’s blog The Good Life. Deborah is a great writer so treat yourself with a trip to her blog. It is one of our favorite places to visit.

So even as I enjoy my great summer reads and swim with my kids and generally enjoy my summer, my thoughts are never far from the fall and the big change that’s coming.

My baby goes to kindergarten. All day.

I haven’t ever had a kindergartener without another baby at home. I haven’t been without a little buddy close on my heels for 15 years. I don’t really know quite what to feel, so I am just being philosophical about it. Ellen, who is also experiencing her own big changes as her girls enter high school and middle school this year, has agreed to help me. While I wax nostalgic, she is going to give me the reality check I sorely need. Hopefully, this will help me avoid holing up under my covers the first week of school.

Things I Will Miss:

1. Preschool Productions. There is nothing like an uncooperative angel to move me in unexpected ways.

Ellen Reality Check: These productions generally involve the sewing/gluing/repairing/conjuring of costumes, usually at the last minute. All this costuming must be squeezed around baking the 20 dozen cookies needed for the reception. The bonus is you get to take your little angel home immediately after he has been sugared up at the aforementioned reception.

2. Dressing Up. They may still do it a little once “big kid” school starts, but capes and swords and boots are the wardrobe of preschool.

Ellen Reality Check: Oh please, I know your kid. The caped crusader outfitting is not going to stop. You’ll still have Wolverine as your side-kick at the grocery store (if you’re not smart enough to do your shopping while he is in school, that is).

3. The freedom to explore and strike out on our own during the week. We will still go out and do it, but there is less time now.

Ellen Reality Check: That is sad. Wait, I’m supposed to counterpoint. How about you won’t have to squeeze working out, blogging, grocery shopping, and cleaning into a three hour time slot each day. You won’t have to choose between exercising and showering anymore. Your blogging partner says, “Yippee!”

4. Little things. Star Wars guys, Lego mini-figures, army men, Trash Pack Guys, Squinkies—you name it. If you can clutch more than one of them, Eddie loves them unconditionally. He will still play with them, but his little clutches won’t be all over the house all day every day. Sniff.

Ellen Reality Check: I’ll finally be able to walk around your freakin’ house without impaling my foot. And by the way, you do realize school is only about 6 hours? He has oodles of time before and after school to wreak his havoc on your abode.

5. Day trips after preschool. There was just something so special about having that little extra alone time together.

Ellen Reality Check: For real? You’re a great mom, but did you really go tip-toeing through the tulips every day after pick-up? Go train for your half marathon already, geesh.

Final Ellen Reality Check: I may or may not have gone back to bed, curled into the fetal position, and pulled the covers over my head for a solid month after I put my youngest on the bus for kindergarten. You’ll never know because the evidence was destroyed in the honey badger incident of 2011. Well, at least Erin has blogging to ease her pain.

Click on over to Monday Listicles to check out the other great posts. This week should prove to be a good one.

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39 thoughts on “Time After Time

  1. Delilah

    I still have 4 years before Zoey goes off to Kindergarten (she’ll miss that darn Kindergarten cut off by a measly 7 days). Even though it’s far in my future I still teared up a little bit thinking about it while reading your list. I’ll miss having a little one around all day…and also I’m sure Husband will start asking me if I plan to get a job. And no, I don’t. Haha!
    Delilah recently posted..To Miss or Not To Miss…that is the questionMy Profile

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  2. Ellen

    Yep, what Ellen said.

    Seriously, just like there is pain in every passage, there is a great delight in finding new things to value. Trust me, my son has gone to kindergarten, middle school, high school, college, the UK for college, and graduate school a handful of states away. I missed him fiercely each time, but I found things to enjoy too.

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    1. hollow tree ventures

      Did I press enter somehow? Well, that fits exactly what I was talking about. I went through Kindergarten-Induced Baby Withdrawal a few years ago, and now I suddenly have another one, who won’t go to k’garten for 4 more years but for now is sleeping on my lap and causing me to accidentally hit enter as I comment on your blog one-handed and in the dark. 😉
      hollow tree ventures recently posted..I’m Going To DieMy Profile

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  3. Kyla

    I feel your pain, Erin! Just did this with Matthew this past year. Big change, and I am not a huge fan of change (imagine that! Me, miss flexible?). We can take an extra workout class and hit the outlets one day with the other “empty nesters ” –embrace it, every new phase is great and hard all at once. Find the joy in all circumstances 🙂

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  4. Ducky

    I am extremely thankful at the moment for Lil Duck’s August birthday which means she is still two years away from Kindergarten. I love the preschool days…all the dressing up and wearing of princess costumes to the grocery store. I don’t want that to end yet….

    I barely whimped out 2 miles yesterday…a.20k? I suppose I could eventually get there if I didn’t have to run in 106 degree weather. THAT is quite the obstacle.
    Ducky recently posted..I Will, I Won’t in 10My Profile

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  5. Rorybore

    I have one more year before my youngest heads off to Jrk., and after almost 7 years at home immersed in my 3 children, I think…..I’m okay with having some free time.

    course I’ll miss her, but I admit I am looking forward to the opportunity to have a chance to miss my fat ass too. although, a 20k might be pushing it a tad. let’s not get crazy.
    Rorybore recently posted..Monday Listicles: All That You Leave BehindMy Profile

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  6. Bridget

    Im sending my little guys off to Kindergarten this year too! It’s sad. At least, I though it was until I read this. I hadn’t thought about not having to choose between running and showering! Woot!!

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  7. Mary

    You had me at #1. Crying already!! I have a love/hate relationship of how they grow up. My baby hits first grade and then it just takes off! However, I solved the problem by homeschooling!! Okay – one day I would really like to be an empty nester (or will I??) Crying again…

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    1. The Sisterhood Post author

      Thanks! Most of the time I think I am just fine with him being in school all day—like right now when he is driving me up the wall. Oh the push and pull of parenting! Erin

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  8. Ado

    This was just the sweetest.
    You had me at the unwilling angel. (-:
    Great photos and I love the counterpoints.
    PS: Re. that first day of k-garten and all the maternal dread and worry that precedes it…oh, I hear you. I have a hard time with these “big milestones” and with my children’s transitions like this because it’s real, tangible evidence that the world is moving along at a faster pace than I’d like it too. Good luck with that one! (It all gets WAY better after the first day!)
    Ado recently posted..My Child Gets Very Deep At Bedtime. Very. Deep.My Profile

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  9. Sperk*

    This is just gorgeous and humorous, but mostly a lovely testament to mom and child, baby child…who is growing up.

    Why do they insist on doing that?

    I was grieving over the last day of school up until about an hour ago. by the time I begin to enjoy summer, my oldest will be starting high school. It’s just tough stuff.

    Oh, and my youngest? I’ll never forget the first morning of all-day school. The house was so empty…but…the six hours do fly.

    Lovely, lovely photos…great balance in this piece…not too sticky sweet, but touching… reminiscent. Thanks for sharing.
    Sperk* recently posted..Wednesday’s Woman: Maziah MahusinMy Profile

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    1. The Sisterhood Post author

      Kimberly, we are moving along the same timeline. My oldest is starting high school and I just got a stomach cramp typing that. Diving back into denial now. Ellen

      P.S.- Thanks for your kind words. 🙂

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  10. Michelle Longo

    I loved this and you totally hit a nerve. My guy (my only guy) goes to kindergarten in the fall too. And while he’s in full-day preschool now, it still feels like such a change. I love the point-counterpoint of this. Great post!
    Michelle Longo recently posted..Happy Posts.My Profile

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