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.
By Ellen Williams Erin Dymowski
The photo of little guy playing in the sunset is divine. I feel your pain. Also can’t you do something better with your free time then run 20k?!?
Stasha recently posted..Monday Listicles
High photographic praise from you Stasha. Thank you!
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 question
Hee hee! You ladies crack me up each time.
Alison@Mama Wants This recently posted..Things I’ll Miss And Things I Won’t
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.
Wise words from an Ellen who has been there and traveled the road ahead of us. Thanks. Ellen
Gorgeous pics! I went through the same thing with my first daughter – but then SURPRISE
hollow tree ventures recently posted..I’m Going To Die
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 Die
Ha!
I will be sending my youngest to kindy in the fall too. I love the photos.
Robbie recently posted..SOC: Challenged
also the title makes me think of a song from the 80s..Madonna maybe?
Robbie recently posted..SOC: Challenged
Close, Cindi Lauper.
Ellen
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
Thanks, Kyla. I know it’s hard for everyone. Hitting the outlets would be fun! Erin
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 10
That angel makes my heart melt…enjoy every second!!!!!!!
Kathy recently posted.."Oh how I regret not having worn a bikini…
preschool productions are the best. that was a long time ago for me but I still miss them.
I loved the reality checks. Too fun. I remember these years, but I’m facing high school graduation this next school year. Can I order anti-anxiety meds now??
Ally recently posted..Things I’ll Miss And Things I Won’t – Monday Listicles
Doesn’t Klonopin come with the college applications?? Ellen
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 Behind
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!!
awwwww – gorgeous pictures and I love your lists.
Deb recently posted..Monday Listicles:10 Things I Would or Would Not Miss
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…
I love what you did with your list! Great photos, list, and commentary!!!
Emma @ Your Doctor’s Wife recently posted..What I Will and Won’t Miss
LMAO….love, LOVE it! I am definitely in line with you Ellen. HA!
Trust me after about hmmmm a day or so…you’ll be scrambling to get to pick-up on time.
Diane recently posted..A Tribute to Nora Ephron…#Monday Listicles
Oh God, I am still far from sending my kid to kindergarten and I already miss her. I’ll be probably curling up in a fetus position for a month too. LOL.
Mama and the City recently posted..A list of 10 of what I’ll miss and what I won’t
My oldest is four, and will be in K in the fall of 2013. I will already admit, I have shed tears over this, I mean. It all goes by way too fast!
And I must agree with Stasha, that photo with the sunset is divine!
Jackie recently posted..Things to Miss and Those Not Worth It
I am so glad you did this. Nora Ephron was special.
And gorgeous photo of the kids and the tulips too!!
Pish Posh recently posted..People of the Yard Sale, in Reflection
Thanks! They were the pictures that made me most weepy, so of course, they had to go on the post. Erin
This was awesome. And something I soon will face with my youngest. I’ll come back to read Ellen’s reality checks to make me smile.
Susi recently posted..Missing some but not others…
Ellen is great for stuff like this! Thanks! Erin
Erin…I bet it will be a big change, but pretty soon you’ll adjust to that free time. And before you know it, you’ll be doing so much you’ll wonder what happened to all that time alone while everyone is at school. A very dear post.
SouthMainMuse recently posted..What’ll Ya Have? The Varsity.
Thanks, Jamie. I think because he is the baby of my bunch that it makes it that much more bittersweet. Erin
Awww…I was just thinking this morning about how my baby is so not a baby anymore. This parenting thing is such a mixed bag. Each stage brings losses and gains. Good luck, Erin! And thanks for the reality checks, Ellen.
Recovering Supermom recently posted..Life on Earth: What I Love and What I Won’t Miss
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
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.
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 Mahusin
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.
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!
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