The Clap Out

Today I got an email from my son's 5th grade teacher. This is the last week of school for 5th grade. Lots of activities going on. Pool Party tomorrow, Clap Out on Thursday & 5th grade Promotion Ceremony on Friday.

I'm glad she explained what the Clap Out was because I was clueless. "The Clap Out will take place at 3pm after our promotion practice. The students run a trail on the field while all the other students clap for them. It's very fun and a great picture opportunity if you are able to make it! :)"

Oh, I get it! Cool! Then I burst into tears at my desk. And shit, here they come again. I don't think it's just this event that is getting to me but the overall realization that my son is graduating from 5th grade. I remember walking him to the bus stop for his first day of Kindergarten. We bought him a Buzz Lightyear Backpack and matching lunchbox. He was so little, full of excitement and ready to say goodbye to me for his first day of school. He made me promise I wouldn't cry and I didn't. But damn, I wanted too so bad. I was brave. Right now, not so much...

On Friday I will celebrate with all the other parents I have become friends with as we watch our children leave Elementary school and enter Middle School. I'm happy, I really am. It's another milestone and I'm incredibly proud of my son. I can't help but look back and reflect on the past 6 years. I'm grateful that I have been able to chaperone field trips, organize classroom parties and attend special events at the school. I'm grateful that my son has always been a good kid. Nice, polite, funny, a leader amongst his friends and smart! I'm honored that I was chosen to be his mom!

And I cry, because deep down inside, I don't want my son to grow up and leave me.

a boy, a girl, a movie....date?

My firstborn. My son. My sweet little baby boy who was and still is the most laid back chill person I know, wants to take a girl to see a movie. He's turns 11 in 68 short days. The girl is "M" and they have known each other since 1st grade. She's pretty with long flowing black hair, cute glasses and is tall just like him. I've asked him repeatedly if "M" is his girlfriend. Answer is always NO! Apparently he "likes" her. I know that "M" like my son who will now be referred to as "Z" because she texts him all the time. His beat up Verizon flip phone constantly announces that he "Has a message from..."M". What does "liking" mean at this age anyway?

So my son and his best friend "S" who "likes" this girl also named "S" want to all go together to see a movie. They've been talking on the phone, texting, figuring out a movie, date and time. The plan was presented to us and my immediate thought was sure why not. The boys were nice and let the girls pick out the movie. It's just a movie. My son wants to go but he's not really pressuring me about it. Like I said, he's very laid back.

I discussed the plan with his Dad & my love and we all agreed that a parent has to be there. THERE as in inside the movie theater with them. I think "Z" and "S" thought we were going to sit in their laps and baby them because they flipped out! I pulled my son aside and made it clear that they would NOT be dropped off and picked up after the movie. It has to be chaperoned. *side note: I'm really only mean when I'm tired or have PMS, so I was proud of myself. I'm sure my kids would not agree but I'm the mom & the boss so there!*

He agreed as long as I didn't sit next to them. So here we are. A boy, A girl and a Movie Date. It's supposed to take place tonight at 8:30. I have to call "M's" parents and confirm the details. Do they even know about this? Is she allowed to go? I have no clue. My son's friends mom is going to do the same with "S". We'll see what happens.

The funny thing is on the day I was in DC for the MS Walk, said son's friends mom was going to take the boys to see a movie and the girl's would meet them there. I didn't mind. It was Saturday afternoon, daylight, one of the girl's 18 y.o. brother would be the chaperone. But now...now I'm all over this like white on rice. I think after much discussion I've determined that I don't want to be THERE and chaperone because I don't trust my son, or because I want to embarrass him.

This first date situation thing will only happen once and I want to be there to witness it so I can tease him about it in 10 years.

Take my Poll and tell we what you would do? I need all the help I can get raising a almost 11 year old boy. Did I mention that his voice has started cracking?

Just one of those days....

I'm tired, really really tired. I hate being tired because everything good about the world seems like crap. Dark, dirty, dingy crap. I've been on the move since last Friday. Work, kids, football practice/games, neighborhood parties and all the other stuff that comes along with being me.

I'm 31, mother of two kids and I act like I'm 17 again, partying with my friend's band (yep, I was the Manager & Promoter) and missing curfew but sleeping in the car with my best friend in front of the house waiting until it was safe to sneak in. Yes, those were the good ole days & fun times.

It's not so easy now. My close friends have kids that are best friends with my kids. We are both Pinot Grigio connoisseurs. I go and go until I crash. The recovery is torture. I'm a hot mess for the next two weeks. There have been studies conducted that conclude driving while sleepy can be worse than driving while intoxicated. I haven't read those studies myself but I can tell you that being Chantel while sleepy is hell. I arrive at work and drink 5x my normal amount of coffee with no effect. I still remember to take my Vitamins including that b-12 with NO EFFECT. I'm tired. My body is trying to tell me that I'm not 17 again but I protest.

All this to say that I have a bunch of things I want to blog about. I just don't have the energy. I realize I don't have to hang out every night, it's a choice. And I don't do it day after day and week after week but damn, when I get started....it's all or nothing.