The end of summer (ssh, don't tell Belinda)

Everyone has their own ideas about seasons and lifestyles, as they well should, but really, everyone should agree that fall is the best season.  I know some of you will disagree, it's ok, but for me, the cool crisp air, smells of cider and leaves rotting, it's bliss.  I am not a hot weather person so the coming of cooler days is heaven to me.  Sorry Belinda, I know you are holding on to each warm day we have.  But you also think it should be hot at Christmas and we should all eat mangos with our stockings and go swimming after presents, so clearly we take this whole "season" thing differently.  It's ok, you are still awesome and maybe someday I will experience an Oz Christmas and I will be a changed woman.

Along with the smell of cider and leaves, for most the years I can remember fall aslo brought with it the new school supplies, pencils, pens and of course clothes and shoes.  Let's not forget the shoes shall we.  It has been a few years since I was gearing up for school and even with a professor husband where our lives revolve around the school year and school days, I have been left out of that circle for quite some time.  That however is about to change.  Otto starts pre-K this week and next year, duh duh duh, Kindergarden.  He has a new backpack, new sneakers, long sleeve shirts and pants that fit his ever growing limbs, he is ready.  On Tuesday we have a meet the teacher day and on Wednesday he is off.  He seems super excited to go every afternoon to see his friends and do school work, Mette and I are a bit hesitant.  What are we going to do without him?  Mette is convinced she is going to school as well which will be a whole other issue to deal with I am sure.  Really, it is only 2.5 hours in the afternoon, but we are such a team the three of us, it is going to be tough.  Mette is starting gymnastics to help ease the pain.  We will see how that works.   Don't even get me started about next year when he will be gone all day, every day.  I am not ready for that.  Then Mette will also be going to school in the morning.  It will be so lonely.

It's is just like everyone said.  When they are tiny and literally touching you ALL DAY LONG you long for time away from them.  Just and hour here or there.  "Can I run that errand by myself" you find yourself asking your partner.  Suddenly the most boring of tasks are lovely peaceful excursions if you get to do them by yourself.  And then, in the blink of an eye, they are heading off to school.  Little bits at first, but soon gone for the whole day, every day.

Where did the time go?  How is he this big?  How can the boy who was so unsure last year, be so ready this year?  Will he been even bigger next year?  Why don't I seem to grow as well to adjust?

I love them growing up.  I love independence.  Even when it means that it takes Mette 5 minutes to climb into the car because she "does not need help!".  Or that twice as many drinks are spilled during dinner while they maneuver non-sippy cups.

I love it when they can do things for themselves without me, but I hate it when they don't need me to do things.

This is what being a parent is all about.  Getting pushed to your limit so you crave the next break though to the next level all with selective memory due to sleep loss and anxiety that makes you crave the past.  It's a beautiful, blissful world filled with fear, anger, frustration and extreme joy.

And to help make it all seem worthwhile I share this great story Mette told eric this weekend:

Daddy, I want to tell you a story about a bug.  There was a hawk that ate a pig.  The End.