Just Lauren....no B

So most of you know that Lauren started a new school after Christmas break.  It's going well.  I was shocked that she adjusted so quickly.  She's known as LAUREN at this new school, not LAUREN B. She went from a classroom of 25 kids including Lauren B, Lauryn J and Lauren O.  She's always been Lauren B.  Poor kid still signs her name like that at times : ) Going from a private school to a public school is a big change.  I was more nervous than she was the first day.  I walked her to her classroom and introduced her to Ms. Malle.  (funny side note....after a week or so I realized that her teacher was a year behind me in high school and we actually know each other.  what are the chances?)  A little girl walked over to her and helped her gather some books and get things put away in her desk.  She acted very grown up but I knew she was nervous.  I was nervous!  I thought God please let someone befriend her, sit with her at lunch, play with her at recess....  It turns out that switching schools in the middle of the year was a good thing.  She was the new face and kids were excited to get to know her.  She even rode the bus home that afternoon (gasp...made me nervous).  She survived : )  I still weigh the pro's and con's of public vs private.  I'll always be thankful for the time she spent at Abiding and the foundation it gave her.  She has a very strong faith and knows far more than her mother does.  The downside of a small school is that it's just that...small.  She was ready to expand her world, meet new kids, try new activities.  Public school definetly has a lot to offer.  Tons of clubs to choose from, kids from different backgrounds and is a little more laid back.  I was shocked to discover how far behind my little darling was in math though.  These kids are almost an entire semester ahead of where she left off before Christmas.  OY!  Thank God my cousin Michelle is a math major and has saved my ass on more than one occasion.  They do things that I didn't do in high school.  If this is what 4th grade is all about I fear for 5th!  On the upside public school offers a lot of resources to help (free of charge may I add).  I do however miss my 2020's.  (everyone always wanted to know what "2020's" were.  at Abiding each class' parents had a nickname for their little group.  our kids will graduate in 2020....hints the name).  I'm thankful for the friends that I made during our time there.  Reprogle's, Madlinger's, Fritsche's to name a few : ) 
I hope we always remain in touch and when we hang out Miss. Lauren will turn back into LAUREN B.

The maid quit, but she had to come back

So last weekend I was sick.  Not much got accomplished around the house.  Our house isn't in perfect order, but I like to keep the joint clean.  I especially hate laundry.  Lauren no longer being in private school means we had to say bye bye to the uniforms (life was so much easier).  So now I can't afford to get backed up in the laundry department.  Anyways when I was sick last weekend I didn't feel like doing the laundry, or any house work for that matter.  We reverted back to our old "wash it as you need it" routine.  Big mistake.  Monday and Tuesday passed with not much motivation.  Wed....Thurs.....Fri.....and here I sit today.  Who's idea is it at E! to play back to back episodes of Kim and Kourtney take New York.  That spells disaster for me.  Say what you will about the Kardashian's....I LOVE them (Khloe, Kourtney, Kim...in that order).  During the last commercial break I looked around.  I'm not loving what I see.  I guess the maid's week off is over and she has no choice but to return to work.  It's 4:30 now....Hopefully by 7:00 we'll be back in order around here.  Guess I'm off to laundry (will never be done by 7), bathrooms, floors, de-clutter toys in Ava's room, spot check Lauren's closet blah, blah, blah.   Now where's my timecard?

Just a little whistle

Well it's official....Ava learned to whistle.  This kid has been wanting to whistle forever.  She's extremely proud of herself.  As the day went on her whistle got stronger and she became more and more excited.  Funny how something so small can be such a big deal.  I think it's a little depressing.  First if was talking, then walking....now whistling?  I know she has to get bigger but gee....  I wish I could freeze her at this age.  Today I thought about what it'll be like in the fall when she starts kindergarten.  I don't want my baby to get big.  Next thing you know she'll want to drive a car....OY.  I love it that she still wants to (on very rare occasion) crawl in my lap and snuggle.  I love the "baby talk" or phrases she still uses like "I want a dinkadink of chocolate milk".  Dinkadink = a cup (that's how she referred to a bottle).  Maybe I'm afraid that my want to be needed will start to fade.  It's surely disappearing from Lauren aka Miss. Independent.  I love these days even though they're crazy busy and I'm usually acting like a mad woman.  Watching Lauren grow has shown me how quickly these years will pass and soon I'll be an old lady sitting around in my nightgown waiting for them to come home from a night out.  OY!  Who knew a whistle could put me in such a funk?  Oh well....what can you do?  Well that's my dose of daily depression.  I'm going to go kiss those sweet little marshmallow cheeks while she's sleeping.  xoxo my little whistler.