The end of an era....

Today is Maddie's last day of daycare. K4 starts on Tuesday. When Maddie was about 6 months old, I had to remove her from daycare because of bumps and bruises, the final straw was that her elbow was pulled out of her socket. I should have trusted my instincts, but I didn't. waited until her arm was just hanging painfully at her side until I finally realized she was being neglected and abused. I will always carry that guilt.

Thankfully I found "Grandma Janet", she was right down the road from work and she was starting a daycare. She came highly recommended and Maddie has been there ever since. Grandma Janet has been very generous where we've been concerned. She doesn't charge me for the days Maddie doesn't go and always makes sure I'm covered if they are closed for vacation. When I started working from home (about 40 minutes from daycare) I made the decision to keep taking her because I trust them with my child. We wake up extra early in the morning so I can drop her off and drive all the way home to start work, then again in the evening.

I'm not sure I'll cry on Maddie's first day of school. I've been dropping her off for almost five years and it has been painful to do at times, I had to. Today, I have been crying all day. All of a sudden, I feel very vulnerable, like I'm losing my safety net...The one constant I've had in my life. I will not miss the drive and certainly not the expense but I'm suddenly overwhelmed.

I think it takes a very special person to create a loving, warm, creative, and nurturing environment for other peoples children (I don't think I would have the patience)...Today, as I look back at the last four years, I am very grateful.

Liar!

I lied, and its about to blow up in my face.

For the longest time, I have been unable to get Maddie to sleep in her own room. And by longest time, I mean years. I'm tired of being kicked in the head from my sleeping wild child. She sleeps sideways, I sleep longways, as most people do. Stuffed animals litter my bed.

So...I told her that I got a letter from her school, which she is very excited to start, that said they were excited to welcome her to school, but wanted to remind everybody that this is a school for big girls and kids who don't sleep in their own room wont be able to attend. At first she didn't believe me so I showed her a letter (she can't read) and she's been in her bed ever since.

The other morning when I went to wake her, she was sleeping at the end of her bed with no blankets and I asked what happened...she said she was hot during the night. Her room has no fan so I asked why she didn't come in by me. "Because I want to go to school"...yes, I feel like a jerk.

Maddie is so proud of herself and so am I.

Tonight we have open house at her new school and she cant wait to tell them....the jig is up!

Olympic Hopeful...

We are watching the opening ceremony tonight, which has been outstanding, and I told Maddie maybe someday she could be in the Olympics. Maybe a swimmer. She started jumping up and down very excited and said "Can I wear my floaty things(water wings) on my arms so I don't sink?" Hmmmm.

I'm bbbbaaaacccckkkk!!!!

Thank the good Lord that my new computer finally arrived. "Flamingo Pink" in color and glorious!

Swimming Memories!

For as long as I can remember, I have loved the water...swimming especially. My mom told me when I was little I went walking into the lake and kept on going, my mom had to come running after me fully clothed.

I remember swimming lessons and every summer I would LIVE at the pool! We eventually bought a summer home and when we were there, I would walk down to the lake everyday. On hot summer evenings me and my mom would go for "dips". We would walk down for about an hour and swim. When we moved into our summer home, we continued our routine of nightly dips. I don't recall my brother and sister wanting to go.

Maddie has taken to water like a fish just as I did. I live about a mile and a half from a nice lake/beach. The weather has been hot and humid lately so every night, we put our suits on and go for "dips".

We have been enjoying are time at the beach. Maddie has taken to collecting rocks...yes rocks. She brings home 2 or 3 and puts them in her rock jar. She loves doing this, so I let her, but honestly some are no different than the ones you would find in a parking lot, but whatever. Through our adventures, I have only one tiny complaint. I'm the type of person who can sit in a mosquito invested bog with mosquito's the size of pterodactyls and not come home with a mosquito bite. They just don't like me. Fish however, seem to love to nibble on me. I know that they are only blue gills/sun fish , but I jump out of my skin every time one takes a crack at me...yesterday was the worst, I actually looked down and saw one following me. I know I'm exaggerating a bit when I use the term "feeding frenzy" but jeez already!

Miss Independence

Last week I took some time off of work and took Maddie here. Let me just say that she thought this place was the cats pajamas. She told me immediately that I could go sit down. So I left her there and sat in the waiting area. She decided she wanted bangs and she decided the length she wanted in the back! She is only 4 people! She looks like a different person, she looks older to me. I had never cut her bangs and she had a little bit of a "cousin it" quality to her hair, she was ALWAYS brushing it out of her face. She LOVES her new bangs. She doesn't even like them pushed back when she is in the bathtub, she is constantly straightening them...I think she has the makings of a Diva. As soon as my new computer arrives, I will post some pictures.

Buggin Out...

Yesterday as I was getting dressed, I found a CENTIPEDE on my bed. I'm not sure if it had crawled there, or it fell out of the clothes I pulled out of the closet, or if it was somewhere on my person. Centipedes give me a serious case of the Heebie Jeebies! As I was panicking, looking for a boot to squash it with, it escaped under my bed. I have not found it.

Needless to say, I did not sleep very well, anything that touched my face such as: me, my hair, my eyebrows, my blankets, the dog etc. I woke up thinking it was this thing coming to get me. My rational side tells me that its probably already moved on. My irrational side, which seems to be in command here, is telling me that it is still under my bed plotting its next move and plans on attacking with all those disgusting legs when I sleep.

As is sit here working, I've been shining the flashlight under the bed every so often looking for it (I should also add that underneath my bed is NOT clutter free). I, again, am getting spooked at the slightest movement or anything brushing on my legs...poor mini.

If this horrible creature shows itself while I am on the phone, I just might come unglued.