A Gold Star Day

Honestly - it is all I can do to not do cartwheels throughout the house (ok - I have never done a cartwheel in my life, but if I ever did, today would be the day). It started when I received a call at work from the school. My stomach sank as the Principal said "we are not doing so great here". BUT WAIT - it is not what you think! It turns out - she was calling at C's request to let me know that he had a very bad cough (I could hear him barking in the background - where did that come from?) but that he "intended to make it through the day, to go to soccer tryouts". Uhm, ok, is this the same kid that stormed into the office last week demanding to go home because he supposedly had a headache? I quickly planned with the principal that I would come by and bring his allergy med that he hasn't needed since last year.

I zipped home and picked it up and then trekked to the school (3 houses down) and gave C his meds. It was a flavour/type he HATES - he drank it without complaint and no gagging noises after. Then he said "thanks mom, see you after school" and turned and walked back to class! Again, who is this boy?????

After school I picked up J first and he was so proud to show me a duck he was allowed to pick from the prize bin in his teacher's class. Apparently he "did good cleaning" and afterall "that's just fair, right mom?". He was soooo proud of himself and reportedly he is proving to be a very helpful and conscientous Kindergartener. And I get to be his mom? Very cool!

Next C came bounding out - he was beyond excited to join about 25 other boys on the soccer field. I stuck around since the principal and I weren't sure how it would all turn out considering he usually has an EA nearby during the school day. People, I kid you not, you could not pick him out of the crowd! He had not a single issue as I watched him try to keep up with kids all the way up to the 8th Grade (and twice his size). But he did it, and he wasn't too shabby either. When the tryout was over he was hot, sweaty and had a few scrapes including a bloody knee that he viewed as a badge of honour (instead of the sreaming, writhing on the ground as per usual). He proudly announced that there is another tryout session tomorrow after school. Say what? We have to do this again? I am so not used to my kid having activities all the time. I never wanted to be a soccer mom but I am too proud to care.

While C had been at his practice, J hung out laying in the sand, running to track and picking flowers. He bugged me a few times about when we could leave but overall he was very happy and busy. No tantruming. Again, who is this kid? Is he mine?

We came home and the boys vegged out and I got supper ready. After supper it was off to Cubs for C. We signed him up last week after C had been begging for years to be allowed to join. I would be lying if I didn't say I was worried about how he would do after his day filled with activity. We knew going to Cubs today that it was a very informal meet and greet but I didn't realize how "serious" it was, with the leaders going over all the papers with us, line by line. argh. But he managed himself and loved playing a game with all the kids. He was the quietest and one of the calmer kids there. Ok, this is where I seriously began to do a double take. At one point C walked up to one of the leaders he hadn't met before and put out his hand and said "Hi, My name is C___, pleased to meet you" and the leader thought he was the coolest kid. The other leader came over to me at one point to reassure me that the kids aren't always this loud and said she hoped the noise level and behaviour of some of the kids wouldn't disuade me from sending C. I was flabergasted, I almost turned around to look and see who she was talking to. I am so used to being the one apologizing for my kid.

And as we left, C had a little bit of a struggle. and he called me by my first name and he said "mooooommmmmmm" and stomped his foot and got in the car. People, he transitioned from all the fun and he - GOT IN THE CAR!

If I am dreaming - do not wake me up! I could get used to this. And if it is a dream, that's ok. This is the best dream ever, no matter how long (or how little) it lasts. It has been a gold star day.