Monday of Motherhood

From yesterday at the Play for All Park 

Today was a very normal Monday in Motherhood but with some notable moments.

Last night I had some crazy dream that my child was kidnapped from school (but it wasn't his school, I mean it was in the dream but it didn't resemble his actual school building) while crossing a street (when do 15 month olds cross streets?) and then was found at a jewelry store across the highway but with no clear answer to if he walked there himself (yes, across the highway) or if he was kidnapped. And then on the drive back from rescuing him from cases and cases of diamonds, there were multiple tornadoes. Suffice to say, it was a strange, strange dream.

But the result was I woke up in a panic about taking him to school early on Thursday before our flight to Penn., specifically because he will need to arrive so early that he'll go to a different classroom. (His teacher arrives at 7:45a and kiddos who arrive before then go to the neighboring classroom until then.) We need to drop Cade off at 7:30a Thursday and of course I don't want to leave for our trip if he is upset by the change in routine.

So...in my nightmare induced panic, we practiced the early arrival/drop-off today. We got to school at 7:30a and went to the neighboring classroom. I met the teacher and I thought I was introducing him to her too but it turns out she often helps in his class in the afternoons so they are old friends. OK, easy peasy. Then I showed him the fun toys in the new classroom. He didn't need me to show him toys. He made a beeline to a block-and-pegs toy and was pleased as punch. I hovered over him and talked with the teacher. It wasn't long before it became clear that this little practice was for my benefit, not his. He was going to be just fine. At 7:45a his teacher came to "pick up" he and his classmate. Cade didn't even need help walking to his classroom. In fact, he led the group. Like I said, this whole thing was very clearly for my benefit.

Then I had an ordinary workday. Maybe slightly extraordinary because I think I may be a bit ahead on things, always a good feeling when vacay is on the horizon.

I picked the sweet boy up from school a little after 3p and we went around the corner to BabyEarth, an organic environmentally friendly hippie baby store that hosts various baby/toddler friendly events like today's free playtime. I try to take Cade on a field trip after school most days if I'm on pick-up duty but now that summer is here, I'm having to find new options that beat the heat, hence our maiden voyage at BabyEarth.

The age groups were mixed but the common denominator was calmness. Except my kid. He was like a tornado amongst the serene children and ergonomically designed, recycled material toys. Knock over these all-natural blocks, toss this ball (good arm, kid), run between those solid hardwood chairs. But whatever. He's a toddler. Then though I smelled something, something from him. MASSIVE poopy diaper. Of course, since I was only planning on being out for an hour and I knew he would have just had a diaper change at school, I didn't have my diaper bag. So we had to go out to the car where I keep small supply of diapers and wipes in one of the nifty hidden compartments (yup, mom-mobile) and do a back of the car diaper change. Blessedly he was unusually still and calm for this part.

Back inside, pull some things off the shelves, steal someone's block and then eye spy the bubbles. Promptly begin demanding bubbles (he just learned that word last week). When that fails, start repeatedly signing for "more" and "eat," despite having snack less than an hour before at school. I had snack in my (very small) purse but didn't think busting out with it in front of all the other kids would be good mom form. So homeward bound with snack en route.

If he played for 15 minutes total I would be shocked.

At home he was in unusually good spirits, especially compared to the past week. And then I discovered why. A new tooth had just broken through! So likely during last week's fever and general grumpiness there was teething pain as well. At least it all makes sense now.

We had a lovely dinner where he ate more than he threw on the floor (admittedly though I was not ambitious on his menu; I stuck to tried and true favorites and it served me well). Then we played while watching the World News, part of a terrible Property Brothers episode (they picked the wrong house to renovate; I couldn't stand to watch as obstacle after obstacle derailed their budget) and then bath, cleaning the gameroom and off to bed at a scandalously late 7:15p.

It was so very nice to have my happy boy back today. I feel much better knowing that last week's challenges were not just the new normal as a feared but were actually fever and teething induced. When it comes to Mondays, I'll take this kinda Monday any old week.