Today is Little Sis’ 5th birthday.
I spent all day yesterday begging her not to turn 5, to just stay 4.
No deal.
“Don’t you want me to grow up and have babies?” she asked me.
Not now, I don’t. Not today. Not anytime soon. Not before you’re 30, young lady.
To make matters worse, I had to take her to kindergarten orientation today.
I’m not ready. Where have the last 5 years gone? I remember the night Little Sis was born. We changed Big Sis’ tee shirt from the one she was wearing, stained with the chocolate-banana milkshake she’d brought me, to the crisp brand-new “Big Sister” tee shirt I’d found in a little shop in New Orleans a few months earlier. Now Little Sis is old enough to MAKE chocolate-banana milkshakes (and do her own spilling, too).
So it’s been a busy day at our house. Big Sis went on her zoo field trip today. She packed two disposable cameras, but couldn’t find the tee shirt she was supposed to wear (probably my fault…we’re woefully behind on laundry). Packed lunch, but almost forgot a drink because I remembered at the last minute that she wouldn’t be able to buy milk at the zoo. I put her on the bus, then came home to finish getting ready for kindergarten orientation.
We were late. It’s because of my OMTS diagnosis.
Okay, I’m self-diagnosed, but still…..
It’s called “One More Thing Syndrome.” I often try to cram in “just one more thing” on my to-do list before leaving, and it frequently gets me into trouble. This morning, it was filling my water bottle (trying to cultivate that healthy SparkPeople habit). Oh, and then realizing as I’m backing out of the driveway that my purse was still in the kitchen.
Okay, so maybe that’s “Two More Things Syndrome.”
So we went to the orientation…all good. Nothing new. We met up with friends, and while I was talking with the mom, those two girls organized a playdate under our noses and behind our backs all at the same time. I checked the clock, and we had some time before I’d planned to meet my mom for Little Sis’ birthday lunch. So we went to our local grocery store, which has a day care area built into it. We dropped the girls there to play, and grocery shopped together.
In the meantime, I’d called Mom to check in, only to find that she wasn’t feeling well this morning. I changed plans so that I’d take lunch to Mom’s instead of taking Mom out. At the store, I picked up ingredients for hamburgers, along with a watermelon, baked beans and macaroni salad.
When we got to Mom’s, she was resting in her bedroom. I got her started on some watermelon (not too much; her kidney diet only permits about one cup at a time) while I fixed the burgers & grilled asparagus. It was a great meal, but more cooking and cleaning than I normally do for lunch.
By the time I left, she had perked up considerably and was feeling better. I, however, was exhausted.
I came home, picking up Big Sis at the bus stop. As I write, she and Little Sis are playing at the neighbors’.
Tonight, we’re taking Little Sis out for her birthday dinner: her choice. Dessert will be at Cold Stone Creamery (Big Sis, Little Sis and I all have coupons for free birthday ice cream and today is the only day that they’ll honor all three). I guess presents will be after that, but they’re not wrapped yet. I hid them in the trunk of Mr. Hoagie’s car, and never remembered to take them out to wrap them.
I mean, how can anyone expect me to remember that kind of thing the night the Lost finale is on?
Wish me luck….
