This

Enough with the heady deep thoughts, already.  How about some pictures?

 

 

This.  This has been a good summer.  Tomorrow the school year starts.  Unlike last year, though, I probably won’t make it a photojournalistic event, because that is what kindergarten parents do, and we are first grade parents, now.  We are wise and stuff.    I’ll probably only cry a little bit and take pictures with my smartphone, surreptitiously.  I’ll probably only linger for fifteen minutes instead of twenty, mouthing “Are you OK?” through the classroom window until the principal takes me by the elbow and ushers me out. 

Ella also starts school this week, but not until Thursday, which stretches out the agony of the first day of school for me.  First day of school cupcakes- tomorrow or Thursday?  First day of school being late for work-ness- tomorrow or Thursday?  Basketcase mama because not one but two of her babies are in school now- tomorrow or Thursday? 

Sigh.  It has been a good summer.  Our garden produced bountifully.  Jack learned to walk, Jay learned to ride his bike without training wheels and Ella became an independent bathroom go-er, if you know know what I mean.  Hallelujah.

And also, sleep.  Sleep is getting better.  Three nights ago we began putting Jack to sleep on his own in a separate crib.  He cried vociferously the first night for five minutes before I went in and soothed him.   After soothing him for a minute I went back out again, like the books say you’re supposed to.  Jay and Ella pleaded with me to go get him.  Jay said he would read his bedtime book to himself that night if it meant I could go get Jack. That was not in the putting your baby to sleep books.  I explained that it was time for Jack to start sleeping on his own, just like them, and that I wasn’t doing it to be mean, and that I really hated hearing him cry, too.

He cried for another four or five minutes before drifting off to sleep.  The second night he cried for less than a minute and then slept solidly through the night.  Tonight, he only made a token attempt at protest and he was sucking his thumb before I even got to the door.  I think we may be on to something.       

Speaking of sleep, I’d better get to that myself.  The first day of school will come way too soon, and I still have to dump all the pictures from my phone so I have plenty of space for all of the pictures that I am totally not going to take.