I'll try this

Forward:  I've wanted to start a blog for a long time.  I created this site years ago.  I blogged as a diary when Seth was a baby.  My dilemma was I didn't want to be a "mommy blogger."  After 7 years and two kids I've realized that if I want to get serious about my writing I have to actually start writing.  They say write what you know...  I recently attended a wonderful lecture by the author Jennifer Weiner.  She had a great line in her speech about using all the hard things we go through in life.  She said "It's ALL material."  I'm a mom and it's hard.  So here I go...

This is going to be a long summer.  This is what I was told myself on Monday, the first day of my children's summer vacation.  I pictured the endless days, stretched out on end.  The children bored, screaming, fighting, demanding... Now it's Friday and as I recall this week I pat myself on the back.  We made it through the week.  There were no trips to the hospital, and no accidental ingestion of non-food items.  The house stayed the same amount of messy, it could have looked a lot worse.  Monday night the kids stayed out until 9:30pm catching lightening bugs with the neighbors.  I've managed to get them to swim lessons on time every day.  Seth has made a new friend named Luke.  After swim lessons we play at the playground and sometimes go back for open swim.  I wish it was easier for adults to make friends.  Can you imagine if it was still the same as when we were kids?  "Hi, you're a girl! I'm a girl!  I'm 38! You're 38 too??? Great, we are now best friends!"

On a serious note I was saddened that the swim instructors are moving Brandon to the special needs swim class.  Brandon is a handful.  He is loving beyond words, adorable and sweet, but when he is in a group he cannot/will not follow directions or pay attention.  I know he's only 4 years old, but he doesn't even have the attention span of a 4 year old.  Currently he is in some special services offered through our school district.  He receives Speech, OT and a Special Instruction teacher.  There is no official diagnosis regarding Brandon's limitations.  There may be some sensory issues.  His pediatrician has referred us to a developmental specialist so I am hoping to get in sometime before the fall.  Brandon's November birthday means he will not yet start kindergarten this year.  That's a good thing.  Another year of preschool will be helpful.

Back to the swim lessons.... I know it is a good thing for Brandon to change swim classes.  He will have one-on-one with his very own instructor and a small group session at the end of the class.  It was no extra charge for him to move to this special class. I'm trying to be all "silver lining." Brandon's basically getting private swim lessons that other people pay a lot of money for.  Unfortunately this means the boys aren't in swim class at the same time.  No more 40 minutes of reading in my air conditioned car.  But I've been observing the other mom's all week long.  I now know that it's acceptable for me to bring my own chair and a picnic lunch and just relax.  And that's what I plan to do.  If you're a girl and you're 38 years old and see me sitting in a red chair reading a purple kindle, come say hello.  I think we could be best friends!