The Time Has Come

...for my first born to grow up. Yes. It has happened.

Last night Erin went to see her friend in the camp play. I was dropping her off at the show and she was going to meet her friend's mom in the lobby to see the camp prodution of Willy Wonka. She and Zoe have been friends since they were 2 years old and Erin was so excited to "support my friend and see her perform!" It was just terribly sweet how excited she was for Zoe.

After dinner, she got dressed and ready. Just this week Erin has suddenly become interested in how she looks, how her clothes match, and all about her "fashion" on a regular basis. Hmm? So we get in the car, and I drive her to the JCC. I pull up in front and give her the cell phone. The directions are that Zoe's mom is meeting her in the lobby and she should call me when she sees her. I will wait right out front. (Erin has gone to the JCC for 5 years of preschool through kindergarten and is very comfortable there, so I didn't need to walk her in.) I say to her, "Ok, have fun! Give me a kiss."

She looks at me.

"No. not here. Someone might see me!"

I didn't want to embarrass her. I know better than to make a big deal. But in that one second, it just killed me.

"Ok, high five." That was apparently acceptable.

And out of the car she went and running up the walk way. She saw another camp friend and they went in the building together laughing and talking about who knows what.

Ok, I teach middle school. 6th, 7th and 8th graders. I know what 12-14 year olds are like. But Erin is only 8. Ok, almost 9. Still.... She is not any where close to being a teenager. Why does she have to be so grown up?

I sat in the car waiting for her call. Sure enough, in less than 2 minutes she called and told me she found Zoe's mom and they were going in to sit down. She was turning her phone off for the show but she would call me after it was over and they were on the way home.

"Have fun, love you honey."

"Thanks, mommy"

Well. She still called me mommy. That's something, right?

The REAL reason I have dogs.

Tonight I was tucking in Haley and tod her she had to sleep in her own bed. Al night. She has been sneaking in to snuggle me every night for I don't know how ong and I just have not slept we lately. Enough is enough.

She asked me if I ever have bad dreams. I tod her I don't because I always have Rufus in bed and he keeps the bad dreams away.

This is how I tucked her in and left her tonight.


Hopefully he stays until morning.

The Happiest Place on Earth

That is what they say about Disney... but I don't agree. It is hotter than hades, more crowded than the discount purse bin at Macy's on Black Friday, and full of Brazilian Tour Groups trying to out chant and basically annoy the crap out of you. The lines are out of control, the sun is brutal and a can of soda costs $4.50.

Woo Hoo, thrills and spills, folks.

But nothing is as good as old fashioned family time, so we sucked it up (Haley and I, Ira, Erin and Samantha seemed to enjoy all the crap I mentioned above) and we followed our family motto. "It's not a catastrophe. It's an adventure!" When it rained, we wore ponchos and when it was hot, we found shade. Erin is a true thrill seeker. The crazier and faster and higher a ride was, the more she was into it. Tower of Terror? Rockin' Roller Coaster? Splash Mountain? Bring it on! Haley? She went on It's a Small World. Three times. In a row. With mommy.

Did I mention how much I love Disney?

But the kids had a blast doing the things they loved and Ira loved making us crazy getting up to go! go! go! It was great to get to the cruise on Thursday and get some relaxing in.

There are about 250 pictures in the album I added here. If you click to the Picasa page, you can see the rest (if you are bored and want to put yourself to sleep or a coma or something?) there. you can also download them right from Picasa to your own computer (To the grandparents, and Samantha) if you want.

So my words of wisdom? Don't go to Disney in the summer. I have fulfilled my parental obligation to bring my children to see the mouse, so I can say with much certainty that I am NEVER. Going. to Disney. Again.

At least not in the summer.

For a few years at least.