Feeling Older

I am definitely feeling older. It's not so much my approaching birthday and the random hot flashes as the world around me -- especially Hayes' world.

He is finally in all-day Kindergarten. Every day he takes his lunch and his matching backpack to school and I see him again 7 hours later and he won't breathe a word to me of what went on at school. Not that I blame him. I'd keep my world private too if I lived with four prying and curious adults.

And then, there's the matter of his teacher. I am sure that the school would (and has) choose a wonderful teacher who is qualified and actually has a bachelor's degree like her bio suggests - but is it possible that she is actually old enough to have gone through college!? I mean, it is a school for the gifted and perhaps she is like Doogie Houser and graduated at the ripe old age of 15. Perhaps she is a child bride and her family believes in arranged marriages for their pre-teenaged daughters. Because if she really is in her 20s and married, then I am having another of those days where I am sure wrinkles are popping out around my zits and I am going through premature menopause. I only hope I treat her as an adult. My temptation is to see her as one of my students. I'm so glad I was oblivious to the way I looked at her age. Ignorance really is bliss.

Party Mania

I have always been a little leary of doing a party for Hayes somewhere other than home. I just am not about the big production. I eloped for crying out loud so I wouldn't HAVE to be involved with a big production. Hayes, clearly, does not feel the same way.

So I caved for this particular birthday and we went to Just-4-Fun: a mini golf and arcade extravaganza! Really, if heaven on earth existed for Hayes, this would be it. They got tokens and tickets and prizes and a round of putt-putt in the sweltering heat. What could be more fun? Ok, we had cupcakes and presents too. The whole she-bang!

And I have to say, it was far less painful than I would have imagined. The chaos happened in a relatively contained area, with plenty of adult supervision and lots of food. And I didn't have to clean up my house afterward. All told, I'd say it was a very happy birthday.