This week Mommy and I started my back to school shopping. I even got a backpack that matches Anna! I cannot wait to go back to school and see my friends. I really miss my BFF!

He said

It was a little bit of an adjustment coming out of the woods and getting back into gear into our every day life. Thankfully my first day back to work Monday was a 1-10pm close shift so I was afforded the ability take the morning at a more leisurely pace which was just what we all needed. But the best bit of news came when I arrived at work to find out that the wad of work that I was dreading having to redo because of a system burp, my leadership team chipped in to support me and got me more than three quarters caught back up while I was away camping. (Have I mentioned how much I love this job and the people I work with?) That was a huge relief to return to work to!

For Emelia, it was a tough week of a lot of nights with the minimum amount of sleep, maximum amount of day time stimulation finally catching up with her, and finally the exhaustion kicking in, taking the form of behaviour falling all over the place. The worst part of it, happening – frustratingly so – during the daycare day taking all sorts of extra attention from Danielle when she needs to be focused on the daycare kids. They managed to navigate that as best they could but it meant that I needed to really spend the moments when I got home rehashing the day with Emelia to remind and re-remind her that her behaviour wasn’t acceptable. The entire week was a challenge and I am still not sure who won, but I certainly can tell you that as much as we want a fiercely independent thinker who can challenge the group thought in her teenage years, we certainly were questioning our parenting success more often than not this week.

One thing we didn’t talk about last week is the front steps on the house getting redone. The old ones were in need of being replaced for the last couple of years such that if we left it much longer we were certain one day we’d come outside to no steps at all. Danielle wisely coordinated with Vince the carpenter we had redo our fence to do both jobs on the weeks that we were away in to minimize the impact it would have on our day-to-day. The second job – the stairs – were slated to happen while we were out last week. A couple times during our week off we were delighted with progress pics from my brother Greg and Testza who were popping over the house to check on Skylar. When we pulled in to the driveway last Sunday night we were treated to the completed project—a brand new and structurally sound set of cedar steps that match our beautiful, new fence! We’re delighted with the results! Next on the docket is the roof… that one will hurt the wallet.

That other thing that started here this week was Back To School planning. Thankfully Danielle is much more organized than I because if left to me I’ be the parent running around like an idiot the second week in September trying to find everything in the midst of long since sold out supplies. Danielle and Emelia started to chip away at Emelia’s clothes to sort through what would still fit and what she needs added. The whole conversation got started by Emelia’s twin besties who were back in town from their cottage picking up back to school supplies which meant Emelia needed to get a matching back pack to Anna’s on Wednesday night or the world was going to stop! I am happy to report that crisis was averted and we have dove headlong into getting her ready for September and Grade 3.

It’s amazing to me because as a kid, summer break seemed like it was forever. But, as a grownup and parent it seems to fly by in the blink of an eyelid. I guess it makes sense as it really is only 8 weeks long, but I remember as a kid feeling like I lived 4 lifetimes in the span of every summer break. And in that respect taking in consideration that in the time Emelia’s summer we’ve twice been out for week-long, amazing trips on the other side of the province, and one extended weekend trip over in Michigan – all in Wolfie – I guess this summer isn’t much different than the ones of our youth.

As much as this time of year will be about back to school for me it brings back memories of my first chance meeting with Danielle and a journey to us becoming a pretty serious item in the first month of school in grade twelve. It was in August that my best friends – twin brothers – started dating best friends of Danielle’s and that would bring our worlds together. At first her friends deemed me too short for Danielle when they were trying to set her up, and she ended up dating another friend of mine first. But, after we actually met, and that relationship didn’t really work out we seemed to find a way to work past our difference in height. The end of August and leading into the school year will always remind me of my first kiss with Danielle and tons and tons of conversations on the phone and us eventually turning the month of September into a very special one for all time for us.

And that is where my head is at these days: Remembering fondly some of those early conversations we had in what feels like yesterday and a lifetime ago that has brought us to this place we now exist as best friends, husband & wife, and now parents. And happy with how it all came together so wonderfully 27 years ago, in the end of summer as we headed back to school…

She said

The first week back from vacation was a challenge of epic portions. The daycare kids blended back without a blink, they were so excited to see each other, the challenge was Emelia. Assuming the overtired, in the middle of the growth spurt and stir crazy 8 year old stage has been pushing every single button, boundary and and my mental sanity all week.

Emelia as anyone who knows her is shy, can get pretty anxious over being out of her comfort zone and add in that her best friends have basically moved to their cottage for the summer meant that she wanted nothing to do with the school camp once we got home. Without Anna and Grace there as her comfort she wants nothing at all with going with the school camp. She adored the camp last summer when the girls were with her all the time, this year without them she hates the camp. So what does this mean? It means I have a squirrelly 8 year old that is older than the closest child in care by more than 5 years. It has taken the whole dynamic of the daycare and thrown it on its head. Needless to say the week was long, exhausting and put the countdown to back to school in full mode.

Speaking of back to school this week I started the process of going through all her clothes and see if there is a chance that anything from last year. Emelia grew like a weed this last year and it looks like some will fit but she will need a fair bit of new clothes. So this week I started the whole process of sizing and organizing last years clothes so I can make room and budget for this years. We got a fair bit done this week,   we have a good idea what she has, cleaned up what still fit and made a list of what she will need replaced. She got a new backpack, lunch bag, new indoor shoes, some new every day shoes and some clothes. I scoped out Kijiji and also lucked out with some great second hand clothes. We are in pretty good shape and hopefully next pay we can  finish things up and then we can enjoy the rest of the summer.

After a rather challenging week I decided that today Emelia and I needed a fun day. The sun was shining and it was hot so what better day to head to the beach. I had to head to St. Thomas to pick up some clothes I had found for Emelia so she and I packed a beach bag and our swimsuits and headed to Port Stanley. We were in the water by noon and spent the rest of the day until the later afternoon going between the big and little beach, looking around town in the shops and having a double scoop of ice cream. It was a great day. By 4:00 we were both spent and the heat was getting a bit unbearable so we packed up and headed back into London. It was a great end to a less than ideal week.

Well I am exhausted from the sun and week of parenting so I am going to sign off and spend the night hanging out with John before taking on another work week. Until next week …