Archive for the 'Milestones' Category

I think it’s important for kids to fail.

Published on Monday, November 7, 2011 in Claire and Milestones. 2 Comments

No really. Hear me out. I’m not saying I want kids to fail all the time and never succeed, but did you know that failure and success are not mutually exclusive?

Claire has always been good at everything, right away: Ballet, Swimming, you name it. There was just a slight learning curve at some things, but for the most part, she was a rock-star from Day One.

What’s it like to not be the first?
What’s it like to be the last?
What’s it like to fail?
And fail?
And fail?

How will you know that the important thing is not the fall but the ability to get up?
Again?
And again?
And again?

Speaking of which, I’m not an ice skater. I’ve been told by my parents that I ice skated when I was 3 years old and loved it. I have really no solid recollection of that. I tried to take Claire ice skating in Beaver Creek in April (probably almost exactly 34 years later), but what ensued was not what I could classify as ice skating, per se. We had a great time laughing at ourselves, but Claire was itching to go and do and learn more, but I had no skills to teach her.

We’d said that when the opportunity arose for her to learn from a professional, we’d take it. So, Claire is learning to ice skate. I was offered a handy-dandy little coupon at the local Rec Center for her to try it out for the month at a discounted rate, so there you go.

Guess what! Finally, we’ve found something at which Claire is not the best, and I’m SO GLAD. No, really! She’s not the first across the ice. She’s not the most skilled.

She’s normal, and it’s eating her alive.

She’s learning one of life’s hardest lessons right now, and I couldn’t be prouder.

Soon, she’ll catch on and be zipping across the ice with the rest of them, but she’ll know what it’s like to fail. She’ll know what it’s like to not be the best at something. She’ll know what it really means to fall and how it feels to get up.

Again.
And again.

The Rules of Independent Diva Handling

Published on Thursday, September 15, 2011 in Claire, Milestones and School. 1 Comment

How can she not be a Diva when dressed in Missoni, even if it is from Target?

Last week, at school drop off, Claire told me that she wanted to walk to her room herself.  She didn’t need me to hold her hand or help her do anything when she got down there, thankyouverymuch.  I knew this was coming, as she’d been walking way ahead of me pretty much since the third day of school.

“I need to meet another mom at 8:00!” I said, trying not to pout.

“Great!  You can wait for her in the lobby!” she said, using my own often-used trickery rationale against me.

So, I waited in the lobby and pretended to be okay with this turn of events.

When I picked her up that day, she pointed to the Drop Off Lane, marked with bright cones, and said, “You do know that there’s a whole LANE for moms who drop off their kids in the morning, right?  YOU could be in that lane, Mom.”

Well, alrighty then.

That night, Claire told Daddy her plan about how Momma was going to stay in the car and just use the Drop Off Lane. Daddy’s responses went from, “WHAT!?” to “Is that safe??” to “I’m old…” to “Hey, Claire! Let me show you how to tuck and roll from a moving vehicle!”

In a startling turn of events, Daddy seemed to be coping well with this change.

The next day, we did just that. I used the Drop Off Lane, and Claire was THRILLED. She hasn’t looked back since. Quite literally. I’m lucky if she blows me a kiss at all.

Today, I was scheduled for one of my volunteer shifts at the school library. “How is this going to work?” I said out loud in the kitchen before school. Claire had it all planned: “You drop me off in the Drop Off Lane and then just go around again and park! But, please stay in the car until the doors open…okay?”

I’d picked a volunteer time near the start of school to make my life easier. I hadn’t figured in all the Rules of Independent Diva Handling.

At least she hasn’t given me a checklist. Yet.

The First Day of Kindergarten

Published on Monday, August 22, 2011 in Claire, Milestones and School. 3 Comments

Here is Claire on her First Day of Kindergarten!  She and Baby Rose found a matching outfit to celebrate the big day.  This is a day that Claire has been begging to happen for YEARS now.  Her years in Preschool were awesome, but finally the “When can I go to Kindergarten!?” question has been answered!

Today!  Early today.  Our schedule will shift a bit as we get up and get out the door earlier than we ever have, but today went REALLY well.

The drive, parking, and drop-off were a breeze!  I didn’t linger in the classroom, as she is really pretty independent, and I was afraid if I made too much direct eye contact with the teacher, I’d make a spectacle of myself.  Baby Rose and I walked back to the car, and I didn’t get teary until I was a couple blocks from the school.  But, that’s because the sun was in my eyes.  (Yeah, that’s it.)

As I’m writing this, the house is quiet.  Too quiet.  Like the kind of quiet it gets when someone is plotting a dastardly plan.  It’s making me twitch.  I wonder how long this phase will last?

I’ll have 3.5 hours to myself every week day now.  I’ve been waiting for this.  Longing for this.  I plan to use as much of this time writing as I can.  Today, of course, is an exception (unless you count this post…).  Today’s time has been spent fielding texts and calls from my friends, just checking to see if I’m okay.  This is supposed to be Claire’s big day, but those in the know realize that it’s going to be more a transition for me than it is for Claire.

Am I ok?  I am.  I’m more than okay.  Today is a great day.

One More Week of Summer

Published on Sunday, August 14, 2011 in Claire and Milestones. 1 Comment

Yes, yes, I know that Summer doesn’t really end until September…but realistically? Summer ends on August 22nd around here.

I can’t believe it will be Claire’s First Day of School!

We’re ready. The supplies have been purchased. (We squeaked in under $100, not counting clothes and backpack, at $98.08. Yes, for Kindergarten. No, I don’t get it either.) The fees have been paid. I giggle when I pay for “free” things, but I’m so thankful that she got it at our first choice! The first day clothes are picked out and all ready to go.

It will be nice to get back to a routine, but it will be a painful adjustment getting up and getting out of here earlier than we’ve ever had to with Claire on a regular basis. Painful for ME. Claire will be fine. I can’t believe I used to have a job that required me to get up at 4:30 in the morning. I can barely remember a time when I was up before the crack of dawn…but I did it…for years. Compared to that, the new schedule will be easy-peasy, but I’ve certainly been spoiled by my late-sleeper over the last five years.

The uninterrupted time I’ll gain to focus on my writing during the week, however, will be worth the crimp in my style.

School starts at 8am. There is major construction on the way there, but I think I’ve found a ninja route that will get us to the school relatively unscathed. This week, we’ll take it for a test drive to see how long it takes, factoring in the morning rush of a School Day.

Back to School Night is on Thursday, and then the Big Day is on Monday.

Just like that, we’ve got a Kindergartener living here.

Weird.

Claire’s First Graduation

Published on Tuesday, May 31, 2011 in Claire, Milestones and School. 0 Comments Tags: .

Will it be the first of many, or just the first of few? Either way, here’s to beginnings disguised as endings.


…to Kindergarten and beyond!

Five-and-a-half

Published on Monday, May 30, 2011 in Claire and Milestones. 0 Comments Tags: .

Today, Claire turns five-and-a-half!  In case you didn’t know, this is a big deal around here.

Her last day of school is tomorrow, and although she’s sad that school will be ending, she’s excited for the summer, for Kindergarten, and for the opportunity to tell everyone that she’s officially five-and-a-half.

;)

How Tall is Claire?

Published on Monday, January 10, 2011 in Milestones. 4 Comments Tags: .

...in inches. Yes, there are some months where she grew a WHOLE INCH. I kid you not!

Since I was taking photos of the kitchen yesterday, I decided to take some of this, too.  It’s by the pantry in what used to be the Time Out Corner.  Used to be?  I use the past tense of that, because I don’t remember the last time we used it.

Have I mentioned how much I love this age?

:)

The Obligatory First Day of School Shots & My Not-So-Secret Plot to Take Over the World

Published on Tuesday, August 24, 2010 in Claire, Milestones, Random Thoughts and School. 6 Comments Tags: , .

Claire is in Pre-K!

We had a little photo shoot this morning.

I’m not sure if you can tell from these photos, but she was BURSTING with excitement.

I’m not sure if you can tell from these photos that I am too! Eight hours a week to myself? Alone with my thoughts? Being able to write without interruption? Being able to do anything without interruption?

Look out! I may just be able to take over the world.

…or at least be able to get dinner figured out ahead of time.

Writers write.

Published on Friday, July 23, 2010 in Blog Business and Milestones. 6 Comments Tags: .

A long time ago, I wrote myself a note. It says, quite simply, “Writers write.” Part of me thought it was silly to state the obvious. The other part of me was shocked at how powerful it was in its simplicity.

Writers write.
I write.
I’m a writer.

I’ve always written, but I haven’t always considered myself a writer.

Slowly, as I started to focus more on my writing, I began to grow into the title. It became comfortable. It made sense. What I did started to become who I was…who I am.

I’m a writer.

Today marks a big day for me. A month ago, I gave my notice to my editor at Mile High Mamas, the Denver Post‘s parenting blog. Today is my last day as assistant editor.

I’ve loved my time at Mile High Mamas, and I’ll contribute writing pieces every now and then, but it’s time to shift gears. It’s time to follow my passion; harness this energy and see where it takes me.

It’s time to start the next chapter.

Literally!

Yes, I’m writing a book! It’s a nonfiction piece, so I’ll be polishing my book proposal. I’ve been working on this for a while, but without the time to give it my full attention, it’s been left to simmer on the back burner for longer than I’d like. Rather than wanting to stir it all the time but only having time to stir it now and then, I’ll be able to focus.

I’ll still be writing here at The Casual Perfectionist, because this site is intertwined with my grand plan. This writing will feed that writing, and vice versa.

My husband is so supportive of me and my goals, that sometimes I have to pinch myself to realize that my dreams are coming true. Claire has always been my full-time job, and I am so thankful to be in a position where I can focus on my daughter and my writing. I am so excited to see where this leads.

I’m a writer.
Writers write.
It’s what I do.
It’s who I am…

…so it’s time to do just that.

Smitten

Published on Tuesday, July 20, 2010 in Claire and Milestones. 4 Comments Tags: .

Claire has a crush on a little boy from her art class. A little boy from her art class has a crush on Claire.

The feelings are mutual.
The feelings are powerful.
The feelings are interesting to watch as someone on the outside of their circle.

Claire has had “boyfriends” before, ones that she’s pretended to “marry,” but nothing like this.

This is different.

The bond they have is undeniable. It’s palpable.

It’s intriguing to watch. It’s a glimpse at love and attraction in its purest form. They are coming at this from a place of such innocence and purity. The ulterior motives, tangled webs, and overthought that comes with being closer to an adult than a child hasn’t tainted these feelings.

Not that it always does, but it can…and that makes things confusing.

This is an amazing thing, and I’m so glad she’s getting the chance to experience it.

“Momma, I love you…” she said the other day. “…but I like him better.”

I told her that was okay. And, it is.