I've Become One of Them...

Soccer Mom, (sok-er mom) n. 1. A woman who spends a significant amount of her time transporting her school-age children to their sporting events or other activities.

 Webster's doesn't recognize this lingo, but Wikipedia does.  

It also goes on to say:

The phrase soccer mom generally refers to a married middle-class woman who lives in the suburbs and has school age children.  She is sometimes portrayed in the media as busy or overburdened and driving a minivan. 

Now I wouldn't necessarily say that I'm overburdened and haven't run out to purchase a minivan, but I've definitely felt like the epitome of a soccer mom since school started.  And my children don't even play the sport.  I've never done as much running around as I have in the past two weeks.  I just thought we were busy before...little did I know what I was in store for.  Morning drop off, mid-morning trips back to school for a meeting, carpool line in the afternoons, dropping off at dance class, picking up from cheer practice, etc.  It's never ending!  As tiring as it can sometimes be, I have a sneaking suspicion that when everyone is grown I'll miss these crazy days.  Besides, if we didn't have a thing to do I'm pretty sure we'd be bored to tears!  A good friend of mine is PTA president at the magnet school this year and has ever so kindly pulled me in.  I don't mind that one bit if it means being at Towns' school as much as I possibly can.  We've been there for PTA meetings, getting folders stuff for such meetings, helping on school picture day, and tomorrow I'll be the official popcorn popper.  I'm incredibly thankful that working from home allows me to do just that, though.  On the flip side, I might just have to do lots more work in the wee hours of the morning than I did circa PTA.  Cate's been the ultimate trooper and already feels right at home at Ben Davis.  She waltzes in and out of Mrs. Propst's room like she's been doing it all of her life, and Towns absolutely loves us being there all the time.  I'm wondering how long of a shelf life that will have.  The other day she screamed, "Mommy!" and ran to give me a hug when I went into her classroom to help her teacher hang some artwork.  Afterwards, J and I had a long phone conversation as he prepared me for the day that I wouldn't get such a warm welcome.  For now I'm soaking it up. Before long it will be a completely different story!

 And I definitely know that taking pictures of my baby girl and her friends at school will eventually be a thing of the past...

How cute are they?!

Speaking of picture day, I realized after the fact Towns' ribbon was sticking straight out...

Hoping the picture guy fixed that before before the one and only snapshot he took?!

We might have been semi-permanent fixtures at the school, but don't let that fool you.  Cate and I have had our fair share of quality time with the older girls gone all day.  Trying to get anything done around the house or any work accomplished is a thing of the past.  You can hang it up.  This chick wants to be either on my hip, hanging from my leg, or in my lap at all times...

She's pretty funny, too.  The other day she told me she loved me.  I asked her how much.  She said, "well actually I love you like fifty howas."  That's hours. I assumed that was a lot, but I didn't dare ask.

I don't complain for one second about her always wanting to be attached to me in some form or fashion.  She's so tiny, and I can't very much help wanting to scoop her up and carry her everywhere.  One might question if she's even capable of using her feet.  She is.  I just don't want her to.

Today we had to take care of a few things at Bridge Street...

One of the things on our list was a stop at the carousel.

My Buggy had it all to herself and picked the zebra...

Three cookies and a carousel token...

She's a cheap (and sweet) date!

Happy weekend from one soccer mom to another...