Monday, June 11, 2012

Black and White/The Summer Bucket List

"Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me."

I fell for it again.  Rowan came out of his last backslide so beautifully that I convinced myself it wasn't going to happen again.  He is regressing with a vengeance right now. 

Regressions are hard.

Welcome back, fighting, biting, kicking, punching and screaming.  Just in time to help usher in summer.

Luckily, I recently discovered my Towanda, (avenger of all evil.)  It started with a group of sixth graders.  I just wasn't going to take their shit anymore.  I got angry, I avenged, it felt good and now I feel unstoppable.  Rowan picked a baaaaadddd time to get defiant.  I will avenge any evil this child throws at me.

One thing that has become increasingly clear over the last few weeks is that I need to take away all shades of gray.  Everything has become black and white.  Rowan is clearly looking to see where the boundaries are right now, and I am drawing them as clearly as I can.  Where I normally pick my battles, I have made everything a battle.  Say no to me?  I don't think so.  Growl at me?  Uh-UH!  Do something right after I told you not to?  Look out.  Whine?  No way.  I have become the Royal Queen Bitch in this house.  It IS possible to take EVERY toy away, did you know that?  I am amazed at how I have disentangled my emotions from this situation and so clearly can see how it needs to be done.  Exhausting?  Yes...but not as exhausting as letting him run the show.  Painful?  A little bit, but I got my eyes on the prize this time.  I will not raise a jerkface.  And since I have started this little plan, I notice Rowan still wakes up every morning and loves me.  

++++++++++++++++++++

Let's get away from the negative and focus on the good things ahead.  I survived my first year at my new job, full time and with promise of full time next year.  The last day of school felt surreal.  I normally feel grief and sadness...this is the first time I know I am coming back to the same kids.  It was a challenging year in many ways, but I am ending on a very high note, already excited for next year.  And I am SO damn lucky.  (Oh, and did I mention it's my first REAL summer off?)

So without further ado, this year's Summer Bucket List (with help from Aidan):
  1. Visit every playground in Duluth
  2. Sleep in the backyard
  3. Movies in the park
  4. Lemonade stand
  5. Fishing at Hartley
  6. Camping, camping and more camping
  7. Pirate exhibit at the Science Museum in St. Paul
  8. Teach Aidan to snorkel
  9. French River and lunch and the Scenic
  10. State Fair
  11. Pick strawberries
  12. Pick blueberries
  13. Make jam
  14. Make pickles
  15. Ride bikes to get ice cream
  16. Teach Rowan to ride the bike tagalong
  17. Make homemade ice cream the old fashioned way
  18. Stay and swim at the Edge
  19. Timber Twister
  20. Have Lynnie over for dinner
  21. Lots of pontoon rides
And my personal additions:
  1. Keep the garden weed free
  2. Host two kickass birthday parties
  3. Deep clean and organize every room in the house, including the basement
  4. Make enough aprons, bags and skirts to sell somewhere.
  5. Catch up with old friends.
  6. Stop sleeping in: seize each day.
My hope is that by posting these here, I will stay on top of the list, and hopefully post our adventures here!

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