Back to School Shopping

Before we left for LA, I was mentally patting myself on the back for being SO prepared for the kids to go back to school. I had already bought everything on Amira's very specific school supply list, bought new backpacks and lunchboxes and put aside everything that I knew Yaakov would need, in his labeled shoe box. So imagine my surprise when I realized yesterday that I had forgotten something kind of important that they might actually need for school: clothing. In my first trimester misery, I had completely skipped the traditional "go through the kids closets at the end of spring and write down what they will need for the following year" process, and while Amira is the same size she was last year, and thankfully doesn't need much, Yaakov's pants and shirts from last year most definitely do not fit (unless you particularly like manpri's and 3/4 sleeves on boys, which I most assuredly do not.). So, thankfully it is still nice and hot, and he is still allowed to wear shorts to school, so we will be fine for a couple of weeks, but we still need to do some major shopping.

In that spirit, Amira, Yaakov and I headed out (Yehuda is studying- exam 9 is coming up, ack 9X) to Monsey, since Bergen County still has blue laws and nothing is open on Sunday. We figured we could at least get Yaakov and Amira some Yontif shoes and clothes.

Along the way, we saw a parking lot filled with really, really old cars. Like, circa 1900 cars. We stopped to look at them and as we drove away, Amira asked me if those were the kind of cars from when I was a kid! I laughed and told her, "no, those cars are from even before Saba Raba and Great Grandma Evelyn were born!" and she said "wow. So what kind of car did you have when you were a little kid?" And I replied "A station wagon" to which she replied incredulously, "a wagon like the kind that a horse pulls?" It was a good 10 minutes before I could stop laughing long enough to catch my breath. No, I am NOT that old.

Along the lines of funny Amira-isms, on Friday night while we were reading on the sofa (Amira: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, #3 of the The Chronicles of Narnia, me: The Doomsday Key, James Rollins, thumbs up) Amira suddenly said to me "Mommy, I want to give the baby a hug," and she reached over and squeezed the front of my stomach. I laughed as she did it, and she looked at me and said "what, I'm squeezing the water tank." Loll!!!!

Anyhow, we accomplished a good amount in our Monsey Shopping, but have still more to do tomorrow. Thankfully the stores will all be open tomorrow, so I will again shlepp the kids to the stores while Yehuda studies.

Amira starts school Tuesday morning, and since she is going into second grade (ack 2X!) this year, we don't find out who her teachers are and which girls are in her class until she gets home from school on Tuesday! Needless to say, I am very anxious and excited to find out all that information. Yaakov's Pre-K (!!!) placement came yesterday and while he is very disappointed that his best friend is not in his class this year, he is very excited for his new Morah, and we are very excited too!

The summer really flew by, though, which is something I am not so thrilled about, surprisingly. I am relishing this stage in our life right now. And while I am beyond excited and thrilled to bring a new baby into our family, I am also not in any rush to get to December. Not so much because I am nervous about this new baby (although, as long as we are being honest, I must admit that I am. It's been a while since we did the whole baby thing, and trying to juggle the newborn stage with the school carpool and homework and soccer and ballet is going to certainly be a challenge. A challenge that I will be ready for, G-d willing, and one that I am beyond grateful to be going into, but a challenge nonetheless.) but because I really love the ages and stages that my kids are in right this minute, and I don't like how fast time is going and how quickly they are growing up.
Yehuda and I just realized tonight that this Rosh HaShana will G-d willing be our 10th together, and our 10th spent in Sharon, at my parents house. What an incredible milestone that is, thank G-d. But these last 9 years together (we got engaged 9 years ago tomorrow!) have flown by so quickly. Maybe it's because I am getting older, but I wish things would slow down just a little, and I am making an effort to live as much in the moment as I can.
So, my kids are getting out of the shower now and coming downstairs for a game of Zingo Bingo, which I plan to enjoy every minute of.

(Legoland post still to come!)