Well, we took the summer off to do all the fun things we needed to do – camp, the zoo, fighting, trips to the Lake house, a family trip to Belize, fighting, T-ball, swimming lessons, fighting.  You know the drill.

School officially started.  5 days a week from 8-3.  You read that correctly.  All day, all week.  This Junior Kindergarten thing is no joke.  Show and tell every Friday, a 30 minute nap and the very best part – uniforms.  Ah….no more trying to figure out what they are going to wear.  No more arguing that she cannot wear her Minnie nightgown to school or he cannot wear his minion shirt for the 4th day in a row.  Blackwatch plaid – you are my hero.

We took the obligatory first day photos with their signs.  My mom certainly did not do this when we grew up, no one’s mom did.  Well maybe once or twice but things are different now.  I do have a few photo’s of me with my Dorothy Hammil haircut on the front porch but there were no signs back then.  Now every damn kid, mine included, take their first day of school photo holding a sign.  It is detailed – the grade, where they go (in case you need a reminder of where to pick them up) and of course, what they want to be when they grow up.  My pals have appropriately decided on Minnie Mouse and a minion from Despicable Me.  Hey, I always tell them they can be whatever they want to be when they grow up, so they are really reaching for the stars.

Even Butters got in on the whole “Sign thing” even though he is going absolutely nowhere…..well do naps count?  Then he will be going to his crib along with running errands with mom and hanging out with the world’s best nanny, Marlena, while Mommy goes to work.

This whole “what do you want to be when you grow up” reminds me of one of my favorite stories growing up.  My mom sat my 3 older sisters down and asked them what they wanted to be.  The oldest wanted to be a farmer.  Simple enough….and do-able really.  Amy wanted to be a princess or a burglar.  Both slightly disturbing but what the hell as long as she does not get caught.  Be the best burglar you can be.

Elisabeth wanted to be a “plain person”.  My mom really liked this one.  She excitedly asked her if she wanted to be a stewardess or a pilot because you know, it was the 70’s and women could be pilots.  Laura set her straight – “No mom, she does not want to be on an airplane.  She wants to be a plain person. Someone like you, someone who doing nothing.  A PLAIN person.”

So on this first day of school I guess I should be thankful that I have a future Minnie Mouse and Minion and one kid who wants to live in my basement, according to his sign.