Cool Is Not Always a Breeze
It is a pleasure to watch kids grow and develop their own unique personality. Seems like “Clark” is changing everyday now. First grade has brought on some fun changes in his personality. Being a “mature” mother, I seem to notice the changes more than I did when my older daughter was growing up. Having a little kid around the house when you are on the brink of social security is completely different than having a little kid around the house when you are trying to grow up yourself. I can speak from experience, I had my daughter very young in life and of course, “Clark” was my little surprise bundle of joy who appeared after my sheer make-up had been replaced by industrial strength cover it make-up. They say there is a new trend, people are waiting longer to start their families. This is good news for me, maybe now. I won’t be the world’s oldest mother of a six year old. Take it from me, having kids when you are older is whole different ball of wax. When my daughter. Lynda, was growing up, so was I. When “Clark” made his appearance into the world of adults, my biggest concern was how to keep my blood pressure under control for the next twenty years.
I must admit that “Clark” probably gets away with more than he should, but being a “mature person”, I find it is not as easy to chase him like I would have a few years back If I could chase him it would only be for short distances…it would hardly be worth the trouble. I have found that talking to him takes less effort and does as much good as a paddling on the behind. You might say I am kind of like his grandma except for one important fact…I can not send him home when I want some peace and quiet.
Let me tell you about some of the changes I have noticed since “Clark” started first grade. He is learning how to write the alphabet. Now every piece of paper and every envelope that comes through the mail ends up with first grade handwriting on it. He walks around the house with a pencil or crayon permanently planted in his hand. He is also learning how to do addition, so he is making what he calls, “flash cards”. These flash cards are 2”x 2” scraps of paper that he cuts out of every notebook in the house and writes 2+2=4, etc. on them. Every morning our family room floor looks like a ticker tape parade has passed through during the middle of the night.
Some of the other changes I have noticed are…he is head over heels in love with his first grade teacher. His first crush you might say. He asked me what sweetie pie meant the other y and when I asked him why he wanted to know, he giggled and told me that his teacher had called him “sweetie pie” and he Just wanted to know what she meant. He has also improved in the gymnastics department. He has learned how to do a front roll (old fashion- ed summer sault) and a back roll, so now while we are trying to watch TV he practices his front and back rolls on the floor in front of the TV. He rolls back and forth like Mary Lou Retten getting ready for the Olympics
Beyond a doubt, the biggest change I have seen lately is his taste in worldly things. He has started caring whether his shirt and pants almost match, and nine times out of ten he picks a pair of socks with the same color stripes around the top. His taste in music has gotten very sophisticated too. He is into the “Beach Boys” and “Jan and Dean”. He call’s this music… Cool”. Little does he know, this was “cool” music when I was fairly young. His favorite cool songs to play on his cool little tape recorder are Jan and Dean’s cool versions of “Little Old Lady from Pasadena” and “Drag City”.
I have a feeling that this is just the beginning of the long road to “cool”, I just have to remember to stay cool and take my blood pressure medicine everyday, for the next…fourteen cool years.
