Goodbye to summer

Okay, so granted, we still have like nearly two months of the actual season left, but my summer vacation is nearly over. Today there were only two kids (besides mine) hangin' out here at Diva Daycare. This is the last time that will happen for awhile. Starting Tuesday I will have the whole crew back. Not that I haven't had oodles of kids around the house here all summer, but they were mostly big school kids with little ones here and there. Tuesday the regular cast of characters will be:

Little Nicky - Formerly CLB: Cute Little Baby - he's still wicked cute, but he's not little, nor is he a baby anymore. *sigh*
Princess - Formerly CBG: Cute Baby Girl - she's still insanely cute and still a girl, but not so much a baby anymore either. She's the lone girl among all of the hairy-legged boys here, so it's only natural that she be the Princess.
Li'l Divinity - I think I used to call him Itty Baby or Itty Bitty Baby, not sure. I know I've called him Li'l Divinity for awhile now. Because his mom is Irish Divinity.
JackJack - Finally starting to get over that colic, THANK GOD.
and the newest character is Quiet Boy - He's new, I just met him last night, but the impression I got is that he's quiet. I reserve the right to change his name if he turns out to be the spawn of Satan.
Chandler who has been here at Diva Daycare for 2 years now, the longest-running character besides me, will be heading off to the big world of public school next Thursday. My how time flies.
Cute Big Baby (CBB) will not be returning.
To Be Announced baby will be joining the cast in 2007. He's still incubating.

Yesterday I was sitting in the floor in front of the changing table, rearranging diapers and whatnot. I had rewritten everyone's names on their wipey boxes and had stacks of diapers arranged in age order (OCD, remember? Don't laugh.) and sat back to admire my work. Abby counted the wipey boxes and said, "Five babies, eh?" I nodded and said, "Yep. Five babies, Ab. You know, I think I'm insane." She nodded seriously and said, "Yes. But Mom, I've known that for quite some time now."

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Kady will be definitely staying home with me this year. I had made up my mind at the end of school year that she would stay home one last year and not attend PreK. Then I waffled back and forth all summer, should she go? Should she stay? I seriously agonized this! Abby went to 2 days of PreK and dropped out. My eldest child was a preschool drop-out - this will probably come back to haunt her later in life, like when she runs for political office. But I don't regret pulling her out. She wasn't ready. Sam went and LOVED IT. He needed that year to learn how to chill when it's time to chill. I don't regret sending him. Years ago we said Kady would go because Sam did so well in the program, but then the utter panic that oh my gosh she is my last child EVER set in and the thought of sending her off a year earlier than lawfully necessary seemed preposterous. I therefore, joyfully stayed home last year when PreK enrollment was going on.

But now that "Chanwer" and "Wiwey" have been hanging out with her all summer and they are both going, she's been asking repeatedly if she could go. Of course, then she'd usually pop up the next day with "I want to stay home wif you fow-evew!" and how could I say no to that? But the other day, I'd had a really long, bad day and when she asked if she could go I told her that yes, yes she could go and I couldn't wait for her to go and I wondered if they'd take her a week early. The next day I called the school to see about enrolling her. Last year they didn't fill the class all year. This year, of course, they are full and have a waiting list. So I'm taking that as a sign from God that she is supposed to stay here with me another year. I'm totally cool with that.

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I have a cold. It started out as allergies, but has blossomed into a system-consuming virus from the pits of Hell that is sucking my will to live. I hate being sick in the summer. When you're sick in the winter it's almost like you're supposed to sniffle and snot around, but in the summer? No way. Summer is not for sick. Poor Li'l Divinity's had it all week and Kady's getting it, too. If I can just keep my other two well. They start school next Thursday. I'll make sure to keep them well so they'll be good and healthy and their immune systems will be good and unsuspecting when they're exposed to all of the nasty germs the school kids bring to town. I figure that'll set us up for a good round of Mono. Or Ebola.

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Tonight is their second VBS program. They've had a blast this week, but I'm glad it's over. I've been trying to get them back into an early bedtime routine, but VBS threw that all off-kilter. I'll be glad when they get back to that 8:00 bedtime. I have read several books, painted my fingernails, discovered some new shows....call me selfish, but I kind of like my quiet alone time in the evenings.

After the VBS program I'm hauling 8 kids back here to my house for a Last Friday Before School Starts Sleep Over Blowout. We bought High School Musical today, I've stocked up on tremendous amounts of junkfood, spent the morning baking cookies, cleaned the bathroom (not sure why, though - there will be boys here and they pee on everything), toyroom and living room and it seems that we are set. I just wish I felt better. Oh well, I have an MP3 player and I know how to use it.

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Sunday is Buffalo Run's employee picnic. I'm a bit nervous about it. The sign-up sheet said "games and prizes". I'm all about the prizes, but games? I'm assuming said games aren't crosswords, sudoku, rock/paper/scissors and blackjack. I bet it's strenuous, sweat-inducing, physical games like 3-legged races, relays and stuff. Yahoo. If I whine enough maybe they'll just give me a prize and ask me to leave. I'd be okay with that.

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Next Saturday is the Brad Paisley concert. The Wreckers and Eric Church are opening for him. (The Wreckers I am totally stoked for; Eric Church, not so much.) I can hardly wait!! Tammy (Princess' mom) and I are going together and she's already informed me that when she drinks a few beers we magically become the prettiest women in the place. I am SO going to enjoy hanging out with her, all inebriated and pretty and stuff. I'm sure I can't compete with Hillbilly Mom because she's OH SO PRETTY, but intoxicated pretty runs a close second I'm sure. Tater, Jen, Jill and I've mentioned it to Irish Divinity but she hasn't committed yet, are meeting up with us after the concert to bask in the glow of our prettiness. Yes, pictures will be taken.

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I know I've been a little lax in the blogging department lately. Hang with me. We've been trying to pack in as much summer as possible, adjust to colicky baby, spend as much time with Mr. Diva before school starts and he doesn't see his kids but twice a week, get ready for another year of Girl Scouts (new level, new stuff)....... basically life is getting in the way of my blogging. But it has to get better, right? Right?

Right?