The First Day of the Rest of My Life

Today my life as a different mother began.  So far, my life as a mother has consisted of terrible discoveries during silences, a lack of sleep since the moment my child was conceived, notorious interrupted phone conversations, arguments of epic proportions over cartoon characters, and every medium I could possibly consider (and especially the ones I never thought of) smeared over my walls.  But today, today started a new chapter.

For almost two hours today, I had nothing to do.  Well, to the contrary, I had a lot to do, a never ending list of things I never am able to get to.  But to ordinary folk, I had nothing to do because during that almost two hour period, I had no Bailey.  She was missing.  She was missing, indeed.  Why?  Where did she go?  She was at school.

That's right, Bailey readers.  Bailey started school today.  Our genius had her first day of preschool today.  There were times we thought this day would never come, like when I called back in January and was smacked with the awful revelation that other mothers knew something I didn't.  Only two weeks after enrollment started for the September 2007 term, I was already number 11 on the WAITING LIST.  Yeah, number eleven!  It was some sick and twisted joke.  But fate had another plan for us and rather than a Christian preschool, we found a fine arts preschool.  It seemed to be exactly what we needed.  This program is more activity based and less strict lesson base, which is critical since those basic lessons are things Bailey has known for so long, her head spins when you quiz her.  Yeah, not a pretty sight.

My new life has now begun.  Three times a week, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, I will be Bailey-free for a couple hours a day while she spends her days driving other people mad.  (Kidding, really.  Hopefully.)  Maybe I can make my holiday cards I've lagged on for the past six months.  Will I finally write articles that are a year and a half late?  Eventually, maybe I'll finally use my scrap booking materials I JUST had to have.  Whoa!  I can do laundry downstairs without worrying about what the midget tornado is doing upstairs (she causes some of the worst disasters then).  Yes, I think I will find things to do.

Today was not that day.  There was the oddest silence in the house.  I was not used to this.  I kept thinking I was missing something, that something extremely hideous was going on in the next room.  I was on the phone and kept looking over my shoulder to see what chaos had ensued while I was speaking.  It was such an usual experience, that I thought I was losing my mind.

I didn't miss her (because I knew she was having a grand ol' time), but it was a bit uncomfortable only because this is not something that is typical for me, not in the slightest.  I'm never in my home alone.  Ever.  I'm going to get used to it though, I'm going to have to, I think.  Because when I picked up Bailey today, she didn't want to leave.  I'm curious though, since she was the only one who didn't make any crafts, I'm wondering just how well behaved she was there...

I can't think about that.  I won't think about that.  I have legs to shave tomorrow.

 

Today was the first day of the rest of my life.

Yes, I will still have those moments of uncomfortable silence when I discover things I wish I hadn't.  I'll still never sleep since that's not my style.  And the interruptions and the arguments will only become worse as time progresses, but I do hope the smear catastrophes have died.  I also hope that Bailey enjoys her new life too.