Plerk

So, remember about 12 weeks ago I went back to work? And remember how my mom came to our house during the week to take care of Al? Well, DID YOU KNOW that I am the most spoiled daughter in the history of mankind? Because Y'ALL! Taking care of this kid is, like, hello? WORK! I mean, holy guacamole!

Heh, you full-time stay-at-homes are chuckling, huh?

Well, my first week of summer has revealed to me that while working out of the house is sometimes hectic and tiring and heartbreaking, even, it also affords a mom time to do grown-up things, like oh, eating lunch with two hands. And reading an entire magazine article. From start to finish, even. Granted, I have the best of both worlds--my job gives me the chance to work out of the house and enjoy extended periods of time at home with Al. Just when I'll be about to lay down and die of cabin fever in several weeks, it'll be time for me to go back to work again.

Except this fall? We're doing daycare. Actually, we're going to start in July so that Al and the Mr. and I can get used to the situation. And already? I love our daycare. Of course, we have extended family that works there, so I feel confident that Al will be properly doted upon. Plus, letting him start his "school" early will give me a chance to my school and do all of the back-to-school teacher-y things that we teachers do in late July/ early August. (Oh, who am I kidding? We all go back to the school early so we can catch up on gossip. It doesn't take us that long to put up a couple of sorry bulletin boards.)

But so far, I'm pretty proud of the way I'm handling this whole daycare thing. Maybe it's because I want Al to grow up feeling comfortable in a variety of settings (unlike his mama, who cried every single night of church camp when she was 8 years old because she had never spent much time away from home and missed her mommy. Uh, yeah, I guess that's a defining moment right there), or maybe it's the drugs talking, but I'm actually excited about Al going to "school." He's at the age where he gets really excited about seeing other people, and interaction with kids and adults is one of his very favorite activities. And the Mr. and I? Well, neither of us are very extroverted, and I'm hoping that maybe, just maybe, we're hitting Al's socialization sweet spot, and daycare will be a good thing for him. And if not, well, it will still be Oh. Kay.

The Mr. doesn't even want to talk about it. Which I think is cute.

But the daycare thing is actaully just a tangent here. What I really meant to tell you was how this summer is already the busiest ever. I thought I'd have all kinds of time to update the ol' blog, but nooooo, I'm cleaning out closets, and organizing stuff for a garage sale, and trying to keep the damned house clean, and oh yeah! taking care of an increasingly-more-mobile-every-day hunk of young male-child. It's work, yet it's fun, and even a bit relaxing.

And Al is busy too. The boy goes about his work with a seriousness that cracks me up. Back when I was an undergrad, I had an Early Childhood Development professor who called children's play "plerk." Play + Work = Plerk. I'm witnessing that first hand here.

Behold, the Plerk in Progress:
(Please forgive my lack of flash. Once the boy sees the little flash indicator blinking, he drops everything and poses.)


Yes, yes, must spin the barrel of monkeys, and oh, my, this elephant has not been chewed on in quite some time. Must take care of that.


OK, elephant has been taken care of...now, what else needs attention?


Oh, yes, the lion! This lion situation must be resolved at once!



Next on the list? Yes, yes, the carousel. A boy's work is never done, I tell you!

Just another day at the office, Mom.
(See what I mean about the flash? Heh.)