First Middle School Dance

I wasn't going to let them go.  My goodness - they're only 11 years old.  And they WEREN'T going to go, until Mom went to work, and they focused all their evil powers on a susceptible Dad.  He couldn't withstand the pleading, the tears, the drama.  They went.  BUT, being the sMother that I am, I went, too.  Kind of.  Rob and I snuck in after I got off work and "observed" for a little while.  Casual like.   The only parents spying on their middle-schoolers during their first dance.  The boys pretended not to see us, and each danced with one girl (girls look a WHOLE LOT older than boys at 11 years old, by the way).   Then they spent the rest of the night hanging out, milling with their friends, climbing the walls to look cool.... that sort of thing.  Kinda what I remember from junior high school dances.  It was sweet, and I shouldn't have worried like I did.  They were still kids. {{phew}}.  I did feel a little (a lot) out of touch when all those yoots started dancing in unison to some song I had never heard before. but was obviously the latest and greatest thing EVAH.  Think Macarena, 2015 version.  Whatevs.  But then, right after that, something happened that just warmed my ever-lovin' heart.  The DJ cranked "Don't stop believing" by Journey, and all.the.kids. stopped to cheer and sing along at the top of their lungs.  TO JOURNEY.  Circa 1981.  It gave me hope for the future, and I told a nearby chaperone that it did, and she laughed.  We all were just a small town girl, living in a lonely world, who took the midnight train going anywhere. 

It was a bloggable moment, but I didn't take any pictures.  Bad enough that I was there hanging out with them at their first dance, but I DO feel better about all of it now.  Maybe next time I'll even let them stay til the end.  Maybe. 

Dinner Conversation

I hate Mondays.  I really do.  They're miserable.  If we prepared ahead of time on Sundays, maybe they wouldn't be so bad in the morning.  So, tonight at dinner, I tried.

MOM:  "Quinn.  What are you going to do after dinner?"

((blank stare))

Mom: "Practice your trumpet."
Quinn: "Watch America's Funniest Videos."
Mom: "Do your homework"
Quinn: "Watch Once Upon a Time."
Mom: "Pack your lunch."
Quinn: "Ride my scooter."
Mom: "Pack your backpack."
Quinn: "Look on Ebay."

((blank stare.... from Mom this time)..
Quinn: "I feel like we're on the same page here.  Good."

Eleven Year Old Stats

For the record books, because both boys just had well-child visits.

Quinn weighs 79 pounds and is 58 inches tall.  He's gained 3 inches and 6 pounds in the last year.  BMI 16.5, 34th percentile.
Colby was 72 pounds and is 58 inches tall.  He's gained 3 inches and 2 pounds in the last year.  BMI is 15, 9th percentile.

Colby isn't gaining much weight, which is making his growth curve flatten (even lower) a bit, but the kid eats, so we're not really worried.  I have a feeling a big growth spurt is about to hit.

Other than that, every one is healthy, wealthy and wise!

Onward ho!

A Conversationi with Quinn

So, Quinn and I were driving in the car - a place where most of our best conversations take place - and he was telling me about space.  And flowing water on Mars.  And that water is needed for life.  And that maybe there were microbes or something there.  And that maybe life is also on some other planets, because there HAVE been planets found that are "Goldilocks" planets, just the right distance from their own just-right-sized star, that maybe could sustain life.  All very interesting to think about.  And then he said this:

"We always assume that if there's aliens out there, they must be so far advanced in comparison to us.  But what if we're the ones that are more advanced?"

I thought about that, and then replied "Well, I guess we assume they're more advanced because they'd be coming to us, and we're not yet capable of coming to them."

"Not yet," he replied.  "Give us time.  We'll get there.  And maybe we'll find them!"

This reminds me of a friend from years ago, who stated that what he loved about Star Trek was that it gave him hope for the future.  I'd never really thought about that, but suddenly, hearing my son dream about a far distant future, that made sense to me.  The movie "Tomorrowland" gave me a similar feeling. 

We hear about our imminent demise and that of our planet so much every day - global warming, Isis, thermonuclear war, zombie apocalypse - that I've stopped assuming that we're going to HAVE much of a future. Maybe subconsciously, but it's definitely there.  That feeling of impending doom.   Honestly.  That's depressing!!  But what if, just what IF, we don't self destruct????  What if we miraculously survive ourselves, and it's NOT the end of the world as we know it?  I didn't even realize that I'd had that EOTWAWKI mentality until my son unabashedly dreamt of a distant future where we explore the universe and find other living species.  A good, exciting future, not a "Panem" Hunger-games style future.    What if there's hope for this human race?  I didn't even realize it wasn't there, until he surprised me with it.  Hope.  HUH.  That'd be really cool. 

Thank goodness for eleven year old boys, who are still capable of dreaming about good things.  I need to keep them close.  Maybe their optimism will rub off on me!!

Survival Mode

Middle school is going to do me in.   One of my sixth graders (to be left un-named) actually got into the car for school this morning without shoes.  We were a good mile from home, and he was casually playing the Rubik's cube in the back seat when I asked him why he hadn't put his shoes on yet. 

"I can't find them".  Like....No big deal.  SERIOUSLY ?!?!?!?  Stop the car, search the back seat, discover that there was not a pair of matching shoes to be found (two unmatched shoes floating around, but not a pair). 

"It's okay, Mom.  I'll wear two different shoes to school."  No.  No you will not.  So we turned around, drove all the way home, found some shoes, and were all subsequently "tardy" to our respective destinations. 

Then, tonight, after I get home at 7 pm after an 11 hour work day, I discover that no one has done their homework.  And all three kids have homework.  I check PowerSchool, and find out that the same shoe-forgetting child is flunking every single class, because he hasn't turned in any of his homework yet.  Even though he's done it all.  And he's SHOCKED!  SHOCKED because he did the work!  And the information wasn't transmitted by ESP to his teachers!  A quick check of his backpack found all the missing homework crumpled up in tiny balls under four books and an uneaten lunch.  We'll rely on the mercy of teachers to see if he can still get credit for it or not.  I have my doubts. 

At 9:30 pm tonight, after 2 solid hours of homework, wherein Mom had to nearly physically SIT on both boys to get them to focus, Quinn pops off with the following.

"Mom, we really need to set aside some time earlier in the day to do our homework.  This is just too late at night, and I can't think well because I'm tired."

Well, isn't THAT a great idea.  

"We need a homework schedule.  Let's say 5:00 to 6:00 pm every night.  Right before dinner.  Gives us a chance to relax a bit after school, but we're still fresh."

Another great idea, Quinn.  Does this new-found organization require Mom to nag incessantly over and over again to get homework to start?  Or sit there with you continuously to make sure you don't get up to stare at yourself in the mirror?  Or play footsies with your brother?  Or go to the bathroom twelve times?  Can we assume it will just  happen spontaneously?  Curious minds want to know.

((sigh))

From the time I got home, until right this moment - a full three hours  - my evening was spent preparing three children for school tomorrow.  Homework, emailing teachers, reviewing spelling words, packing backpacks, making lunches, scrounging the laundry for loose coins for a first grader's "Everyday Math" assignment. 

I'm going to ((sigh)) again. 

I really don't know if I'm going to survive this school year.   

 

Conversation In the Car

Quinn: "Mom, what's for dinner?"
Mom: "Roast Beef".
Quinn: "I don't like that."
Mom: "Now you don't like roast beef?  Since when?"
Quinn: "I'm a vegetarian now."
Mom: "But you won't eat your vegetables."
Quinn: "Uhhhhhhhh"
Mom: "That makes you a carbatarian, and that's not okay."
Colby (from the back seat): "Yeah.  And a dessertian."

Pretty much.  Bread and sweets.

How will I keep him alive???

 Quinn and Colby's Language teacher asked us to write a letter introducing them to her.  This is what I came up with.

Colby was born in Marquette, MI as a premature twin.  We had been transferred to Marquette General Hospital for the final two weeks of the pregnancy, after a total of 3 months on bedrest, as I went into pre-term labor at 20 weeks.  Colby and his brother Quinn spent a month in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit there, learning how to breathe, eat, and grow.  Bringing the boys home to Chassell after a total of 6 weeks in the hospital was such a relief!  At one year of age, both Quinn and Colby underwent nephrectomies (removal of a kidney) at the University of Michigan, secondary to severe kidney reflux.  Regardless of the bumpy beginning, Colby has thrived and grown into a healthy young man!

Colby lives with his Dad and I (Rob and Monica), his identical twin brother Quinn, and a little sister Reagan, who is in the 1^st grade.  He attended Chassell Elementary from preschool through 4^th grade.   He and Quinn are very close, and up until 4^th grade were virtually inseparable.   In 5^th grade, we decided to transfer just Colby to Houghton Elementary, while keeping his brother and sister in Chassell, so that the boys could develop their individual personalities and make individual friends.  It took Colby a little while to adjust to being without Quinn, but eventually he was able to make some really great friends and figure out that he’s not just half of a duo.

Colby is active in soccer, and snowboards all winter long.  He loves to swim, and conquered the high dive (the BIG one!!) at Michigan Tech’s pool when he was only six!  He’s a bit of a daredevil, and one of the bravest kids I’ve ever met.  Colby is also very musical, and plays the piano.  He will be starting band this school year, and he’s very excited about that.   Colby likes to act and perform: he’s had major roles in church plays, and gotten up in front of hundreds of people to speak before.   He’s traveled quite a bit in his young life, having visited Hawaii, Belize, Honduras, Mexico, the Cayman Islands, as well as many states in the U.S from coast to coast.  He enjoys flying with his Dad in our small, two-seater airplane.  They just got back from a week of camping on a small island in the middle of Lake Michigan, just the two of them. 

Colby loves to read, and is currently especially interested in mythology (Greek, Roman, Egyptian).  Calvin and Hobbes is also a favorite.  Colby is very interested in all forms of technology and electronics.  Over this past summer, he began learning how to program in HTML, and wants to one day be either a video game designer or a robotics engineer.  He’s hoping to attend Michigan Tech someday, just like his Dad. 

Colby struggles with organization, and often has sloppy handwriting because he rushes through his work.  He’s very capable of producing neat work when he slows down, and this is something that we’ve reminded him about his entire school career. 

He’s really excited about middle school and everything he’ll be able to learn and do!   Here’s hoping for a really great year!!  

------------------

Quinn was born in Marquette, MI as a premature twin.  We had been transferred to Marquette General Hospital for the final two weeks of the pregnancy, after a total of 3 months on bedrest, as I went into pre-term labor at 20 weeks.  Quinn and his brother Colby spent a month in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit there, learning how to breathe, eat, and grow.  Bringing the boys home to Chassell after a total of 6 weeks in the hospital was such a relief!  At one year of age, both Quinn and Colby underwent nephrectomies (removal of a kidney) at the University of Michigan, secondary to severe kidney reflux.  Quinn’s remaining kidney was also bad, and we were told to expect either another surgery or a kidney transplant when he was bigger, but the kidney was healed when Quinn turned two, which we regard as a true miracle. 

Quinn lives with his Dad and I (Rob and Monica), his identical twin brother Colby, and a little sister Reagan, who is in the 1^st grade.  He attended Chassell Elementary from preschool through 5^th grade.   He and Colby are very close, and up until 4^th grade were virtually inseparable.   In 5^th grade, we decided to transfer just Colby to Houghton Elementary, while keeping Quinn and Reagan in Chassell, so that the boys could develop their individual personalities and make individual friends.  Quinn really blossomed during this time “on his own”.  This is his first year at Houghton, and he’s nervous but excited to try something new.

Quinn is active in soccer and basketball, and snowboards all winter long.  He plays the piano and last year started the trumpet, which he took to very quickly.  He’s also learning to play the mandolin – something he’s wanted to do since kindergarten.    Quinn is a soft-hearted boy, and loves animals of all kinds.  He spends quite a bit of time at his cousins’ farm, with the turkeys, chickens, cows and horses.  He also loves rocks and minerals, and has a decent-sized collection in his bedroom.  Quinn enjoys doing tricks on his scooter, and has built a scooter ramp course off our front porch.   He’s traveled quite a bit in his young life, having visited Hawaii, Belize, Honduras, Mexico, the Cayman Islands, as well as many states in the U.S from coast to coast.  He enjoys flying with his Dad in our small, two-seater airplane.  This past summer, they spent a week in Canada near the arctic circle, just the two of them. 

Quinn loves to read, especially Calvin and Hobbes.  He’s a good student, and a hard worker, but prefers hands-on learning and lots of movement.  He’s really excited about middle school, but nervous about the transition to a new school, where he’ll know less people.  Houghton is so much bigger than Chassell!   Here’s hoping for a really great year!!  Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any concerns at all!