Alphabet Date

Good Thursday morning!

Many, many things are going on in the Faulkner household today. Tonight Austin will be Drum Major for the last time. Mike and I will walk out on the field with him for Senior Night. (What to wear? What to wear?) It's just the beginning of all the emotional things that will be happening this year. This year is the "first of the lasts." Thankfully, we still have Josh and Roxie for several more years. (Josh's senior year will be referred to as the "second of the lasts" and Roxie's will be hereafter referred to as the "last of the lasts," or "the year that Mom's heart broke into 1,000 pieces." Just pick one... they're both accurate.)

I have to admit I've been dreading the school year 2008-2009 for 17 1/2 years. When the kids were in preschool, I would play the piano for the end of the year graduation programs. Even the years my children were not graduating were difficult, and I would find myself on the piano bench crying quietly as the little five year-olds in their caps and gowns received their little diplomas.

It wasn't much better every spring when our church would have Senior Recognition Night. There were years I did not know one single senior graduating (our church is so big), and I would sit in the balcony as tears rolled down my face... and Mikie would roll his eyes and hand me his handkerchief.

"You're not going to be able to go to Austin's graduation," he told me a couple of years ago.

"That's fine with me. I don't want to see it anyway. If I don't actually witness him graduating, it won't really have happened," I replied. In actuality, anyone who has ever met me knows I'll be there with four cameras -- two for actual shots and two for back-up. And I'll be needing those pictures, because from where I'll be sitting everything is going to be wet and blurry.

I mentioned I went with Roxie and friends to see High School Musical 3 the other day, and at the end when they (SPOILER) graduated, I was sitting in that dark theater crying. That's how ridiculous it has gotten. When you start caring about Troy, Gabriella and Sharpay's futures and the sight of them in Wildcat graduation garb reduces you to tears it's time to... well, I don't know what it's time to do. I'm at a complete loss.

The only positive of Austin being my first to graduate is I plan on actually staying in the balcony and crying quietly. With Josh, I'll probably be a little closer to the graduates... sitting on the floor of the auditorium instead of the balcony... crying a little bit louder, but still not hanging onto him for dear life. But with Roxie, I have no doubt that I'll be face down clutching one of her legs and she'll be dragging me down the church aisle trying to receive her diploma... and I'm pretty sure the crying (more like moaning) will be much, much louder by the time my last one leaves the nest.

It's a funny thing. I remember older women coming up to me all the time saying, "Enjoy these days. They'll be gone before you know it." Having not had enough sleep, wearing no make-up, and badly needing a haircut, I would smile weakly thinking they didn't know what in the world they were talking about. I didn't have 24 hour days like everyone else. My days lasted 36 hours or more. They were like the Energizer Bunny... they just kept going and going and going. There were days I never thought bedtime would arrive, or that all three would be potty-trained, or they would be out of car seats, or they would be able to do their homework by themselves, or they would be able to drive themselves to school and dentist appointments. But those women were wise. It happened before I could blink my eye.

Oh, I should have mentioned this earlier... this post is not the least bit uplifting. If you see me today, I'll probably need a hug... or some chocolate... or maybe a gift certificate to Cracker Barrel. Yeah. A gift certificate would probably help a great deal.

Now for all of you out there with little ones in the 3 to 6 year-old range, I have a fun little date for you and your special guy or girl.

Alphabet Date

The first rule for dating your children -- Make the date and write it in PEN on your calendar. Do not cancel the date. It is as important as going to work, church, etc. Once you make the date, keep the date.

The second rule for dating your children -- Do not run errands or do other things in the time frame of the date. If you are taking them to the mall (like this date), do not pick up this or that just because you are there. This is a date -- 100 percent time spent with your little one. Remember -- NO ERRANDS.

Now that the ground rules have been set, on with the date!

This one is easy and fun. Take the first letter of your child's name and plan an Alphabet Date. If the letter is a "T," try to find as many things that begin with the letter "T" as you can. Take a digital camera and a notebook to write down all the things you find that start with your letter. Go to your local mall, and just start looking. You can take pictures of your child beside the item, or the child can take the pictures for themselves. It can be a picture of a train, a stuffed Tigger at The Disney Store, a t-shirt, etc. Set a goal of 20 to 25 items (more if the child is older), and see what you can find.

When you have met your goal, go to the book store in the mall (there's always a book store in a mall), and find an age appropriate book that begins with the letter. Buy the book and head to the food court. Try to find a snack or snacks that begin with the letter, also.

Now if you have a child whose name begins with the letters "Q" or "X," it only makes sense to use the first letter of their middle or last name. It's supposed to be fun and educational, not frustrating and hard.

Have the pictures developed for the child to remember their special date. They can take the pictures to school for Show and Tell, or just show their teacher one day.

It may seem a waste of a Saturday or Sunday afternoon to run around a mall and look for "T" things, but it is NEVER a waste to spend one-on-one time with your little one. Take it from a little older woman, "Enjoy these days. They'll be gone before you know it."

Tomorrow I'll give you the title of a great book to add to your collection.

Have a great day, and I'll talk to you on Friday.