It's 6:32 am on Tuesday, September 5. I am sitting here, wondering how I'm going to break it to my son that today, is not in fact, his first day of big-boy-all-day kindergarten.
Two weeks or so ago I called Maryland to ask about an Early Childhood Assessment for Rose, just to get some wheels turning in case we need some help later on with her English, etc. The adoption counselors recommend this, as sort of a "just in case" kind of measure. While I had them on the phone, I asked the secretary if K-5 started on MPS' first day of school and she said yes. Okay, then.
Well, today, after baking blueberry muffins, and packing a lunch, I wonder, how much does milk cost at the school? And I think, jeez, you would have thought they would have sent me something before today, because if I didn't have a vegetarian kid he might be buying lunch, and I have no freaking idea what that costs either. We've gotten a bunch of mail from central office (like, marketing material about different plans they have, learning targets, student handbook, etc.) but nothing from Maryland directly…
Oh crap.
I remember the other day right before I called the pediatrician who told me to take Rose to the ER, bringing in some mail from Maryland. At this point, I'm just thinking, dang, I bet I have a bunch of papers I have to fill out before I bring him today, I'd better get on that. But when I open the envelope, on the second page it says, "K-5 students do not attend the first day of school". At this point I say, "Oh crap!" loud enough for Chuck to hear, he comes in and I explain to him what happened and he goes back to bed.
I consider this option but decide I'm going to stay up, and wake up D so he goes to bed before 10pm tonight (he's turned into quite the night owl over summer vacation). Now there's just the question if I call a friend who I know I told that the kids' first day of school was today. On one hand, she was probably smart enough to read her mail and therefore I'd be waking her up super-early on the last day of summer vacation. On the other hand, she didn't call me to tell me I was wrong, so maybe she didn't read her mail either.
Either way, I f***ed up.