vacation update

I've been on vacation for almost two whole weeks. Of course, for me, vacation is primarily a time to be a SAHM for a change. Not always Jupiter's favorite thing. For every ounce of acceptance and quality time I manage to work in, there is at least a token disrespect/battle. And of course, last week when we went on the minitrip, even though it was fun and she enjoyed the zoo and the ferry ride past the Statue of Liberty, the change of routine was hard on her. But we deal and do what we need too, and handle the battle as it comes. We have four more days, tasked primarily to getting on our new fall school schedule. My last week at work, on a slow day, I typed up a daily schedule for both of us. The kindy teacher mailed out a packet of August homework to get the kids into a routine of doing homework every night. We got a little behind last week while we were traveling, but now we're catching up on that. Last night, homework was a battle. Tonight was okay. Along with the homework, I'm having her journal a couple sentences about the day. (still doing the writing, since she has a fear of kindergarten writing, no matter how much I tell her spelling doesn't matter for kindergarten writing.) Last night, journal was "Stupid." Tonight she liked it, since we read back through all her entries since vacation and reread them. And tonight, while she illustrated her journal entry, I assigned myself a journal entry in a different notebook to note the positive things Jupiter had done throughout the day and to share those with her. I didn't have enough room on the three lines in her journals, so have to get a different notebook for that. When I read her what I had written, she seemed pleased. Yipee!!!

Vacation recap:

Friday, July 31st. I leave work at 11am to have four hours of vacation to myself and to get my hair cut. At 11:15 am, I get a cell phone call from the hiring manager for a job (same company, different floor) I applied for a few days prior. She asks me to come in on Monday for an interview. I say yes. I get my hair cut.

Saturday, August 1st. We go to Famer's Market. Jupiter plays in the splash pool at Farmer's Market, since it's warm enough for a change. We go to the library and return the 32 library books we've managed to check out. We choose new books. We drive to Saco to go to Jupiter's friend Bella's birthday party at the place she does dance. Even though on Friday Jupiter said she was just going to watch because she "doesn't dance in front of people", she decides to participate and has a great time. We meet a girl at the party who will be in 1st grade at Jupiter's school in the fall. Jupiter now has more 1st grade friends than kindergarten friends. After the party we go to Bella's house for an impromptu play date. Jupiter thinks it's great. We get home late and exhausted.

Sunday, August 2nd. We go to Cross. We go home and have lunch and a quiet time. I start to pull the berber carpet out of the bathroom. I finish pulling the Berber carpet out of the bathroom. I pull out five million carpet tacks and the old linoleum. I discover that there is hardwood floor underneath the Berber carpet in the hallway. There is much rejoicing. I lay self stick tile in the bathroom. I should NOT be allowed to lay self stick tile. But it still looks better than what was there before.

Monday, August 3rd. We go to Aquaboggan Waterpark. (after the interview. Interview seemed to go well.) Jupiter LOVES Aquaboggan water park. A whole entire day she can play just in water. We get home at 7pm exhausted.

Tuesday, August 4th. We go to sensory camp. The OT's put up the giant stretchy swing for the kids to take turns climbing in and sliding down. Jupiter enjoys it.

Wednesday, August 5th. We drive to Connecticut and check into the hotel. Jupiter swims in the pool.

Thursday, August 6th. We take the Metro North train to the Bronx. Jupiter asks if it's the bullet train. Alas no. It is a local train. Long trip. We see the Bronx Zoo. Well, most of it.

Friday, August 7th. We take the Metro North train to Grand Central Station. We have learned about express trains. Still not the bullet train. We see the Statue of Liberty and Toys R Us. We take the train back to CT and drive home to Maine. We get home at midnight.

Saturday, August 8th. We try to sleep late. We're exhausted and we battle. When we run up to the food store, my mother happens to be standing out front talking to her neighbor. I take this as a sign from God and send Jupiter home with her while I go home to take a nap.

Sunday, August 9th. We may have done nothing. I don't remember. Wait, Jupiter slept for two hours in the afternoon and then didn't go to sleep until 10:30 pm.

Monday, August 10th. We go to Aquaboggan again, this time with Mimi, Tyotya, Auntie B, and Auntie B's three boys she's nannying for this summer. We get home late and tired.

Tuesday, August 11th. Sensory camp. The OT's hang up four net swings and the kids get in on their bellies and throw beanbags while they're swinging. The other kids give it up after 15 minutes. Jupiter stays in her swing the whole 45 minutes of that part of the session. She swings, twists herself up and lets it untwist repeatedly, then lets me swing her. The OT in charge thinks that Jupiter could truly benefit from regular OT.

Wednesday, August 12th. Jupiter plays in the morning. We get invited to go Minigolfing at the nearby funpark with Auntie B and the boys. The boys take a turn on the gocarts and Jupiter waits for a turn on the super trampoline with the harness that lets you jump really high. Jupiter is nervous, but lets the cute teenage boy strap her in the harness and when she starts to jump she gets a superhuge smile on her face. She could be a commercial. She wants one of these at our house. Me too. We go home, have a late lunch, and pick up the regular schedule by going to the playground. We meet another girl who will be in 1st grade at Jupiter's school. Jupiter goes to bed, on time, at 8pm.

This is why we need four days of just getting ourselves on schedule. Vacation is exhausting.

was going to post trampoline picture here but it's stuck on the cell phone.