Sorry, Marcia. Can't help you with that part. You know the commercial showing two glum-looking kids, followed by a dancing dad, shopping for Back To School supplies, and the song "It's the most wonderful time of the year!" That's me!
Don't get me wrong, I love my kids, and I miss them when they are not home. But I'm so thrilled to take that next step of development. When a baby learned to sit up unassisted, I clapped and yeahed. I didn't mourn the passing of a floppy infant stage. Learned to walk? Great, doesn't need carried! Feed itself? Woo Hoo! Potty training? Mega-yipee! Off to pre-school? Have a great time. Kindergarten? You get to ride the big bus now! Middle school? Have a great adventure there! Driving? Well, I"m not there yet, just don't take the "good" car!
It's like picking a favorite stage. Yeah, I adore toddlers (good thing, too, cuz having 2 at once is exhausting!), but I wouldn't want them to stay toddlers forever. I'd like to eventually understand what they are saying!
DS came home with a worksheet from his first week of school (3rd grade this year) called All About Me. I was fascinated to read his answers. I had no idea his secret wish was to have $1,000, and his goal was to have as much money as possible! I'm now considering shipping him off to visit his uncle, the financial planner, for summer camp!
Give him big hugs - hurry, before he thinks he's too big for it - and make his favorite snacks for afterschool. Envy him his Grand Adventure. How cool would it be to go off to a safe place, play with toys (sorry, "manipulatives"), ask tons of questions, hang out with gobs of people your own age who think spitting is awesome, and get recess every day? Hmm, sounds kind of like RCTQ, except the spitting part. :-)