Monthly Archives: September 2010

Special K

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Thirteen years ago today, I gave birth to my first child, a daughter.

Damn. Who pushed the fast-forward button on my life?

Though we have our moments, I couldn’t ask for a more loving, caring, smart, funny, responsible person to initiate me into the ways of teenage offspring. I’m pretty sure we have some tough times ahead, but right now things are mostly delightful. And so, a little ode dedicated to my darling firstborn.

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Special K

Her little sister thinks she’s mean.

Pizza might be her favorite cuisine.

Her fashion tastes tend toward jeans.

She’s yet to crave coffee (and caffeine).

Her moods have been known to wildly careen.

She’s grown quite adept at venting her spleen.

Sleeping late is her choice of routine.

Her bedroom? Well, it’s mostly clean.

Overall, she has pretty good hygiene.

Her long hair’s brushed to a lovely sheen.

She’s still a cuddling and snuggling machine.

She doesn’t (thank goodness!) dig the Bieber scene.

She relishes her reign as Drama Queen.

Her freckles? The loveliest I’ve ever seen.

Engrossed in a book, she’s always serene.

She loves the word “like”, from what I can glean.

She’s not sure where she’s going, but she knows where she’s been.

So here’s to my newly minted teen.

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©2010 Carlotta Eike Stankiewicz

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Back to School

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I’ve always loved this Staples commercial, pitch-perfect in its depiction of parental glee this time of year.

Here’s the thing, though. As dour as the faces of those two little kids appear, I’m not so sure that they’re really all that bummed to be going back to school. I know my girls would never cop to it, but I believe that when September finally rolls around, they’re just as ready as any gloating parent for all the structure and routine that school brings.

Just don’t let ’em know that I’m on to them.

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Back to School

They couldn’t wait for summer
with its drowsy afternoons,
its swimming pools and lemonade,
its lovely midnight moons.

They couldn’t wait for summer
and for staying up past ten,
for waking when they wanted to
and napping now and then.

They couldn’t wait for summer
to stare into the sky
while spying birds and bunnies
in the clouds that floated by.

They couldn’t wait for summer
to lie around all day
to laze about from hour to hour
as time just slipped away.

They couldn’t wait for summer
to do nothing much at all;
but by July, when boredom hit,
they couldn’t wait for fall.