My annual back to school post - it's FINALLY here!! We've had another amazing summer complete with friends and family. A lot of wonderful days full of sunshine, laughter, food and fun. Spoiled by the beauty of the lake and the country, we spent 10 weeks out of the city this summer. Ten weeks of having Will commute to us on the weekends, and that's the only drawback - not having him home every night to be with us. But after lots of consideration, him going back and forth from the city to the country in the summer is still the best deal for the kids. We bought that house so our kids could know what it's like to live in a rural environment. To be able to do as they please, have their independence, get on their bikes in the morning and come home in the evening, without a care in the world. That's what we had when we were kids and we are so fortunate to be able to give it to them. Our summers are filled with visitors and friends and it flies by, all but the last 2 weeks. It's at about the 8 week mark when I start to get antsy. I miss my city living, I miss having a routine and I miss school!! The last two weeks of summer are not easy! Camp is over, babysitters have gone back to school and so have our country friends. It's me and the boys trying to entertain one another - or really me trying to figure out how I can manage to keep them occupied for long enough that I can actually get some work done! They're complaining of boredom (impossible with all the stuff we have at our disposal at the lake), they're pushing each other's buttons (and mine!!), and they're trying to sneak screen time (that I'm sometimes allowing). By week 8 I'm DONE. We arrived back in Brooklyn on Tuesday, the day after Labor Day. So far we've walked about 10 miles, gone to the playground three times, eaten at our favorite doughnut shop, pizza place and diner and bumped into various friends along the way. The entire time I've been reminding them how much longer they have until school starts! (as of this writing less than 12 hours!!). Here's my dilemma tonight people...for as excited as I am to have them back in school and getting back on a schedule, to have time to myself to focus on getting my stuff done and build my business, I'm freaking out inside because HOW IS IT POSSIBLE that the little one is going to be in elementary school and the big one is going into middle school? WHERE DID THE TIME GO? What happened to my sweet little boys? Wyatt is going to be traveling on mass transit ALL BY HIMSELF....oy, my nerves!! He's not even phased by it - unless he's putting up a really good front right now. I mean, he shouldn't be phased by it, the kid has been riding subways and buses since before he was born. He knows his way around, and I'm ridiculously proud of him. He's almost as tall as I am - I figure I have about a year and then I'll be looking up at him (sigh). And then there's Elias...the crazy one. The one who always has a smile on his face, even when he's throwing a tantrum (for no reason). The one who was just born it seems. The one who will also be taller than me in about five minutes. Tomorrow will mark yet another milestone for each of them and for as much as I've wanted this day to come, I want time to stop for just a little while longer.

That's the hazard of parenting - one minute you're wishing for the next thing to happen and the next minute you're willing it to stop. It's the very definition of bittersweet. My children are my life. They are the reason I get up in the morning and try so hard to make their world a better place. They are my sun and my moon. And sometimes I can't stand them. But most of the time they're the best things that ever happened to me. Tomorrow is another milestone for each of them, and I'll be there every step of the way, fighting back the tears as to not embarrass the big kid, trying so hard not to hug him for too long in front of his friends, keeping my words in check. It will be easier for the little one - I get to be in school with him on his first day (which will probably be a huge pain in my ass by 9am), but for now I'll pretend that it's going to be fun to be sitting in a classroom with a bunch of 4 year old's and their parents, on day one of Pre-K. (I'm laughing just writing this!!). So wish me luck you guys...Tomorrow is yet another first day of school for our NYC kiddos, and as per tradition, I'm wishing them all their best year yet!! And Happy First Day of School to you too,parents - is that a Bloody Mary I hear calling our names??