I got a glimpse of what our mornings would look like this school year when I asked the kids to get ready for back-to-school night at Stevenson. Ri threw on an old tank top and a hat because she didn’t want to brush her hair. She was ready in five seconds. Mario, to the contrary, was in his room for ten minutes before I yelled to him to hurry up.
“I can’t get my button buttoned!”
He sounded frustrated. I walked upstairs and saw him standing in his room with clothes scattered around him. He clearly had tried on numerous outfits before landing on the one he was wearing. I buttoned the too button of his shirt but not before trying to convince him that he could keep it unbuttoned and look cool.
“Mom, it looks stupid like that and it bothers me. I want it buttoned to the top.”
Mario knows best.
He then walked into our bedroom and found the hair gel. Jon gave him his old gel to use and Mario thinks that is too cool. He stood in the mirror for at least five minutes dipping his fingers into the gel and tussling his hair. I kept telling him he looked fine and he kept saying “hold on one more minute, mom, I’m almost ready.”

Jon and I know now that we will need to wake him up a half hour earlier than Ri so he can get dressed and do his hair. God love him. When he walked outside, Ri exclaimed “look at that darling baby boy!” Mario frowned and yelled “stop embarrassing me Ria!” He was clearly nervous.
But the night went well. He found his classroom and chair with Ri’s help. She made him practice putting his magnetic name on the “Packing” side and the “Buying” side of the wall, and she showed him where to write his name. She’s a good mama bear.

Mario made a new friend immediately and ran around with Quinn and the new friend all night. Maria was off on her own with her girlfriend, Anna, never to be seen until the night was over. I couldn’t even get a picture of her. Just wait until the first day of school tomorrow…she will be begging me to leave.