Getting Ready For School

I hate this time of year. I always feel like I'm forgetting something, and it usually ends up being something important. The school supplies, school clothes, registration, etc. It's all so overwhelming. They can have this kind of notebook, but not this kind. They need notebooks and folders to match. Fine. I can do that. Unfortunately, the store does not carry 6 different colors in the notebooks like they do in the folders.

ARGH!!!!

My head is spinning already, and we've got almost a month before they go back. To make matters even more hectic, Tristan is going to college this year. A whole new can of worms. This form needs filled out. This scholarship needs to go here, but that one needs to go there. Has he had all of his immunizations? If so, when? What kind of bed do you want to sleep on? A loft or a bunk? That dorm fridge can only be so many cubic inches. Blah, blah, blah. I'm not sure whether I'm coming or going with the college stuff. And they don't help you all that much either. I need a list. A list that says, "This specific stuff needs to be done before your child can go to college here." Luckily, there are five students from his high school that are going to the same college, so after comparing notes, the parents are about 75% confident that we've got everything covered. I'm sure this is not the case, but 75% is better than nothing, right?

Have you tried shopping for school clothes with an almost-13 year old girl? Um.....it's impossible, to say the least. She acts like she's the Queen of England or something and should only have the best of everything. She will only wear this brand of jeans and that brand of shoes. Her favorite color is pink, but only on Tuesdays. "Gawd, Mom! I can't be seen wearing THAT!" I'm so sick of that eye-roll thing she does, I'm about to roll her head across the floor.

I just don't remember it being this difficult when the kids were younger. They wore what we bought, and that was that. School registration was easy, and school supplies were even simpler.

I've decided if this is the way it's going to be from here on out, I'm going on a one-woman vacation this time next year. I'll let the grandmas take care of buying their clothes and supplies. I'll let Mike take the girl shopping. That will teach her!