I always assumed Justin would be my scatterbrained child, what with all his Asperger-related organizational difficulties, but Brayden is taking “scatterbrained” to a whole new level. Every day when I pick him up from kindergarten, he comes out with his backpack hanging open and a trail of forgotten items behind him. We’re already down a hoody, a water bottle and a lunch bowl, and nothing is getting better. I talked to his teacher a couple days ago and apparently there are two other kids with the same problem, so she’s going to try to help. But even yesterday, Brayden came out without his coat, which we eventually found on the floor near the sink…then on the way out I found one of his inside shoes peeking out from under a table. Sigh.

I’m getting used to being alone for most of the day, but it can still be tough to find ways to be productive. I’m working through my tech comm course, and I seem to do a lot of shopping, and sometimes I get some extra exercise…but I think I need to find more ways to get out of the house. I hate being bored.

The world’s gone crazy: I now have an iPhone 4S, and Chris does not. This is big news considering Chris has been campaigning for an iPhone for at least two years and I’ve been telling him he doesn’t need one, they’re a waste of money, blah blah blah. (You might recall we had this same debate about the iPad, and I caved on that one a few months ago. Don’t judge me.)

But lately I’ve been thinking that I really do need a good phone now that both boys are in school and I’m not necessarily home as much (suppose I hadn’t been here when the school called about Justin’s head wound?) I’ve actually had a cell phone for years, but it was really only for emergencies, and I almost never turned it on. I could have kept that one, but I wanted an easier way to send texts and check email, and since we’re part of the Apple universe anyway, an iPhone seemed like the way to go. Now I just have to live down all the mocking (and get used to the monthly bill…sigh).

The fact that Chris was OK with me getting one and not him makes me suspect he has something else up his sleeve. Guess I’ll have to wait and see.

August has been a nice blend of busy and down time. Justin did a couple of science camps that he really seemed to enjoy: he came home from the last one explaining the difference between endothermic and exothermic reactions. (Methinks Grade 2 might be a bit of a letdown, but we’ll see.) Brayden also did a couple of play-in-the-park camps with his preschool teacher — and so ends our time with Miss Melissa, who has done so much for my kids over the last three years. We’ll miss her.

When they weren’t in camps, the kids and I have been hanging at the beach, going to the odd movie, chilling at the local waterparks and enjoying some play dates. I started my technical communication program a couple weeks ago too, so I’ve been working on assignments in my off hours. It’s a bit tougher to fit that in when the kids are here all the time (which they will be for the next couple weeks…ugh) but it’s working out all right. I’ll be doing eight courses over the next 14 months, so it better work out all right.

T minus 16 days…the school year approaches…

A few weeks ago it occurred to me that it might be time to update the boys’ bedrooms. Neither room had been decorated since before its occupant was born, and both have taken a beating from two rambunctious little boys (plus I was looking forward to taking down the 154 papers of dinosaur names that Justin had plastered all over his walls). Brayden agreed to do his room in blue, which came out really nice; Justin wanted green, so I did that, but then he decided he wanted the old color back, so I had to repaint (sigh).  Chris even bought some Angry Birds wall stickers to really bring the decor up to date. Anyway, here are the before-and-afters: