My little Kindergarten Screening Gift

UPDATE: The Gift Arrived

Basically, I’m no-frills, basic. Out of necessity, the boys have made me this way. Shopping has become, over time, with babies, toddlers and preschoolers along, an experience of high-anxiety and heavy breathing. Sometimes I get the shakes when it’s all over.

There may have been a time in my life when I shopped specialty gift shops for that unique, out of the ordinary, one-of-a-kind treasure, but I can’t recall feeling that free and uninhibited. Now, Macy’s and Target cover my needs. Depending on whether I turn left or right when I back out of our driveway, both are close to home, and on the way to everything else. At either store, I can pick up socks, saline solution and lipstick while shopping for a basic, no-frills, yet functional, gift. I am eternally grateful for Macy’s and Target for the ease they have added to my life.

Now, I’m wondering if maybe the boys might be ready for a little bit more of that somewhat adventurous side of their Mom to reveal itself; the part that just might be still lurking beneath the surface. It started with eggcups. He saw a picture of an eggcup in a magazine and wondered why we don’t have those. The reason is because a plate holds an egg just fine — why fill your cupboard with ramekins and egg cups when a plate will do the job just fine? After a decade or more of cleaning up after boys all day long, “no-frills” has eased into every aspect of my life. My cupboards are stripped to the basics: tea mugs, bowls and plates; and the egg poacher, of course.

“Why don’t we have egg cups?” I’m thinking about it. Kindergarten screening was yesterday, and although I really don’t want to talk about that, the fact is, my life will be changing once all the boys head to school. I won’t be cleaning up after little boys all day long; maybe just for four hours. I’ll have a little more room in my life for frills, and maybe the boys need a little more frills in our basic little life. So, when this picture popped up in my e-mail from Wisteria, I paid attention and read the details.

They’re PURRRFECT! The simple fact that these egg cups also include felt friends will delight him and his brother more than I can express here in words. Each puppet will have names within five seconds of coming out of the box. While I cook the eggs for the cups, they’ll be delighted to sit around our table and talk for their puppets; they’ll rehearse and the show will be at five. And, I’ll have free hands, and time to watch.

Freeing them up to leave isn’t so bad, as long as you realize you’re free to spread your wings a little too — right along with them.