I’ve recently been reminded that keeping up with the Joneses begins at a very tender age. Just cast yourself back to fifth grade. Remember telling your mom how you “have to have” a pair of Jordache jeans because “everyone has them”? Well over the last several months, my own fifth grade son has unleashed a [...]

This is it–the big year–both of my kids are the top dogs at their respective schools.

What can I say about kindergarten? It wasn’t as traumatic as I thought it would be – I only cried once. Oh, did you think I meant traumatic for my son? No, no, no, it’s all about ME! Perhaps my son was a little anxious about his first day, but he didn’t dissolve into a [...]

My son recently turned 5. While everyone else was distracted with birthday gifts and party planning, all I could think was, “How did this happen?” How did my son zoom through 5 years of life to become the (fairly) independent boy he is now? He dresses himself, feeds himself, buckles his own seatbelt (which he [...]

One of the best things about being a mom is watching your child grow up. One of the worst things about being a mom is watching your child grow up. Every mom grieves a little as her child passes from babyhood to toddlerdom, from preschooler to grade school. For me, the bittersweet feeling of saying [...]

The number three has started to take on a certain magic around here. My son will be three years old a week from Saturday. And lately, everything is more exciting to him – and, subsequently, to me too. Halloween was a kick-ass holiday. He totally “got it” this year and literally ran from house to [...]

My son had his 5-year-old wellness visit today (they aren’t called check-ups anymore!). A nurse called yesterday to confirm the appointment and inform me that I’d be charged a $40 fee if I did not show up. “And bring a first morning urine sample,” she added before hanging up. Huh? A first morning urine sample? [...]