As If I Don't Have Enough to Do

Ya'll are so good to me.

Your support during my pity party was greatly appreciated. It's nice to know a girl has someone out there. Even if we haven't formally met yet.

Things are a little better this week.

I actually kinda like Jacob's new medicine even though it takes over an hour to begin working in the morning and the patch leaves raw red spots on his skin. It lasts longer than the last one so he is more tolerable in the evening. Of course, we saw Santa last week too, so I am sure that is helping some.

Yes. My kid is in fourth grade and still thinks Santa is one hip dude. I will milk this for as long as I can because as unpredictable as he is, I wouldn't put it past him to ruin it for his siblings.

That, and I really just enjoy seeing him get excited about something. He rarely does these days.

My MIL was here for over a week. I'd like to say these visits get better but they don't. My husband is always so pissed off after she leaves blaming me for the shambles that was his vacation week, but you know, I wasn't here a lot then. Thank goodness for that low-paying job. She has taken to lying. A lot. And wandering around the house all night long. Ten days of little sleep and complete confusion will wear at people. My husband is still an ass, but at least he's a less furious one.

I am kinda ticked off that Frontierville is requirine 200 side dishes and 20 RSVPs (THAT DON'T WORK) to complete the Thanksgiving feast mission. I mean. C'mon.

Oh, and the whole nobody stepped up to be kindergarten room mom leaving me to somehow being delegated the position.

Get this...

(And why I'm surprised about this, I don't know. Adam does go to Jacob's school)

Today is Grandparent's Day at the school. It's really a huge plea for donations masqueraded as a salute to the previous generation, but they make a huge deal over it. Kindergarten especially.

Last week a mass email was sent out by Adam's teacher requesting help on the day of and then another request when no one took her up on the first one. I shot back a reply all letting her know I could be there ONLY if Elizabeth was welcome too since, well, what would I do with her? She said that should be fine and I would be getting an email shortly from the room mom to let me know what my duties would be.

A couple of days later I went in and asked the teacher quite casually, yet a bit concerned, "Hey, what's up with the Grandparents Day thing?" to which she replied, "I have no idea".

Okey-dokey then.

And I promptly forgot about it because I have three kids, a job, meals to cook, and a house to clean.

Fast forward to yesterday, oh ten am-ish, when my email dinged with I can only describe as a vindictive nasty-gram from our "room mom" letting me know that

OUR CLASS IS IN CHARGE OF BRINGING TEA AND LEMONADE FOR 150 PEOPLE. THERE IS NO WAY I CAN DO THIS AS I WILL HAVE A HOUSE FULL OF GUESTS AND I ALSO HAVE CHILDREN. I NEED SOMEONE TO TAKE THIS ON ASAP. OH. AND WE NEED 3 LARGE RECTANGULAR TABLECLOTHS. I CAN'T BRING THESE EITHER BECAUSE I HAVE CHILDREN.

And following that well-written piece of information was all the forwarded emails between the four kindergarten room moms and the organized of this fine event. There had been meetings. Our class was delagated to bring the above. Four weeks ago. I am guessing since room mom has kids it has taken her this long to forward the emails. Or, heck, even show up at any of the meetings because in the transcript of the holy Grandparent Day scribe it was noted, NO ONE FROM MRS. B'S CLASS WAS IN ATTENDANCE.

WTH?

Why sign up to be room mom if you so obviously can't take that on?

And do you have to be so capital-lettery bitchy about it?

So not wanting my kid's class to look bad today with bare tables and no drinks, I shot back a reply all email to the entire class to let them know I could stop at the store and get some tea and lemonade but I absolutely, no way in h-e-double hockeysticks had tablecloths, could someone else bring those?

And you know what?

Not one email back did I receive.

So I bought $20 dollars worth of beverages and brought them to the special Grandparent's Day room this morning where one of the other teachers was also dropping off her own stash of drinks because she was told our class wasn't participating.

WHAT?

So we had a lengthy conversation about all that was missed when "room mom" chose not to attend the meetings and let us know what we needed to do and apparently we're going to a Christmas tree farm and we have to buy our kids an ornament for the Nutcracker field trip and there's that party in a couple of weeks.

Okay then.

So I take my kid late with his Gammy in tow for the big beg fest program and I stop in to ask his teacher if she, in fact, has an actual room mom. To which she replied, "Well, not really....."

Seems "room mom" was gung ho to do it at the beginning but she's been having trouble even speaking with her much less getting her to do things.

She had to rely on her child's teacher's room mom (got that?) to help her with the grandparent day gifts they gave out this morning. They were so cute, too.

Guess whose kid didn't get one?

Guess whose teacher is busting her hump getting it slapped together before it's all over at 1?

So it turns out no one is putting together a Christmas Party. "Room Mom" is too busy with her children to do it. My mouth jumped ahead of my brain and told the nice teacher lady that if she'd just send me a list of parent emails I'd be happy to start that up.

Someone should really stop me from talking to people.

Of the fourteen kids in Adam's class, he is the only child whose mama works. Granted, it's only three days a week, but still, those three days a week are pretty full for me. Where are the other thirteen mamas? Damn. When Jacob was in kindergarten I couldn't volunteer for anything because someone else had already gotten to it. This time you can't even get anyone to bring a snack for those poor hungry boogers. (I bring most of the snacks too).

So this is the story of how I became kindergarten room mom.

I promise never to send out capital letter emails.

And I will stalk those who do not sign up to bring party goodies.

And I will do it all with my tiny child in tow and after work when I am bone-tired, just so you lazy other mamas don't have to lift a finger.