I'm always late.
I made it my New Year's resolution to be on time for roughly 20 years straight before I finally gave in and accepted this about myself. No matter what I do, no matter how I plan my time, I'm always a few minutes late.
Heck, I was born at 8:03 a.m. I'm sure I was supposed to be out by 8 o'clock, but, you know, I was a little tied up for those few extra minutes.
What does all of this mean? That getting Sam to the bus stop on time in the morning is an amazing achievement.
And it's an amazing achievement that I'm getting closer to missing every day.
Today, Sam made it out there about 52 seconds before the bus arrived (the bus stop is directly beside our house, so don't think I sent her a half-mile down the road by herself).
I was still gathering up my purse, the diaper bag, my lunch tossed into a plastic bag and ... what was that other thing I needed? oh, yes, THE BABY ... when Sam yelled, "BYE, MOMMA!" from the road.
Knowing she won't get on the bus without a kiss, I left my front door hanging open (so I didn't freaking lock myself out again), stomped awkwardly down the steps and met Sam on the edge of the road.
One smooch, a reminder for her to have a green day, and then I was left standing in the gravel, my purse swinging on my forearm, the diaper bag flopped forward and whacking me on the hip -- and the parents and all the kids on the bus staring at me.
Would I prefer to get to the bus stop with four or five minutes to spare, hang out and talk with the other parents and watch Sam pick flowers and play cops and robbers (which I didn't realize kids still played) with sticks? Of course.
Can I make that happen when I have to get three of us ready in less than an hour? Sometimes.
I think it all goes back to my not being a morning person. I'm sure the solution here is to get me and at least Sam up earlier. But I know me -- getting up earlier only gives me more time to lose track of, and then we'll be late AND cranky because we didn't get enough sleep.
Thoughts? Tips? Peals of sympathetic laughter?
I don't know how you do it with three - I can't get to work on time and I'm just one!
Do you blame traffic, Heidi? :-)
Takes me an hour to get out of the house with both kids too and I AM a morning person! I try to pack the diaper bag and lay out clothes the night before. It helps . . . a little.
You know, I told my folks to make sure my casket is a little late for my funeral so that it would be keeping with how I was in life. I am ALWAYS late, too, and other humans, mostly those snobby folks who are always on time, don't get me. After all these years, I still haven't figured it out. I hope you have better luck getting a handle on it than I have. I feel your pain.