[Image credit]

I can only assume my previous post was to blame for the epic and unprecedented 3rd grade anxiety shown by Boy Wonder last Sunday.  If I didn't know better, I would have thought this kid was dead man walking.

As I tucked him into bed and wished him good luck on his first day at school, the tears started flowing.

He went on to tell me how hard it was to be quiet in the classroom and how his mouth talks even when he doesn’t want it to.  How talking in class makes his teacher mad and how he knew another N in citizenship would upset us.  He told me he wanted to be quiet this year but that he wasn’t sure he could.  I nodded and told him I understood, because I do.  It was no accident that my name remained a permanent fixture on the chalkboard until about 5th grade when finally got smart enough to start passing notes. 

I knew I needed to do something to ease his anxiety and before I could stop my own mouth from talking, I uttered, “I have a lucky charm but it’s really special to me because it works so well.  Do you think if I give it to you that you could keep it safe?”  He excitedly nodded his head and asked what it was.  My, what an excellent question, wish I knew the answer. 

I hurried into my room and frantically began opening every drawer, miscellaneous box and pouch I had; nothing!  Crap, why don’t I save trinkety things?  My heart was racing, my palms were sweaty and he was waiting.  Just as I was about to call my own bluff and admit defeat, I pulled down a dusty old jewelry box from the top of my closet.  There inside, a $2 bill expertly folded into the shape of a ring; a perfect lucky charm.  As I placed the $2 bill ring on my finger, I felt awesome for a moment until I realized it made me look like a pimp.  He wouldn't care, he would love it.


Boy Wonder and his lucky charm.

Feeling all kinds of victorious, I walked back into his room and told how rare and special $2 bills were since they don't make them anymore (right?).  I opened my hand to reveal the $2 bill ring, his eyes lit up.  I told him the ring always brought me luck and would do the same for him if he believed it would.  He looked me deep in the eyes and with every ounce of conviction he could muster, he said, “I believe it will, Mom.”

We found a secret spot in his backpack to hide his lucky charm.  Happy, confident and obviously relieved, he gave me a smile as I tucked him into bed.

I have high hopes it’s going to be a good year because he finally believes it can be.

Did your children suffer from back to school anxiety?  How did you put them at ease? 

[Image credit]

I happen to believe the pregnant belly is one of those things that is just so adorable I have to grit my teeth, hard.  I’m guessing you agree.

But what about the bare baby bump?  Equally adorable or just plain tacky?

I posted an article on another website with a picture of a bare baby bump, much like the one shown above.  The article got a bunch of comments (blogger’s dream) but the comments weren’t about the article (blogger’s nightmare).  The comments prompted a heated discussion about appropriate maternity wear in regard to the “offensive” and “tacky” bare baby bump shown in the photo.  I was surprised, the photo was beautifully tasteful and pastel, complete with soft lighting.  And here I thought pastel never offended anybody; I hope we have all learned something here.

I never went around bare bellied in my pregnant state but it wasn’t because I thought doing so was tacky, it was just that bare belly fashion was never something I carried in my personal bag of tricks, pregnant or not.  If I was a belly-showing kind of gal however, I think I'd never cover my belly in all its preggo glory. 

Picture the bare-bellied mama with her long flowy skirt and short belly tank.  She’s got wild hair and big hoop earrings, standing in a meadow while holding a daisy.  So Earth Mother.  So beautiful.

What do you think?  Show off that bare baby bump or keep it covered?