We all knew Rob would be doomed, DOOMED! FINE in the whole music lesson situation, and indeed he was. He came home from school and I pounced on him, practically grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him as I said, “WELL??? What happened with the music lesson???” and he was all, “Huh? What? Oh, it was fine. Can I have goldfish crackers?”
He remembered the lesson, which was my primary concern: I couldn’t believe I’d forgotten to remind him as he got on the bus, and also I don’t know how I’m going to let him go off to college where he’s going to have to remember to get up, remember to shower, remember to go to class, remember to do his homework……. Well, anyway, let’s save that panic for another day.
He asked a teacher where the classroom was, and when she sent him to the music room rather than the band room (I didn’t know there was a different room, either) he asked another teacher, which I was very glad to hear because he and I share the Panic Gene, which means that we sometimes get so nervous and upset we are no longer able to think of any sensible ideas other than crying. He found the room, and he was the only one who didn’t have an instrument, plus he didn’t have the book, but he said he just explained to the teacher that his clarinet was on its way but hadn’t arrived yet, and she was fine with that—-and see again the part about Panic Gene, because in similar situations he’s been mute because he wasn’t sure it was okay to explain things to the teacher in case it was like he was arguing or talking back. (Me: *empathetic pang*)
Then he went to his classroom, and his teacher had NOT known he had a music lesson but she DID know music lessons started this week—so as he put it, she “believed” him, and also he gave her my note so now she also knows Rob has an anxious mother, and it’s just as well we get that out of the way while the year is young.
So. He handled it just fine and everything was just fine. I was glad he and I had gone over it ahead of time, with me explaining that sometimes _I_ felt panicky and had trouble thinking what to do and so it was good to think things out beforehand and realize that even if things went wrong they’d still be fine overall, because at the time he was vigorously nodding and saying he was the same way, even though afterward he was all cazh about it.
It is time for some photos of the new dining room! I wasn’t very good about making sure I was taking pictures from the same angle, or, like, at the same time of day, and in fact it wouldn’t be out of line if someone gently explained that I should make sure I was taking photos of the SAME ROOM each time—and also, it’s really hard to get a picture that shows much of it. But you’ll get the idea.
This is standing in the kitchen, looking past all the shoved-into-the-kitchen junk (the dining room chairs will soon have a more sensible home, but where ARE we going to put the recycling bins that used to be on the porch??) into the dining room before the walls were painted or the floor was in. The opening there used to be sliding glass doors onto the porch. Do you like our original early-1960s kitchen light fixture? It has mod gold stars on the bulb cover.
This is after I painted the ceiling white and the walls white Behr Sea Salt, but before the floor was in. Look at all the outlets my dad put in for us! That’s only half of them!
This is after the Armstrong fake wood laminate Black Walnut floor went in. Do you love it? I love it. We also installed one (1) baby.
I LOVE the floor. I mostly noticed the floor because I am looking for new floors and you did all the anxiety pre-work for me. Thank you!
Ooh, yes, I LOVE IT! Makes me want to re-do my real (scratched-up, 20-year-old) hardwoods with nice new Armstrong laminate Black Walnut. Yum.
Also love the windows/view!
Ooo, it’s so pretty! And doesn’t look fake at all! And the room is bright and spacious! I heart!
Also, it is great that you went over that stuff with Rob ahead of time. I’m sure that’s what prevented the Panic Gene from kicking in at a crucial moment.
I lust it.
I love new construction. It’s New! And smells NEW! And hasn’t been DESTROYED, yet.
Sigh.
I love it! Excellent call on the floor, especially now that I can see how BIG the room is! I can’t wait to see what it looks like when you get everything… er, or, well, MOST things back in there. (I dunno what you do with recycling bins, frankly. We don’t even have room to store an extra 12-pack of soda in our house.)
Emily
captainhambone.typepad.com
I forgot to comment on the Panic Gene. Are you sure he inherited it? He did great. I STILL remember the first day of third grade. We had moved and my mom just plopped me on the bus and said “have a great day”. What does a 3rd grader with the panic gene DO when she gets off the bus at school? That was a great day – thanks Mom!
It’s official. I am no longer a laminate snob. That floor looks beautiful.
That is so much better than the wasted space you used to have! I mean, the porch was nice, but you need the space, and weren’t able to use the porch much, so this is wonderful. You must feel so un-cramped!!!!! Hooray!
I’m happy about the music non-panic, too. If he can learn those skills now, he will be SO much better off. Good for him!
In the time it took to read this post, it went from 1 comment to however many are above this one. =)
So, the floor! I do love it!
And I’m really anxious about how much is enough/too much talking or email or note writing to the teacher. I don’t want to be a pain, but I don’t want to NOT communicate…. UGGGGGGG. They should have a handbook for this.
I really, REALLY do love that floor, and I also share the empathetic pangs on the talking to authority figures. Well done Rob.
Ooh, the floor is so pretty. Sometimes I worry that my kids will inherit my panic gene, too. I spent most of the only prenatal yoga class I went to crying in the hall because I locked myself out when I went to the bathroom and no one heard me knocking.
I can definitely relate to your “panic gene”, except in our house we call it the “Oh My God Syndrome”. I have it in spades!
Oh, and I do love the floors.
You picked the PERFECT floor! It looks fab!
rob did SO great! you’d never know he had any amount of Panic Gene!
now how can i go about installing one (1) of those babies in my house? do i need pretty floors first?
Yay, Rob!
And pretty, pretty dining room.
OMG Love the floor!
The room looks beautiful. Seriously. Excellent work!
Also, excellent work preparing Rob for the day. I think it speaks so much to his confidence, to be able to figure that all out, explain situations to adults, and not panic. He handled all that like more of an adult than most adults (including me!) I know.
LOVE it! That was my fave of the floor choices and it looks fabulous!
Did you have to pay extra for the baby?
Ooh, purdy! Makes me wish we owned instead of rent our place, so we could do something as lovely. Although, then I’d spend the next __ years yelling at people not to scuff it, play near it, eat near it, walk on it, LIVE IN THE SAME VICINITY of it, lest they mess it up/ruin its beautifity. And then I’d be all, MAN, we should never have gotten pretty floors in the first place! So. I’ll let you enjoy it while I sit over here and envy it.
Oooh!! The “baby” upgrade is a nice feature…
I will make sure to include one baby if we ever remodel. But do you think they have them at Home Depot? I still have a gift card.
*GASP*
Am Totally In Love With The Floor. Like, officially. Great choices, Swistle!
I am so glad that your boy has a mom who understands the PANIC GENE. As I mentioned the other day, I did not – and I think I suffered the consequences because of it! Gah!!! But Kudos to Rob for dealing with the unknown so well. That’s awesome.
And the dining room!!! So pretty!!!
Looks like you picked out a beautiful floor and a beautiful baby! Well done. I also love a room with LOTS of outlets.
The floor is PERFECT! I love it!
Absolutly Gorgeous. Fair play to you.
I hope you held out for some free baby installation.
i *heart* it. it looks gorgeous!
My first thought was “It’s Swistle. OF COURSE she installed a baby.”
The new dining room is LOVE. The floors look FAB and not fake at all! Gorgeous, dahling!
I like the one(1) baby. It really adds something to the ambience of the room. Is this design feature available at IKEA?
(Also very glad for the music lessons going well, your son sounds very repsonsible! Good parenting For The Win!)
I wish I could give your son a friendly-you-did-so-great-hug. That was a good job you did explaining things to him. Lessons for me here :)
And I love the light and open feel of your dining area!
Sometimes a little preteaching is all that panicky-personality needs. Sometimes I preteach to myself. :0)
Love your dining room, am a little envious! You’re about to have so much more eating/visiting/homeworking space!!!
ooh, LOVE the flooring choice! All your hand wringing was worth it . . .that is some BEAUTIFUL fake wood. also, cute baby :)
I LOVE how you talk about things with your kids. Rob saying he is the same way about The Panicking … Awww. I don’t have kids, probably never will, yet I BOOKMARKED your “Lightning” entry just because I’m such a super fan of they way you use examples, relate to them — you are so gifted at speaking to kids like fellow human beings and really helping them understand.
That is all. That and I like yer floors. And the light fixture.
Love the flooring! It looks great.
Love. The floor is so gorgeous, you should just keep it empty of furniture. You don’t need dining room chairs!
I am going to be such an annoying worrier when my kids get to school. They are going to loathe my notes and my overvigilant questioning, but, I already know it to be predestined.
Also: NOT FAIR that your room is way close to being done than our den, which was started FIRST.
P.S. Bitterness aside, I really like your room. I love all the windows, especially! They need some airy white sheers blowing in the crisp spring breeze! Except of course that it is not spring. Minor detail.
They look great. And I love the thinking ahead of having all the extra outlets. Definitely a good thing! You can NEVER have enough. Sea Salt is a beautiful color. Can’t wait to see it all moved in.
Oh I just love it! The floor looks wonderful!
The floor is totally fabu! Even if I originally picked a different one, I now love your choice.
Cute kid, btw.
What an adorable baby. The floor looks great!
The floors (and baby!) look great! We have just had some drywall work done *after* we put in wood floors and I am so envious that you were able to get yours done first and avoid having to see your gorgeous new floors covered in layer upon layer of dust.
I LOOOOOOOVE it! Holy hell! And hey, what does your yard look like? I noticed the trees through the window. Pretty! I am totally moving up north. Screw TEXAS. Blech.
Love the floor, love the baby!
I do love it.
The floor.
And the baby.
Don’t you feel like you can EXPAND now? Like you have so much more BONUS ROOM?
Could it be real wood that’s just trying to look like laminate? Cuz that’s what it looks like.
I love the floor! And the baby really adds to the room. Excellent choice as an accent.