Regionals

My son is participating in the Regional Competition for National History Day. It is being held at a nearby college. Well 40 minutes away nearby.


A week ago he shared with me that he would be missing his baseball draft. What? I have NHD Regionals. Since when? Sigh, 'cause I'm a good parent and I remember these things from September, if your child advances to Regionals it will be held on March 13. Right, of course I remember these things, like I remember where I put my purse! (Since I have now left my purse twice in the past week - once in a conference room at work and I had to retrieve it the next morning, on my day off! And then Thursday I left it at a friend's house.)


I've considered driving him back for the tryouts, but it just doesn't make sense. Besides, one of the coaches moved up and I would love to have T on his team. We have been on AllStar teams together and I've enjoyed his coaching abilities. Seeing that T is moving up a league, there are mainly all new coaches, coaches that don't know T. I'm OK with that as it may give him a better chance to be with LK. Ultimately, I'm just glad that his coach for the past six years is not coaching this year. I do believe in miracles.

Tonight while walking T said that his teacher would be bringing a tie for him tomorrow. What? He has a tie, at his dad's, from his great grandmother's funeral. Dress pants too. Where are they? At his dad's. But...he did bring back his dress shoes. Sigh.

Clearly, I'm not going to have him wear a tie from his teacher. We aren't a charity case. And seeing that T wanted to wear a striped shirt of blues and blacks, who knows if the tie would even match. So, after our hour walk, we got home and he tried on more clothes. Then off we went to shop. Our favorite activity. One of the many. Not.

We head over to Kohl's since everything is on sale and I had an additional 15% off coupon. T hates, hates, hates blue jeans. I occasionally buy him a pair and he outgrows them after wearing them once. For some reason, he believes that blue jeans are dress pants. There were a couple pair on the clearance rack and he actually liked them. He went on to tell me how his friends tease him that he never wears jeans. Both pairs fit him and we bought them. Totally the reason for going shopping tonight. Not.

We found a pair of black dress pants and he is now in "husky". He's put on some weight, as have I, and tonight he blamed it on our Grenada trip in 2008. That he's gained weight ever since then because we ate so late and he doesn't eat as well anymore. He thinks it's affected his metabolism. I think we exercise less and eat worse. But anyway. He picked out a shirt/tie combo (clip on - which he thinks is the BEST EVER!) that fit really well. Did you know they have zip ties? They are most bizarre. Anyway...

We also went sock shopping. And belt shopping. Nothing like shopping the night before a BIG event where he is to be judged on a website he created and get through an interview. He even asked if he should wear cologne but was sensitive enough to know that even one spray would make me gag on the drive over. I suggested that he should spray it when we get there. He offered he could spray it on before bed so it would be just right in the morning. Smart kid.

He really is growing up, despite the clip on tie! Dress pants, dress shirt (that I even ironed both - my favorite!), tie, dress socks and shoes...It's almost like I'm dressing him for his first dance.

Ah, eighth grade dance...I still have one more year...one more year...how time flies!