Illusions

I signed the kids up for storytime again today. We have skipped it so far this year, because it was getting so hard to usher Nick into the room while keeping Nate out of it, but now that Nathan has turned three they can both go. As usual, the registration process was ridiculous - it started at 9am, but when I showed up at 8:30 the line was out onto the sidewalk. I got numbers 41 and 42, but was lucky enough to get the day and time I wanted.

I know the process is insane, and I can't stand the fact that these women, these mothers, are willing to stand out on the cold with their kids just to sign them up for this. Who are these women? Are they insane? And then it occured to me that... well, I was one of them.

I tell myself I am NOT that kind of person. I am only there because my schedule is tight - I mean, sure, it may seem like I don't have a lot to do during the day, but it is really a fine balancing act between when things open and when the kids will fall asleep in the car on the way home messing up nap. And I know many people would roll their eyes and wonder why that is such a big deal, but until you've sat at the dinner table with two of my nap-deprived kids you will never understand. The Storytime slots either occur on a school day, during their gymnastics class, or in the afternoon... except for the one other class. So it was VERY IMPORTANT for me to get the ONE CLASS we could make...

See? I have a REASON for getting there so early and standing out in the cold. I'm not one of these other moms with no life. Who show up early and force eveyone else to show up early or go with no storytime slot. They couldn't possibly be in the same situation as I, could they?

Gooble Gobble, one of us. Why oh why do I do all this again?