Both kids survived their first morning back to school... chances are that since they've made it to 10:30 and I haven't gotten any frantic calls yet, they'll make it through the afternoon... and the next day, and the next, and the next, and so on into the oblivion of the American public school system.

My biggest worry was for Jacob, who has never spent time in any daycare/school type situation before, aside from two hour-long trial visits last week. He was a little clingy, but then the teacher distracted him with a bucket of beads that are sort of like these ones except they are fish and turtles and starfish instead of plain old cylindrical beads. Jacob was completely engrossed by the concept of anally violating a series of ocean creatures, so I was able to leave without a fuss. One might even say he was happy as a clam [insert laff trak here].

Emily started first grade, which means this is all old hat for her. I wasn't able to be home while she got on the bus, but after I got Jacob settled in I was able to get to her school in time to see her arrive. She has a locker this year - in first grade. Very grown-up. All of the lockers are about a foot wide, but they have a vertical divider down the center, apparently to prevent all but the very tiniest students from getting shoved into their locker by the resident bullies. Good to know the school has thought this out.

And then I stopped at Dunkin Donuts to get myself something, and I picked up a coffee for Judi, too, since I was late coming into work this morning what with the distribution of my spawn around town. The line for the drive-thru was out to the street, so I parked and went in (and I checked - I DID get out two cars sooner than I would have... it's good to be right). And watched the otherwise lovely young man in charge of iced coffees bend over to scoop ice and display several inches of hairy parts that I just do NOT want to see at that time of the morning. Or, ever. And the kid was wearing a belt.

Fantastic.