Back to School night

Last night I went back to school. It wasn't really much of a homecoming, as I'd been there earlier that morning with Mark, passing out apology letters to the principal, nurse and some other adults.

I picked Mark up from after school care, and we crossed the playground to eat dinner before the program started. As we sat at the table, some of Mark's friends stopped by. They chatted, in the way that most 4th grade kids do, which I always find amusing.

Mark's friend Ryan was bummed he'd missed Mark checking his blood sugar.

"It's SOOOOOO cool!" he told a younger boy, who was drinking/spilling a can of root beer. "He pokes himself with a needle and makes his fingers BLEED!"

The younger boy was appalled, but didn't want to look scared. "That is cool," he replied, though the fear in his eyes betrayed him.

Then Ryan showed the crazy faces he and Mark made at a girl named Nicole. (I didn't blame him after I found out it was this Nicole.) They also shared a mutual dislike of a girl named Samantha, who Ryan said was "mean -- really, REALLY mean!"

"She's my sister," said Root Beer Boy.

"No!" screamed Mark and Ryan simultaneously, but Root Beer boy just nodded.

"She's really mean to him," Ryan explained. "It gets him all mad."

Cute little Root Beer Boy smiled the most angelic smile ever and told us, "Yeah, I have anger issues." Then he scampered off to play.

The principal took the stage then, introducing the teachers and staff. A little girl walked by Mark, smiled shyly and said, "Hi, Mark." Her smile and demeanor set off my "someone's-got-a-crush-on-my-son" radar. Mark confirmed this by grunting, then getting mad at the cute little girl, his usual reaction to displays of affection.

"She's annoying," he grumbled. "She always tries to sit by me."

He perked up a little when she asked if he wanted to buy some candy, but I shook my head no. If he couldn't be sweet, he couldn't have sweets.

I joined the other 45 parents in Mark's class, who were cramming themselves into little blue plastic chairs. We sat at small wooden desks in the hot classroom and listened to the teacher discuss homework (do it), bad behavior (don't do it), and the year's curriculum (emphasis on California).

Overall, I was very impressed. He was low-key and humble, and I wondered how he managed to not get eaten alive by 35 wild fourth-graders (25 of them boys).

Mark spent the time making faces, digging through his desk and just generally being a nuisance. I gave him some paper to draw on, until I discovered he hadn't done his homework. Then I gave him that instead, and the stink eye, since he was supposed to complete it during Homework Club after school.

I've met the teacher a few times before, but it was nice to see him in action -- his room all decorated with signs and artwork the kids created. There were even some California Mission projects on display, which started me sweating. I do not have any creative or artistic bones in my body, and I've been freaking out over creating a mission for four years now. I know technically it's Mark's project, but I kinda feel like I'll be graded on the final project as well.

So other than the reminder of my impending Mission disaster, I'd hail Back to School night a success.

Back on schedule

Thankfully, Mark is back on his school schedule. After two weeks of sleeping in late, I was afraid this week would be Battle of the Insolent, Sleepy Third Grader. Luckily, I got the condensed version (just one morning).

Monday dawned bright and cheery; Mark, however, did not. He refused to get out of bed, citing, "I'm stretching" at least four different times, and "I'm still tired" three times. (Are those valid excuses for showing up to work late? Because maybe I should try those!) I finally "stretched" his little body right out from under his warm blankets. This, as to be expected, was met with resistance.

After a grumpy breakfast and an immediate return to bed while I was in the shower, we were ready for school. Mark alternately walked seven steps behind me, or four ahead of me. I've seen grumpy before--but this beat all!

His bad attitude stayed with him all day long. I picked him up from Kid's Club and asked how his first day back was.

"Bad," he answered.

I was surprised. "Why?" I asked.

He held out his hands in his patented "DUH!" gesture, and said, "Because I was at SCHOOL!"

"But you like school," I said.

"No, I don't."

And so I dropped the subject.

Tuesday morning, I woke up, mentally preparing for the second day of battle. But the little guy surprised me, and woke up happy. He ate his breakfast, and cheerfully completed all his chores. He even held my hand walking to school (a first), and talked about living in a Rainbow House when he grows up (he's going to paint each exterior wall a different color). He even skipped off to school with an "I love you!"

It's weird...I can't figure out if it's a grumpy-get-back-on-schedule thing, or if it's a blood sugar-related thing. When Mark's blood sugar is high (above 150), there's no reasoning with him. He's an angry, combative, mouthy little man. And when it's in range, he's the sweetest kid ever. Monday, he woke up high (264) and yesterday he was perfect (99). So it's a whole chicken and the egg thing--was he grumpy because of his blood sugar, or did the anxiety of returning to school send his blood sugar soaring?

I dunno...I'm just glad that two days later, he's back on schedule, and back to being Happy Mark.