Thursday, December 1, 2016

And Then There’s...

Well, we had another successful first day of school. The Marshall girls seemed to be very excited about going. Even Kori!

As Tiff and I took pictures and gave our pep speeches, it became abundantly clear that they were growing up. Kaden was calmer than I was about going to middle school. Holding back tears and trying to be the cool Dad, I asked her, “Kaden, are you good with going school by yourself?” Keep in mind, Kaden is my tolerant baby. She said, “Yeah Dad. I got this. You seem awful ‘huggy’ today. It is what it is. I can’t go back to 5th grade. You’ll be fine Dad.”

How did she manage to flip my attempt at being ‘fatherly’ to me being a soft sappy Dad? Confession - She was right! My baby was going to sixth grade; and she had it.

Then there’s Kennedy…
Kennedy was the first to get out of bed. Normally, if I am not at the gym in the morning, she will come to our room, give me a kiss, lay beside me for a few minutes, give me another kiss and then start her day.

Everyone reading this knows that I look forward to that ritual. That didn’t happen on the first day of school. Ms. Kennedy got up, put her clothes on, brushed her teeth, we ate our traditional huuuugge breakfast, put her backpack by the door and was ready! By now I’m good and mad. [Actually, I was all in my feelings].

I asked Kennedy, why she didn’t come to my room and hang out with me. She said, “Daddy, I have to show that I can be the oldest Marshall girl at Farmer Elementary. I have to show you that we will be fine. I don’t want you and Mom to worry about me and Kori. I am ready. I thought this is what you wanted.” Cornered, I said, “Yeah, Puddin’ that is exactly what I want. Responsibilty! Way to step up! That’s what I’m talking ‘bout.”

 Ya’ll know I was lying. I wanted her tail to come give me a kiss and fall in my arms. The nerve of her ass being responsible made me want to cry. This day was not going well for me. 

Then there’s Kori… I just knew Kori would give me what she always gives me, a good laugh and some excuse as to why school is set up all wrong. She started out true to form by bothering her sisters. “Sisters, I can’t reach the milk. One of you need to get it for me. Sisters, I can’t find my pencil pack. I need help looking.” In my head I was like, ‘Yes! Squirty-Bird is being the household nussiance that I know and love.’

 I felt like there was still hope. Kori let me cut her pancakes, add extra powder sugar, sprinkle more cheese on her eggs. I was in heaven. Until…. “Girls, I can’t wait to see Marvin. I hope to get to sit beside him.” Tiff looked at me! I glared at Tiff; and before she could stop me, I said, “Who’s Marvin? Why do you  need to sit by Marvin?” Both Kaden and Kennedy could see that it was about to get real up in the Marshall house. Kori had  the nerve to only say, “A boy Dad.” 

As I promised Tiff to not share my entire reaction to this munchkin money pit, I will just say that Kori, wanted to sit by Marvin because he is the fastest boy in the class and she’s the fastest girl in the class. She popped that smirk, that only she can pop and then dropped this to me, “Daddy, I’m about my grades my sports. I don’t need you over here losing it. Keep it tight big guy. Boys are dumb.” Now all of sudden, nobody wants to make eye contact with me. Like I’m the fool. Being the nice calm father that I am, I did what any Father with a shred of self respect would do. I said, “Breakfast is over! Everybody get away from me.” But oh no! Kori couldn’t stop there. She had to ask, “Daddy, were you a boy once?” To this day, I think she was trying say, I was being dumb. I didn’t answer her little butt.

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