Supermom....

Ok, for all you moms out there…who don’t own a cape or have supernatural powers, this one’s for you. So, you know the type of superhero I’m gonna talk about. She’s supermom, the kind of mom you aspire to be, but real life tripped you up and you landed back on your not-so-supermom rear-end.
It all began this year with Andrew’s first school year as a Pre-K kid at Middleburgh Elementary. It was within the first week, I had her pegged. Supermom…aka Kerri. She swooped into school life with her adorable son and immediately volunteered to be classroom mom. She knew all of the kids by name within the first week and signed up for every extra curricular activity that was possible. I eyed her warily and I knew my extra curricular involvement would be slightly limited due to the fact that I still had a two-year-old at home. Thanks to my mom I was able to do field trips and various classroom parties, so I was engaged and involved in Andrew’s school-life.
The whirlwind began quickly with library books that came home every week…we lost one within the first month. Kerri, however helped organize the books and sign out sheets. She told me that it was no big deal to lose a book, it happens all the time. I smiled, it does happen all the time, but not to Kerri.
We had to bring healthy snacks every month for a class party. I was the parent that realized snacks were needed the night before and lost my head in the cupboards trying to find something suitable.
Kerri brought fresh picked strawberries from the local farm complete with whip cream and little dishes.
On a bus trip I could hear Kerri and her sing-song voice, “Who wants to play the I-Spy game”, the request was met with a few eager children. I was thinking, isn’t this nice to sit and ride as long as the kids are being good. I spy something, I spy 22 children actually being quiet, enjoy the moment supermom!
I usually have a pretty good energy level, but Kerri’s energy superceded my own and she’s not even a coffee drinker. I thought I could avoid contact, but Kerri pegged me early, there was no avoiding her supermom smile and . “Andrew is so cute, what a doll you have,” ok, I’ll take that…compliment my kid…point for supermom. “By the way that color looks good on you,” ok…compliment me…another point for supermom. So, slowly, we became acquaintances despite the fact that she actually took notes at the Kindergarten registration this year. I was happy I remembered it was that Wednesday night and I wasn’t late for it. Kerri knows her son’s complete schedule. I am sure Andrew’s is somewhere in my school drawer. Kerri takes her kid to T-ball, soccer and gymnastics, oh yea..and swimming lessons.
I thought for sure I would be the antithesis of supermom until one day, I arrived at school to get Andrew and I realized superkid was still standing there waiting for supermom. We waited with him for a little while and finally supermom flew into the parking….late. I stood with superkid until mom got there looking slightly frazzled and apologized to the teacher and to her son for being so late. She had lost track of time. I decided Kerri was going to be tolerable. Her superhero persona had flaw…tardiness. She loses track of time. She thanked me for standing with her son and I told her it was no problem. I inwardly smiled at my small victory. Supermom…tardy, Amber….on time, point for me.